Marketing launch tiers

All product and feature launches should be assigned a launch tier of L1, L2, or L3. This ensures go-to-market teams provide the right level of support based on the expected business, customer, and market impact of the launch. It also provides marketing with guidance on the type of activities to pursue.

The marketing launch tier should be established as early in the product development lifecycle as possible (during beta at the latest).

In reviewing the PMM Roadmap monthly, product and marketing leadership determine which features contained therein are L1, L2, or L3 levels. The tier of a given upcoming feature can always be found (once determined) in the talk track section of each feature slide.

Product management procedures

The product management team has documentation on how communication works for pre-release (beta/experimental) and L1 features in the product management handbook. There is also documentation available on the meaning of the beta and experimental pre-release labels.

L1 launch

L1 launches are reserved for the most important product announcements of the year. L1 launches:

  • Appeal to the broader developer community, including customers, prospects, and even those who have never heard of Sourcegraph
  • Likely support an entirely new set of use cases for Sourcegraph
  • Likely introduce a new SKU and/or an incremental revenue stream
  • Are typically goaled on revenue and/or product adoption
  • Receive full marketing and sales support

The L1 designation can also be used for major company announcements (funding, acquisitions, IPO, etc.) and product milestones (such as xMM repos indexed).

PMM should be embedded with the product team as early as possible for L1 launches.

L2 launch

L2 launches are reserved for features or small products. L2 launches:

  • Tend to be most interesting to existing Sourcegraph customers or prospects
  • Make an existing Sourcegraph use case better or expand upon something we already do
  • Do not typically introduce a new SKU and are included with the core product (though not necessarily available to all customers/plans)
  • Are typically goaled on product adoption or leads
  • Receive fewer marketing and sales resources

The L2 designation does not mean that the feature isn’t important—it just means that the launch doesn’t warrant as much marketing support.

PMM should begin partnering with the product team during the beta stage. Depending on other priorities, PMM involvement may be later.

L3 launch

L3 launches are reserved for small or incremental features and updates. L3 launches:

  • Are likely only interesting to a subset of existing Sourcegraph customers
  • Make an existing Sourcegraph use case better or expand upon something we already do
  • Do not ever introduce a new SKU and are included with the core product (though not necessarily available to all customers/plans)
  • Are typically goaled on product adoption or usage
  • Require minimal marketing and sales resources

The L3 designation does not mean that the feature isn’t important—it just means that the launch doesn’t warrant as much marketing support.

PMM will provide launch support only and will not be embedded. Depending on other priorities, PMM may only be involved as a consultant.