| name | idea-validation |
| description | Generates 5 idea validation artifacts from a refined project pitch: MARKETING.md (positioning + copy pillars + channel matrix), EMAIL-SEQUENCE.md (5-email waitlist nurture), GTM-BRIEF.md (pre/launch/post phases + kill criteria), landing-page.html (standalone deployable waitlist page), and BRAND-GUIDELINES.md (color palette, typography, voice). Triggered after kickstart Phase 0 ideation confirms a refined pitch. Input: .kickstart/ideation.md. Output: .kickstart/validation/*.
|
| allowed-tools | Read, Write, Bash |
Idea Validation Skill
Purpose
Generate 5 ready-to-use artifacts from the ideation output. No additional user questions — derive everything from the refined pitch already in context.
Artifact 1: MARKETING.md
Section 1 — Positioning Line
One sentence: tagline + single strongest differentiator.
{tagline} — unlike [category norm], [product name] [key difference].
Section 2 — Hero Copy Variants
Two headline alternatives beyond the primary. Apply:
- Pain-first: opens with the specific friction, 6–8 words
- Aspiration: opens with the outcome the persona wants, 6–8 words
Include a 2-sentence subhead for each.
Section 3 — Copy Pillars
3–4 recurring themes for all channels. Per pillar:
- Name (2–3 words)
- One-line description
- Example hook (one sentence for social)
Section 4 — Channel Priority Matrix
Rank 4 channels for pre-launch. Base on business model signal and personas.
| Rank | Channel | Why it fits | First action |
|---|
| 1 | ... | ... | ... |
| 2 | ... | ... | ... |
| 3 | ... | ... | ... |
| 4 | ... | ... | ... |
Channel pool: organic social, niche communities, waitlist email, content/SEO, paid social, cold outreach, partnerships.
Artifact 2: EMAIL-SEQUENCE.md
Five emails. Each: subject line, preview text (≤90 chars), body (150–250 words), CTA.
Email 1 — Welcome
Subject: confirms signup + core promise in ≤8 words.
Body: thank them, restate what the product does, set expectation.
CTA: reply with their #1 frustration (seeds reply data).
Email 2 — Problem Agitation (day 3)
Subject: names the specific friction.
Body: describe the broken status quo from the persona's daily experience. End with "That's why we're building {name}."
CTA: "Does this sound like you? Hit reply."
Email 3 — Solution Reveal (day 6)
Subject: bridges from problem to fix.
Body: what the product does, how it addresses root cause, what they get that they can't get today. One before/after example.
CTA: "Tell one person who needs this." + share link.
Email 4 — Social Proof Ask (day 10)
Subject: low-friction ask.
Body: momentum update (X people joined), ask to forward to one person.
CTA: referral/forward prompt.
Email 5 — Kill Metric CTA (day 13)
Subject: mild urgency around the validation timeframe.
Body: "We're N signups from our goal. Here's what happens when we hit it: [launch benefit]."
CTA: share link + "Help us hit [target]."
Assumption Mapping — Pre-GTM Gate
Before writing GTM-BRIEF.md, check whether the refined pitch from .kickstart/ideation.md contains unvalidated assumptions that would undermine the Kill Criteria.
If the stress-test section of the ideation file contains "we think," "we assume," "we believe," or lacks evidence for willingness-to-pay — run Assumption Mapping first:
- Read
skills/strategic-frameworks/workflows/assumption-mapping.md
- Execute Steps 1–3 (collect, score, classify) using the pitch as the input
- Feed the top 3 Leap of Faith assumptions directly into the GTM-BRIEF.md Kill Criteria section — those assumptions ARE the kill criteria
This is indeterministic: apply when the pitch's stress-test is shallow or evidence-free. If the ideation file already has concrete evidence for willingness-to-pay and differentiation, proceed directly to GTM-BRIEF.
Artifact 3: GTM-BRIEF.md
Pre-Launch (Days 1–7)
Goal: build waitlist foundation before any public push.
| Action | Channel | Success Signal |
|---|
| Founding story post | LinkedIn / X | 10+ meaningful replies |
| Seed 2 niche communities | Reddit / Discord | 20+ upvotes or replies |
| Personal outreach to 10 personas | DM / email | 5 signups from network |
| Problem-framing post | Blog / LinkedIn | Saves and shares |
Launch Week (Days 8–14)
| Day | Action | Channel |
|---|
| 8 | Public announcement | X + LinkedIn |
| 9 | Community post (problem-first) | Top niche community |
| 10 | Email 3 — Solution Reveal | Waitlist |
| 11 | Ask 5 signups to share | DM |
| 12 | Mid-week pulse (signups so far) | Social |
| 13 | Email 5 — Kill Metric CTA | Waitlist |
| 14 | Kill/continue decision | Internal |
Post-Launch (Days 15–30)
If kill metric MET: thank waitlist, announce next milestone, open beta from top-engagement signups.
If NOT MET: diagnose (traffic vs conversion vs wrong persona), test one copy change, run 7-day extension.
Kill Criteria
Derive from the stress-test section of .kickstart/ideation.md. If no explicit metric, default:
- Continue: 100 waitlist signups in 14 days — 60%+ from target persona
- Pivot signal: <50% of target with low engagement
- Kill signal: <25% of target AND no organic sharing
Artifact 4: landing-page.html
Generate a single standalone HTML file. Requirements:
- Tailwind CSS via CDN (no build step)
- Google Fonts — choose 2 fonts matching the concept mood (heading + body)
- Waitlist form using Formspree (
action="https://formspree.io/f/YOUR_FORMSPREE_ID")
- Sections: Hero, 3 Feature cards, CTA form, Footer
- Mobile-responsive
- No external JS beyond Tailwind CDN
Color palette: derive 3 colors from the concept mood:
- Primary (CTA buttons, links) — pick from Tailwind's color palette
- Background — near-white or light neutral matching the brand feel
- Accent (highlights, icons) — a complementary pop color
Hero section:
<h1>{headline from ideation}</h1>
<p>{subhead}</p>
<a href="#waitlist">Get early access →</a>
Features section: 3 cards from the top 3 value propositions in the pitch. Each card: icon (emoji), title (2–4 words), description (1–2 sentences).
Waitlist form:
<form id="waitlist" action="https://formspree.io/f/YOUR_FORMSPREE_ID" method="POST">
<input type="email" name="email" placeholder="Your email" required />
<button type="submit">Join the waitlist</button>
</form>
Replace placeholder text — every field must contain real content from the ideation pitch, not lorem ipsum.
Artifact 5: BRAND-GUIDELINES.md
Color Palette
Three colors chosen to match the concept's emotional register:
| Role | Color | Hex | Rationale |
|---|
| Primary | ... | #... | Why it fits the brand |
| Background | ... | #... | ... |
| Accent | ... | #... | ... |
Choose from named palettes (e.g., "warm amber for a food/hospitality concept", "deep indigo for B2B SaaS", "emerald for health/wellness").
Typography
Two Google Fonts:
| Role | Font | Weight | Why |
|---|
| Heading | ... | 700 | ... |
| Body | ... | 400 | ... |
Guidelines: heading font should be distinctive and convey the brand personality; body font should be highly readable at small sizes.
Voice & Tone
3–5 descriptors with a do/don't example each.
| Descriptor | Do | Don't |
|---|
| ... | "..." | "..." |
Derive from the target personas and problem statement. B2C brands lean warmer; B2B SaaS leans direct and credible.
Logo Direction
Two sentences describing the logo concept — not the logo itself (Claude can't generate images).
Cover: style (wordmark / icon / combination), mood (geometric precision / organic warmth / bold editorial), and color application (primary on white / reversed on dark).
Application Notes
- Primary color for all CTA buttons and key links
- Background color for page background and card backgrounds
- Accent for icons, badges, and hover states
- Never use more than 3 colors in a single layout
- Heading font for H1–H3; body font for all body copy and labels
Verification
