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Product-Led Growth: Pre-Launch Strategy (45-Day Countdown)

Launch Target: Mid-February 2026 Today's Date: December 28, 2024 Days Until Launch: 45 days Current Status: Pre-launch, no existing user base

🎯 Executive Summary​

This document outlines a focused 45-day pre-launch strategy for Juniro, addressing the unique challenges of launching a two-sided marketplace (parents + providers) with zero existing users.

The Pre-Launch Challenge:

  • No trust signals (no bookings, reviews, or users yet)
  • Chicken-and-egg problem (need providers to attract parents, need parents to attract providers)
  • 45 days to build credibility from scratch
  • Must launch with momentum, not silence

The Solution: Focus on 3 pre-launch pillars:

  1. Build Supply First (Days 1-20): Recruit 20-30 quality providers before launch
  2. Create Trust Signals (Days 1-30): Generate authentic social proof through beta testing
  3. Launch with Velocity (Days 31-45): Coordinated launch with existing momentum

📊 Pre-Launch Reality Check​

What We DON'T Have Yet (and shouldn't claim)​

  • ❌ "12,000+ families"
  • ❌ "550+ providers"
  • ❌ "45,000+ bookings"
  • ❌ Large volume of reviews
  • ❌ Established brand recognition
  • ❌ Viral loops (no users to refer yet)

What We CAN Build in 45 Days​

  • ✅ 20-30 vetted, quality providers (supply-first strategy)
  • ✅ 50-100 beta parent users with real testimonials
  • ✅ 10-20 authentic reviews from beta bookings
  • ✅ Professional photography and verified profiles
  • ✅ Background-checked providers (real safety credential)
  • ✅ Media coverage and pre-launch buzz
  • ✅ Waitlist of 500-1,000 interested parents
  • ✅ Launch-day email campaign ready to send

🚀 The 45-Day Pre-Launch Plan​

Days 1-15: Build Supply (Provider Recruitment)​

Goal: Sign 20-30 quality providers before public launch

Why Providers First?

  • Marketplace with no supply = bad first impression
  • Providers bring their existing parent networks
  • Quality over quantity (better to have 25 great providers than 100 mediocre ones)
  • Providers need 2+ weeks to set up profiles, upload photos, create class listings

Week 1 (Days 1-7): Provider Outreach Blitz​

Target: Identify and contact 100 potential providers

Monday-Tuesday: Research & List Building

  • Identify 100 target providers in launch city
    • Best-reviewed activities on Google/Yelp
    • Instagram-active instructors (#kidsdance, #youthsoccer, #artclasses)
    • Recommendations from parent networks
    • Existing activity providers (schools, studios, gyms)
  • Create provider outreach spreadsheet (name, contact, activity type, social following)

Wednesday-Friday: Direct Outreach

  • Send personalized emails to top 50 providers
    • Subject: "I'd love to feature your [activity] on our new platform"
    • Offer: Free premium listing, 0% commission for first 3 months
    • Urgency: "Launching in 6 weeks, limited spots available"
  • Call top 20 providers directly (phone > email for conversion)
  • Message 30 providers on Instagram/Facebook

Weekend: Follow-up

  • Follow up with providers who opened but didn't respond
  • Schedule onboarding calls with interested providers

Success Metric: 15-20 interested providers by end of Week 1

Week 2 (Days 8-14): Provider Onboarding & Quality Control​

Target: Onboard 10-15 providers with complete, high-quality profiles

Monday-Wednesday: Personal Onboarding Calls

  • 30-minute onboarding call with each interested provider
    • Walk them through profile creation
    • Help them write compelling class descriptions
    • Schedule professional photo session (if needed)
    • Explain booking flow and calendar management
  • Share provider success guide (PDF with best practices)

Thursday-Friday: Quality Review

  • Review each provider profile for completeness
    • Professional photos? ✅
    • Detailed class descriptions? ✅
    • Clear pricing and schedules? ✅
    • Background check initiated? ✅
  • Provide feedback and request improvements
  • Approve profiles for beta launch

Weekend: Beta Provider Portal Access

  • Give early access to provider portal (soft launch)
  • Monitor for questions/bugs
  • Gather feedback on portal usability

Success Metric: 10-15 fully onboarded providers with quality profiles

Days 15-20: Provider Network Expansion​

Target: Reach 20-30 total providers

Activities:

  • Ask existing providers for referrals (offer $50 credit for each referral)
  • Post in local business Facebook groups
  • Partner with activity associations (e.g., local dance teacher association)
  • Continue personal outreach to top prospects

Launch Readiness:

  • All providers have 3+ classes listed
  • All profiles include photos and descriptions
  • Background checks completed
  • Providers understand how to manage bookings

Success Metric: 20-30 providers ready for launch

Days 15-30: Build Trust (Beta Testing with Real Parents)​

Goal: Get 50-100 beta parents to test the platform and generate authentic testimonials

Why Beta Testing?

  • Creates real trust signals (reviews, testimonials, bookings)
  • Identifies bugs before public launch
  • Generates word-of-mouth from early adopters
  • Validates product-market fit

Days 15-21: Beta Recruitment​

Target: Recruit 50-100 beta parents

Where to Find Beta Users:

  • Local parent Facebook groups (post beta invitation)
  • Instagram moms with 1K-10K followers (DM partnership offer)
  • Preschools/elementary schools (ask to share with parent listserv)
  • Friends and family (but ensure they give honest feedback)
  • Nextdoor neighborhood groups
  • Parent influencers (offer free class in exchange for review)

Beta Offer:

  • Incentive: $20 credit for joining beta + $20 credit after first booking
  • Ask: Book 1 class, leave honest review, refer 2 friends
  • Urgency: "Limited to first 100 beta testers"

Messaging:

Subject: Be one of the first 100 parents to try Juniro (+ get $40 free credit)

Hi [Name],

We're launching Juniro in 6 weeks - a platform that makes finding and booking kids activities as easy as ordering on Amazon.

We're looking for 100 beta testers to try the platform before public launch.

What you get:
- $20 credit just for signing up
- $20 credit after your first booking
- Early access to the best providers
- Shape the product with your feedback

Interested? Sign up here: [beta link]

Limited to first 100 parents!

Success Metric: 50-100 beta signups

Days 22-28: Beta Testing & Feedback Loop​

Activities:

  • Monitor beta parent activity daily
    • How many are browsing?
    • How many are booking?
    • Where are they dropping off?
  • Send personalized emails to inactive beta users
    • "We noticed you haven't booked yet - can we help?"
    • Offer to walk them through booking process
  • Collect feedback via:
    • In-app surveys after booking
    • Email follow-ups (what did you like/dislike?)
    • User testing sessions (5-10 parents, 30 min each)

Target Bookings:

  • Goal: 20-30 beta bookings in Week 3-4
  • Follow up with parents post-class
    • How was the experience?
    • Would you recommend to friends?
    • Can we use your feedback as a testimonial?

Success Metric: 20-30 bookings, 10-15 reviews/testimonials collected

Days 29-30: Testimonial & Social Proof Collection​

Goal: Create authentic trust signals for launch

Activities:

  • Email all beta parents who completed bookings
    • Request video testimonial (offer $10 gift card)
    • Request written review (offer $5 gift card)
    • Request photo of their kid at the activity
  • Identify 3-5 "champion" parents for case studies
    • Parents who booked multiple activities
    • Parents who referred friends
    • Parents with great stories ("saved me hours of research!")
  • Create testimonial library
    • 5-10 video testimonials (15-30 seconds each)
    • 15-20 written testimonials with photos
    • 3-5 detailed case studies

Trust Signal Examples (REAL, not fabricated):

Instead of claiming "12,000 families," use:

  • "Trusted by 100+ beta families in [City]"
  • "20+ vetted providers, all background-checked"
  • "Rated 4.8/5 by our beta community"

Success Metric: 10+ video testimonials, 20+ written reviews

Days 31-35: Pre-Launch Marketing & Waitlist Building​

Goal: Build anticipation and collect 500-1,000 emails for launch day

Waitlist Strategy​

Create Scarcity:

  • "Join the waitlist - first 500 get $20 credit"
  • "Launching February 15, 2026 - be the first to know"

Channels:

  1. Local Parent Facebook Groups (highest ROI)

    • Post waitlist link with compelling hook
    • Example: "Tired of spending hours searching for kids activities? We built a solution. Launching in 2 weeks - join the waitlist for early access."

  2. Instagram/TikTok (visual content)

    • Post beta testimonial videos
    • Show before/after (searching Google vs. using Juniro)
    • Use local hashtags (#[City]Moms, #[City]Kids)

  3. Partnerships

    • Ask beta parents to share with their networks
    • Partner with mommy bloggers (guest post or sponsored post)
    • Ask providers to share on their social media

  4. PR / Media

    • Pitch to local parenting publications
    • "New platform helps [City] parents find kids activities in 2 clicks"
    • Offer exclusive early access to their audience

  5. Paid Ads (if budget allows)

    • Facebook ads targeting parents in launch city
    • Simple message: "Find kids activities in 2 clicks. Launching Feb 15."
    • CTA: "Join the waitlist"

Success Metric: 500-1,000 waitlist signups

Days 36-40: Launch Preparation​

Technical Prep:

  • Final QA testing (test all user flows)
  • Load testing (ensure servers can handle launch traffic)
  • Analytics setup (track signups, bookings, conversion rates)
  • Email campaign setup (welcome series, re-engagement)

Content Prep:

  • Launch day email (to waitlist)
  • Social media posts scheduled (Day 1, 3, 7, 14)
  • Provider communication (notify them of launch date)
  • Press release draft

Customer Support Prep:

  • FAQ page updated
  • Support email monitored
  • Live chat enabled (if possible)

Success Metric: All systems green for launch

Days 41-45: LAUNCH! 🚀​

Launch Day Activities:

6:00 AM - Email Campaign

  • Send launch email to waitlist (500-1,000 people)
  • Subject: "🎉 Juniro is live! Find kids activities in 2 clicks (+ $20 credit inside)"

8:00 AM - Social Media Blitz

  • Post on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok
  • Ask beta parents to share
  • Ask providers to share
  • Go live on Instagram (CEO/founder announcement)

10:00 AM - PR Push

  • Send press release to local media
  • Post in all relevant Facebook groups
  • Nextdoor announcement

12:00 PM - Monitor & Engage

  • Respond to every comment/message within 1 hour
  • Track signups in real-time
  • Identify and fix any issues immediately

Evening - Celebrate & Analyze

  • Review Day 1 metrics (signups, bookings, traffic)
  • Identify what's working / what's not
  • Plan Day 2 activities

Post-Launch (Days 46-60):

  • Continue marketing push
  • Monitor conversion funnel closely
  • Gather feedback and iterate quickly
  • Start planning referral program (Month 2)

🎯 Pre-Launch Trust Building (Without Existing Metrics)​

❌ What NOT to Do​

Don't fabricate or exaggerate:

  • ❌ "12,000+ families trust us" (when you have 50 beta users)
  • ❌ "550+ providers" (when you have 25)
  • ❌ "45,000+ bookings" (when you have 30)

This will:

  • Destroy trust when users realize it's false
  • Create legal issues (false advertising)
  • Hurt long-term brand

✅ What TO Do: Authentic Trust Signals​

1. Emphasize Quality Over Quantity​

Instead of: "12,000+ families" Use: "Trusted by 100+ families in [City]"

Instead of: "550+ providers" Use: "25+ hand-picked, background-checked providers"

Instead of: "45,000+ bookings" Use: "Rated 4.8/5 by our community"

Why this works:

  • It's honest and verifiable
  • "Hand-picked" and "background-checked" signal quality
  • Small numbers + high quality > big numbers that feel fake

2. Show Real Faces & Stories​

Homepage Trust Section:

<section className="bg-white py-16">
  <h2>Don't just take our word for it</h2>

  {/* Real beta parent testimonial */}
  <div className="testimonial-card">
    <img src="parent-photo.jpg" alt="Jessica, mom of 2" />
    <blockquote>
      "I spent 3 hours on Google trying to find a dance class for my daughter.
      With Juniro, I found the perfect class and booked in 5 minutes."
    </blockquote>
    <p>- Jessica M., mom of 2 in [City]</p>
    <div className="verified-badge">✓ Verified Parent</div>
  </div>

  {/* Repeat with 3-5 real testimonials */}
</section>

Why this works:

  • Real photos build trust (not stock photos)
  • Specific details ("3 hours" → "5 minutes") are believable
  • "Verified Parent" badge adds credibility

3. Lead with Safety & Verification​

Instead of volume metrics, emphasize safety:

<section className="trust-signals">
  <div className="signal">
    <Icon name="shield-check" />
    <h3>Background-Checked Providers</h3>
    <p>Every provider undergoes a comprehensive background check
       before joining our platform.</p>
  </div>

  <div className="signal">
    <Icon name="star-verified" />
    <h3>Verified Reviews</h3>
    <p>All reviews come from real parents who've booked through Juniro.</p>
  </div>

  <div className="signal">
    <Icon name="secure-payment" />
    <h3>Secure Payments</h3>
    <p>Your payment information is encrypted and never shared.</p>
  </div>
</section>

Why this works:

  • Parents care more about safety than volume
  • Tangible, verifiable claims
  • Differentiates from "wild west" alternatives (Facebook groups, random Google results)

4. Leverage Provider Credibility​

Even if YOU are new, your PROVIDERS aren't:

<section className="featured-providers">
  <h2>Learn from the best</h2>

  <ProviderCard
    name="Sarah Johnson"
    title="Certified Dance Instructor"
    bio="15 years teaching ballet, 500+ students, Juilliard graduate"
    photo={photo}
    badges={['Background-Checked', 'Certified', '4.9★ (23 reviews)']}
  />

  {/* Show 3-5 star providers */}
</section>

Why this works:

  • Borrows credibility from established instructors
  • "15 years experience" matters more than "500 providers on platform"
  • Provider badges (certifications, reviews) build trust

5. Show the Beta Journey (Transparency)​

Be transparent about being new (it's relatable):

<section className="our-story">
  <h2>Why we built Juniro</h2>
  <p>
    As parents ourselves, we spent countless hours searching for activities
    scattered across Google, Facebook groups, and random websites.
    We knew there had to be a better way.
  </p>
  <p>
    We spent 6 months building Juniro and tested it with 100 local families.
    They told us it saved them hours of research and made booking effortless.
  </p>
  <p>
    Today, we're launching publicly. Join us in making activity discovery
    easier for every parent in [City].
  </p>
  <Button>Join our community →</Button>
</section>

Why this works:

  • Relatability (fellow parents solving a real problem)
  • Transparency (we're new, but we tested it)
  • Invitation (join our community vs. "we're already huge")

6. Real-Time Activity Feed (Social Proof)​

Show activity happening NOW:

<section className="live-activity">
  <h3>Recent bookings</h3>

  {/* Live feed of bookings (anonymized) */}
  <div className="activity-item">
    <Icon name="booking" />
    <p>Sarah in [Neighborhood] just booked "Kids Yoga for Beginners"</p>
    <span>2 minutes ago</span>
  </div>

  <div className="activity-item">
    <Icon name="booking" />
    <p>Michael in [Neighborhood] just booked "Soccer Skills Camp"</p>
    <span>12 minutes ago</span>
  </div>

  {/* Show last 5-10 bookings */}
</section>

Why this works:

  • Proves platform is active (not a ghost town)
  • Creates FOMO (others are booking, I should too)
  • Even 5-10 bookings/day creates perception of momentum

7. Press & Credentials​

Get early press coverage (easier than you think):

  • Pitch to local parenting blogs/publications
    • "New [City] startup helps parents find kids activities"
  • Get featured on Product Hunt
    • Launches get media attention + early adopters
  • Partner with local influencers
    • Mommy bloggers with 5K-20K followers

Then display:

<section className="as-seen-in">
  <h3>As seen in</h3>
  <div className="logos">
    <img src="local-publication.png" alt="[City] Parent Magazine" />
    <img src="product-hunt.png" alt="Featured on Product Hunt" />
    {/* etc */}
  </div>
</section>

🎓 Pre-Launch Best Practices (Learning from PLG Leaders)​

Dropbox Pre-Launch Strategy​

What they did:

  • Launched with a beta waitlist video (4M views)
  • Offered 250MB free storage for referrals (grew waitlist from 5K → 75K)
  • Focused on product quality over marketing spend

Applied to Juniro:

  • Create a 60-second "why we built this" video
  • Offer $20 credit for every friend referred (waitlist growth hack)
  • Nail the product experience for first 100 users

Airbnb Pre-Launch Strategy​

What they did:

  • Manually recruited first 100 hosts in NYC
  • Personally photographed each listing
  • Focused on quality (beautiful homes) over quantity

Applied to Juniro:

  • Manually recruit first 20-30 providers (no self-serve onboarding yet)
  • Personally review each profile for quality
  • Better to launch with 25 amazing providers than 100 mediocre ones

Product Hunt Launch Strategy​

What successful launches do:

  • Build waitlist before launch (500-1,000 emails)
  • Coordinate launch for max visibility (Tuesday-Thursday, 12:01 AM PST)
  • Engage with every comment in first 24 hours
  • Offer launch-day special (e.g., lifetime deal, extra credits)

Applied to Juniro:

  • Build waitlist of 500-1,000 parents before launch
  • Launch on a Tuesday or Wednesday (mid-week = higher engagement)
  • Founder responds to every email/comment personally (first week)
  • Launch-day offer: "First 500 signups get $40 credit (double the normal $20)"

📊 Pre-Launch Metrics to Track​

Week 1-2 Metrics (Provider Recruitment)​

MetricTargetHow to Track
Providers contacted100Spreadsheet
Providers interested20-30Email responses
Providers onboarded10-15Admin dashboard
Profiles completed10-15Manual review

Week 3-4 Metrics (Beta Testing)​

MetricTargetHow to Track
Beta signups50-100Analytics
Beta bookings20-30Admin dashboard
Reviews collected10-15Review dashboard
Testimonials (video)5-10Manual collection
Testimonials (written)15-20Email/survey

Week 5-6 Metrics (Pre-Launch Marketing)​

MetricTargetHow to Track
Waitlist signups500-1,000Email tool (Mailchimp, etc.)
Social media followers200-500Instagram/Facebook
Press mentions2-3Manual tracking
Influencer partnerships3-5Outreach spreadsheet

Launch Day Metrics (Day 41)​

MetricTargetHow to Track
Email open rate35-45%Email tool
Landing page visits500-1,000Google Analytics
Signups (Day 1)50-100Analytics
Bookings (Day 1)5-10Admin dashboard

Week 1 Post-Launch Metrics (Days 42-48)​

MetricTargetHow to Track
Total signups (Week 1)200-400Analytics
Total bookings (Week 1)30-50Admin dashboard
Signup → Booking conversion15-25%Funnel analysis
Provider utilization40-60%Booking distribution

🚨 Pre-Launch Red Flags​

Week 1 Red Flags​

  • ⚠️ Fewer than 10 interested providers after 50 outreach emails
    • Fix: Improve outreach messaging, offer better incentives
  • ⚠️ Providers not completing profiles after onboarding
    • Fix: More hand-holding, simplify profile creation
  • ⚠️ No response from local parent groups
    • Fix: Try different messaging, partner with admins

Week 3 Red Flags​

  • ⚠️ Beta signups < 30
    • Fix: Increase incentive ($40 instead of $20), expand outreach
  • ⚠️ Beta users not booking (signup but no activity)
    • Fix: Personal outreach, identify barriers (UI issues? No relevant classes?)
  • ⚠️ High drop-off rate in booking flow
    • Fix: User testing, simplify checkout

Week 5 Red Flags​

  • ⚠️ Waitlist < 300 signups
    • Fix: Consider delaying launch, invest in paid ads, get PR help
  • ⚠️ No press coverage or influencer partnerships
    • Fix: Hire PR freelancer, offer better influencer deals
  • ⚠️ Providers backing out or going inactive
    • Fix: Re-engage providers, understand concerns, improve provider portal

🎯 Launch Day Checklist​

1 Week Before Launch (Day 38)​

  • All providers have complete profiles (photos, descriptions, schedules)
  • All providers have tested booking flow
  • At least 20 providers with 3+ classes listed
  • 500+ waitlist signups
  • Launch email drafted and scheduled
  • Social media posts scheduled
  • Press release sent to media contacts
  • Customer support ready (email monitoring, FAQ updated)

3 Days Before Launch (Day 42)​

  • Final QA testing completed
  • Analytics tracking verified
  • Load testing completed (can handle 1,000+ concurrent users)
  • All team members briefed on launch plan
  • Backup plan in place (if servers crash, etc.)

Launch Day (Day 45)​

  • 6:00 AM: Send launch email to waitlist
  • 8:00 AM: Post on all social media channels
  • 10:00 AM: Post in Facebook groups, Nextdoor
  • 12:00 PM: Monitor analytics (signups, traffic, errors)
  • 3:00 PM: Respond to all comments/messages
  • 6:00 PM: Review Day 1 metrics, plan Day 2
  • 9:00 PM: Team debrief (what worked, what didn't)

Day 2-7 Post-Launch​

  • Daily metric reviews
  • Respond to all support requests within 2 hours
  • Gather user feedback (email surveys, in-app prompts)
  • Fix critical bugs immediately
  • Share early wins on social media ("50 bookings in first 2 days!")

💡 Key Lessons for Pre-Launch​

1. Quality > Quantity (Always)​

  • Better to have 25 amazing providers than 100 mediocre ones
  • Better to have 50 engaged beta users than 500 inactive signups
  • Better to have 10 genuine testimonials than 100 fake reviews

2. Supply Before Demand​

  • For marketplaces, always solve supply first
  • Parents won't return if there are no activities to book
  • Providers are your early adopters (easier to recruit than consumers)

3. Do Things That Don't Scale​

  • Personally onboard each provider (30-min calls)
  • Hand-pick beta testers (no automated self-serve yet)
  • Respond to every email/comment personally
  • This builds relationships and insights you can't get at scale

4. Authenticity Beats Hype​

  • Don't claim metrics you don't have
  • Be transparent about being new
  • Real stories > fabricated numbers
  • Parents can smell BS a mile away

5. Launch is Just the Beginning​

  • The real work starts AFTER launch
  • Week 1 metrics matter less than Month 3 metrics
  • Focus on learning and iterating, not perfection

🎓 Recommended Reading for Pre-Launch​

  1. "The Mom Test" by Rob Fitzpatrick

    • How to talk to customers and validate ideas
    • Perfect for understanding parent pain points

  2. "Traction" by Gabriel Weinberg

    • 19 channels for customer acquisition
    • Helps identify best channels for Juniro (likely: content marketing, community, PR)

  3. "Zero to One" by Peter Thiel

    • Start small (one city) and dominate before expanding
    • "It's better to own 100% of a small market than 1% of a large market"

  4. "Platform Revolution" by Geoffrey Parker

    • Marketplace dynamics (chicken-egg problem, network effects)
    • Solving cold-start problem (supply-first vs demand-first)

📞 Questions or Need Help?​

Pre-Launch Support:

This is a living document. Update as you learn!

Last Updated: December 28, 2024 Next Review: January 15, 2025 (after Week 2 provider recruitment)

🎉 Final Thought​

"The best time to launch was 6 months ago. The second best time is now."

You have 45 days. Focus on what matters:

  1. Get 20-30 quality providers
  2. Test with 50-100 real parents
  3. Collect authentic testimonials
  4. Build a waitlist of 500-1,000
  5. Launch with momentum

You don't need millions of users to launch successfully. You need 100 people who LOVE what you've built.

Let's do this! 🚀