Pre-event checklist
Pre-launch indie SaaS checklist
The pre-launch checklist names the ten things every indie SaaS must verify before sending a single visitor to the site. Each step has a done-condition that is observable, not aspirational. Skipping any of the ten is what turns a launch into a learning experience instead of a customer.
Run before: Public launch (the first cold-traffic visitor)
When: In the final week before public launch — after the product works end-to-end but before you tell anyone about it.
Verified · editorial policy
The 10-step checklist
Step 1
Name one specific real person you are selling to
Write down the name, role, place of work, and one sentence about the problem they are paying you to solve. Not 'developers' — one named developer.
Done when: A 50-word person-profile document exists, names a real person, and could be read aloud at a meetup without sounding generic.
Step 2
Write the above-the-fold block for that person
One H1 (outcome), one sub-hook (positioning), one CTA (outcome verb), one trust element (verifiable detail). Maximum four sentences total.
Done when: The above-the-fold block fits in 600px of vertical space on mobile and the named person can repeat the offer in one sentence after reading it.
Step 3
Set up one Stripe product with one price
One product, one price, one Stripe payment link or checkout session. No tiers, no add-ons, no annual discount on launch day.
Done when: A real test charge in test mode succeeds end-to-end, including the receipt email.
Step 4
Show the price on the page
The price is on the pricing section and the CTA area, not buried in a contact form. Showing pricing is non-negotiable below the $1,000/month threshold.
Done when: The price is visible above the fold on the pricing section without requiring scroll or click.
Step 5
Write one honest guarantee
Specific outcome + time window + named verifier (Stripe, a counter, a third party) + refund mechanism. Vague 'love it or your money back' under-converts.
Done when: The guarantee names a verifier the customer trusts more than you, and the refund mechanism is documented end-to-end.
Step 6
Set up one transactional email path
Stripe webhook → confirmation email → access link. One path, no marketing emails yet. The transactional email must land in the inbox, not promotions.
Done when: A real test purchase delivers a confirmation email to a Gmail and an Outlook inbox within two minutes.
Step 7
Write the FAQ block from real objections
Five to eight specific objections you have heard from real people, with the answer you would give over email. No invented questions, no marketing FAQ.
Done when: Every question in the FAQ block is one you have heard from at least one real person.
Step 8
Set up one analytics path
One analytics tool, one funnel event sequence (visit → CTA click → checkout view → purchase). PostHog, Plausible, or similar — not three tools.
Done when: A real test session produces an event in the analytics tool within five minutes and the funnel report shows the four steps in order.
Step 9
Verify the page on mobile
Real device, not Chrome devtools. Tap the CTA, complete the checkout, read the confirmation email — on the same phone.
Done when: The full purchase flow completes on a real phone in under two minutes without zooming or horizontal scrolling.
Step 10
Write the launch message to ten specific people
Ten named people, ten personalized messages, ready to send the morning of launch. Not a broadcast — ten direct messages.
Done when: Ten messages are drafted, named, and queued; each names a specific reason this product is relevant to that specific person.
Related Brunson terms
If a step fails, diagnose the element
Frequently asked
- Is this checklist enough? Should I do more before launch?
- Yes, this is enough. Most pre-launch checklists are 30-50 items long and the extras come from feature checklists, security audits, and marketing-team artifacts that pre-revenue indie SaaS founders do not need. Ten observable items, executed honestly, beats fifty items half-done.
- What if I cannot tick off one of the ten?
- Stop and fix that one. The ten are sequential — each step depends on the earlier ones holding. A pre-launch checklist with an unchecked item is not 90% ready; it is broken at one specific surface.
More checklists
Run the diagnostic on your live page
The free 90-second Launch Diagnostic labels which Brunson failure mode your page hits — Wrong Person, Weak Offer, or Weak Belief — so you know which checklist to run first.