---
name: waitlist-builder
description: "Creates waitlist landing pages and email sequences to build demand before product availability. Use when launching a product and want to build anticipation."
allowed-tools: Read Write Glob
metadata:
  author: matthewhitcham
  version: "1.0"
---

# Waitlist Builder

## When to Use This Skill

Use this skill when you need to:
- Build a waitlist landing page for a product that is not yet available
- Write a waitlist email sequence that maintains excitement and builds demand
- Validate market interest before fully building a product
- Create an early access or founding member advantage for waitlist subscribers

**DO NOT** use this skill for live product launches, email list building with lead magnets, or general coming-soon pages. This is for structured waitlists tied to a specific upcoming product or offer.

---

## Core Principle

A WAITLIST IS NOT A DEAD-END SIGNUP FORM — IT IS AN ACTIVE DEMAND-BUILDING ENGINE THAT KEEPS SUBSCRIBERS ENGAGED AND READY TO BUY THE MOMENT YOU OPEN THE DOORS.

---

## Phase 1: Brief

### Required Inputs

| Input | What to Ask | Default |
|-------|------------|---------|
| **Product/offer** | "What are people waiting for?" | No default — must be provided |
| **Expected launch date** | "When will this be available?" | 4-8 weeks out |
| **Waitlist incentive** | "What do waitlist subscribers get? (early access, discount, bonus)" | Early access + founding member discount |
| **Product price (estimated)** | "What will the price be, roughly?" | TBD — share range if possible |
| **Target waitlist size** | "How many signups are you aiming for?" | 500 |
| **Traffic sources** | "How will you drive people to the waitlist?" | Social media + existing audience |

**GATE: Confirm the brief before building the waitlist assets.**

---

## Phase 2: Waitlist Architecture

### Landing Page Structure

```
## Waitlist Landing Page

**Headline:** [Outcome-focused — what they'll get, not what it is]
**Subheadline:** [When it's coming + what makes it different]
**3-5 bullet points:** What the product will include or enable
**Waitlist incentive:** "Join the waitlist and get [early access / X% off / exclusive bonus]"
**Email signup form:** Name + email
**Social proof (if available):** "[X] people already on the waitlist"
**Privacy note:** "We'll only email you about [Product]. No spam."
```

### Email Sequence (Waitlist Nurture)

```
## Waitlist Email Sequence

Email 1 (Immediate): Welcome + confirm waitlist spot + set expectations
Email 2 (Week 1): Behind-the-scenes update on the product
Email 3 (Week 2): Share a quick win related to the product topic
Email 4 (Week 3): Social proof — "X people have joined the waitlist"
Email 5 (Week 4): Sneak peek — preview of a feature or module
Email 6 (Pre-launch): "We're almost ready — here's what to expect"
Email 7 (Launch day): "The doors are open — you get in first"
```

**GATE: Approve the landing page and email sequence structure.**

---

## Phase 3: Write the Content

### Landing Page Copy

- Headline must focus on the result, not the product feature
- Keep the page short — 200-300 words max. Waitlist pages convert with simplicity.
- Include the waitlist incentive prominently near the form
- No pricing on the page (unless the incentive is a specific discount off a stated price)
- Counter showing waitlist size builds social proof ("Join 847 others")

### Waitlist Emails

- **Email 1:** Thank them, confirm their spot, state what's coming and when
- **Email 2-5:** Each email delivers one of: behind-the-scenes, value content, social proof, sneak peek
- **Email 6:** Build final anticipation. "Launching in X days. Here's what happens."
- **Email 7:** The launch email. Waitlist subscribers get in before the public.

### Writing Rules

- Every email must end with a reason to stay excited
- Share genuinely useful content in the nurture emails — do not just send "we're still building" updates
- Build exclusivity: "You're getting first access because you believed in this early"
- Include referral prompt in Email 1: "Know someone who'd love this? Share this link: [waitlist URL]"

---

## Phase 4: Polish

### 1. Waitlist Growth Tactics

- Add waitlist link to email signature
- Pin a social media post about the waitlist
- Mention the waitlist at the end of content (blog posts, podcast, videos)
- Consider a referral incentive (move up the list for sharing)

### 2. Demand Validation Metrics

- Waitlist conversion rate (visitors to signups): target 20-40%
- Email open rates during nurture: target 40-50%
- Launch day conversion (waitlist to purchase): target 10-20%
- If waitlist signups are very low, reconsider the product concept

### 3. Launch Transition Checklist

- [ ] Launch emails drafted and scheduled
- [ ] Waitlist incentive (discount code, early access link) ready
- [ ] Sales page live and tested before sending launch email
- [ ] Waitlist tag in email platform for segmentation
- [ ] Public launch follows 24-48 hours after waitlist access

---

## Anti-Patterns

- **Collecting emails and going silent** — if you don't email the waitlist for weeks, they forget they signed up. Nurture consistently.
- **No incentive for joining** — "Sign up for our waitlist" is not compelling. Early access, a discount, or a bonus gives them a reason.
- **Waitlist with no launch date** — an indefinite waitlist signals you do not know when or if this will ship. Give at least an estimate.
- **Over-hyping before the product is ready** — building massive demand for a product that ships late or half-baked damages trust permanently.
- **Not honoring waitlist priority** — if you promise early access, waitlist members must get in before the public. Period.

---

## Recovery

- **No launch date yet:** Give a quarter estimate ("Coming Q2 2026") and update the waitlist as it gets closer.
- **Very few signups (under 50):** Reassess the messaging. The product might be right but the landing page copy isn't communicating the value.
- **Product delayed significantly:** Send an honest update email. Offer an additional bonus for their patience. Do not go silent.
- **User wants to charge for waitlist access:** That is a pre-sale, not a waitlist. Recommend a waitlist for free with a paid founding member option at launch.
