THE PRE-LAUNCH APP CHECKLIST
YOUTUBE SUMMARY : CHRIS RAROQUE
CHAPTER INDEX
BEFORE YOU LAUNCH YOUR APP
A FOUNDER'S PRACTICAL PRE-LAUNCH SYSTEM
A launch starts before release day. Chris's framework builds an audience, captures behavior, collects demand, supports retention and prepares the product's first impression.
THE WAITLIST
CHAPTER 1 - BUILD DEMAND BEFORE THE PRODUCT
START WITH A WAITLIST
IDEALLY BEFORE YOU BEGIN BUILDING
Chris sets up a waitlist far ahead of launch—often before development begins. It creates an early signal of interest and a direct line to people who may test or adopt the app.
KEEP THE WAITLIST SIMPLE
ONE SCREENSHOT. ONE EMAIL FIELD.
The page does not need to explain everything. Chris uses a single app screenshot and an email form that promises notifications about launch and beta access.
A WAITLIST HAS THREE JOBS
VALIDATE, RECRUIT AND ACTIVATE
1. Gauge early interest.
2. Recruit beta testers.
3. Create a launch audience that can become the first wave of users.
USE LIGHTWEIGHT TOOLS
REDUCE SETUP FRICTION
Chris builds landing pages in Framer. He notes that Framer supports forms, while his own email collection uses Formspark. His principle is speed: a basic waitlist can be assembled quickly.
THE ANALYTICS
CHAPTER 2 - INSTALL THE LEARNING SYSTEM
ADD ANALYTICS BEFORE USERS ARRIVE
THE FIRST SESSIONS ARE ALREADY EVIDENCE
Analytics often gets postponed because there are few users. Chris recommends installing it before launch so early behavior is recorded and future product decisions have evidence behind them.
ANALYTICS ANSWERS THE FIRST WHY
WHERE DO USERS STOP RETURNING?
The central purpose is to see early churn. Observe whether people sign up, use the product and return. Without behavioral evidence, it is difficult to tell whether the product works or where it fails.
THE FEEDBACKS
CHAPTER 3 - LISTEN WHAT USER SAYS
CREATE A PUBLIC FEEDBACK BOARD
LET USERS REQUEST AND UPVOTE
A feedback board gives users one place to submit feature requests and vote for other requests. Popular needs rise to the top, giving the builder a visible signal for roadmap priorities.
VOTES REVEAL HIDDEN DEMAND
USERS CAN SURPRISE THE BUILDER
Chris says highly upvoted requests repeatedly challenge his own assumptions. The board surfaces patterns that a private idea list or the founder's intuition may miss.
THE ELLIE LIST FEATURE
A REQUEST BECAME A DAILY-USE FEATURE
In Ellie's original product, Chris had no plan to build lists. Strong demand on the feedback board changed the roadmap. He says the resulting feature is now used every day by him and other users.
CLOSE THE PRODUCT-LEARNING LOOP
BEHAVIOR PLUS STATED DEMAND
Analytics shows what users do. The feedback board shows what they ask for. Together, they help explain churn, prioritize the roadmap and guide improvements that may increase retention.
THE EMAIL SEQUENCE
CHAPTER 4 - BUILD THE RETENTION CHANNEL
SET UP EMAIL AS A SYSTEM
GO BEYOND ONE WELCOME MESSAGE
Chris recommends installing an email sequence system early. It should support event-triggered messages, scheduled sequences and manual sends—even if the more advanced flows are not used immediately.
TRIGGER THE RIGHT MESSAGE
MATCH COMMUNICATION TO BEHAVIOR
1. Send a welcome email after signup.
2. If a user is inactive for seven days, ask for feedback.
3. Teach overlooked features through a timed onboarding sequence.
TEACH DURING THE FIRST 14 DAYS
FIVE EMAILS ACROSS TWO WEEKS
For Ellie, Chris sends five emails over two weeks to explain lesser-known features. The sequence reminds new users to return and helps them discover capabilities they might otherwise miss.
"EMAIL AS A WAY TO IMPROVE RETENTION AND REDUCE CHURN..."
CHRIS
CHRIS'S EMAIL TOOL
LOOPS FOR SEQUENCES AND TRIGGERS
Chris uses Loops because he likes its interface, free-plan availability and responsive support. He explicitly says the mention is not sponsored.
THE APPSTORE LISTING
CHAPTER 5 - WIN THE FIRST IMPRESSION
TREAT THE APP STORE PAGE AS SALES
DISCOVERY STILL NEEDS CONVERSION
For an iOS app, the listing is a major discovery and conversion surface. Chris argues that organic App Store search can matter when the listing is prepared carefully.
SCREENSHOTS CARRY THE FIRST DECISION
SHOW VALUE BEFORE USERS DOWNLOAD
Screenshots are often the first material a potential user examines. Strong images help people understand the app, judge whether it deserves attention and decide whether to download it.
SPEND REAL TIME ON SCREENSHOTS
CHRIS RECOMMENDS THREE TO FOUR DAYS
After months of product work, listing assets can feel minor. Chris sees high return in giving screenshots several focused days because they strongly shape the app's first impression.
OPTIMIZE THE WHOLE LISTING
TITLE, DESCRIPTION AND TAGS
Screenshots lead, while the title, description and tags also affect discovery and downloads. Chris advises researching these fields and treating each one as part of the launch asset.
THE CLAIMED LAUNCH BOOST
USEFUL IDEA, UNCERTAIN DETAIL
Chris believes Apple gives newly launched apps an early period of increased discovery. He is uncertain whether it lasts days or up to two weeks. The transcript provides no supporting data, so treat this as his experience—not a verified rule.
THE LANDING PAGE
CHAPTER 6 - CREATE THE LAUNCH DESTINATION
REPLACE THE WAITLIST WITH A LANDING PAGE
MOVE FROM COLLECTING INTEREST TO DRIVING USE
The waitlist page captures emails before launch. The full landing page showcases the finished application and directs visitors toward downloading it.
REUSE YOUR LAUNCH ASSETS
ONE VISUAL SYSTEM ACROSS SURFACES
The polished screenshots and files created for the App Store can support the landing page. Reusing them reduces duplicate work and keeps the product presentation consistent.
GIVE THE PAGE ABOUT A WEEK
POLISH IT WITHOUT MAKING IT A BLOCKER
Chris usually spends at least a week on the landing page. He also says it can improve over time, so its pursuit of quality should not indefinitely delay the release.
THE MOMENTUM
CHAPTER 7 - DECIDE WHEN AND HOW TO LAUNCH
LAUNCH WHEN USERS SHOW STAYING POWER
USE BETA BEHAVIOR AS THE SIGNAL
Chris launches when he has high confidence that users will stay. If beta users disappear after one day, he reads that as a warning. If they keep using the app for several days, he sees a possible readiness signal.
"I LAUNCH IT WHEN I HAVE A HIGH CONFIDENCE THAT USERS ARE GOING TO STICK..."
CHRIS
THERE IS NO FIXED RETENTION THRESHOLD
THE FRAMEWORK ENDS WITH JUDGMENT
Chris does not use a specific numerical benchmark. He combines beta analytics with judgment about whether users appear likely to stay. This makes the decision practical, but subjective and difficult to reproduce exactly.
CHRIS'S USUAL LAUNCH
A MODEST, FOUNDER-LED RELEASE
His normal launch includes a YouTube video, several posts on X, sometimes a LinkedIn post and an email to the waitlist. He acknowledges that this is shaped by his own comfort level.
A LARGER LAUNCH NEEDS MOMENTUM
START DISTRIBUTION BEFORE RELEASE DAY
Chris's larger-launch concept: post during the week before launch, ask friends to share, launch on Product Hunt and reach relevant communities such as Reddit and online forums.
THE COMPLETE PRE-LAUNCH SEQUENCE
FROM DEMAND SIGNAL TO DISTRIBUTION
1. Publish a waitlist.
2. Recruit beta users.
3. Install analytics.
4. Open a feedback board.
5. Build email sequences.
6. Polish the app store listing.
7. Build the landing page.
8. Launch when beta users return.
WHAT THIS FRAMEWORK CAN PROVE
USEFUL EXPERIENCE WITH LIMITED EVIDENCE
The video title says four apps were 100% profitable, but the transcript gives no revenue, cost or comparison data. The framework is therefore a founder's repeatable operating method—not proof that every step causes profitability.