Setting Up Your CRM Before You Launch

The worst time to set up a CRM is after you launch. After launch, you're in reactive mode: responding to inbound, handling bugs, doing interviews with the people who showed up. Setting up systems while the house is on fire doesn't work.

The right time to set up your CRM is 4-6 weeks before launch, when you have the headspace to do it right and the relationships to populate it with.

Here's exactly how to set up DenchClaw for the pre-launch window.

Why Pre-Launch CRM Setup Matters#

Your launch will succeed or fail largely on the strength of your pre-existing network. The Hacker News posts that hit the front page almost always have an author with an active HN account, a product with early supporters, and a community of people ready to engage.

A CRM before launch lets you:

1. Know exactly who to personally notify on launch day
2. Track warm contacts you want to cultivate in the weeks before launch
3. Log your beta user conversations so you have specific stories to tell at launch
4. Organize the press contacts you'll reach out to

None of this is possible if you're building the CRM the day before.

The Pre-Launch DenchClaw Setup (Step by Step)#

Step 1: Install DenchClaw#

npx denchclaw

The first-run setup creates your workspace, initializes DuckDB, and brings the agent online. Once the frontend is running at localhost:3100, proceed.

Step 2: Create Your Core Objects#

Tell DenchClaw: "Set up a CRM for my pre-launch. I need objects for: launch contacts (people to notify on launch day), beta users (people currently testing), press contacts, and investors."

The agent creates the objects with sensible default fields. Customize the fields:

Launch Contacts object:

• Full Name, Email, Company, Source, Warmth (1-5), Channel (HN / Twitter / Personal), Last Contact Date, Status (Not Notified / Notified / Responded), Notes

Beta Users object:

• Full Name, Email, How They Found You, Signup Date, Product Feedback (rich text), Pain Level (1-5), Would Recommend? (Y/N), Key Quote, Status

Press Contacts object:

• Full Name, Publication, Beat (what they cover), Email, Twitter, Last Coverage Date, Relationship (cold / warm / friendly), Status

Investors object:

• Same as the investor CRM setup — even if you're not raising yet, tracking warm investor contacts pre-launch pays off

Step 3: Populate Your Launch Contacts#

This is the most important step and the one most founders skip.

Go through:

• Your entire email contacts list
• Your LinkedIn connections
• Twitter followers who are builders or in your target market
• YC batch if you're in YC
• Former colleagues who might care about what you're building

Add anyone who: (a) is in your target market, (b) has influence in communities where your product should be known, or (c) would be genuinely excited about what you're building.

Score each contact on Warmth (1-5). 5s get a personal message on launch day. 3-4s get a group message. 1-2s don't get contacted directly at launch.

Step 4: Warm Up Your Network Before Launch#

4-6 weeks before launch, start having conversations. Not pitches — conversations.

"I'm building something in [category], would love to show you what we're working on and get your reaction." Most people say yes to this. The follow-up is a demo call where you listen and take notes.

These calls serve three purposes:

1. Product feedback (the obvious one)
2. Building warmth so when you ask them to share on launch day, they're already invested
3. Beta user acquisition — some of them will want to use it right now

Log every call in DenchClaw immediately. Update the Warmth score. Note what they said.

Step 5: Prepare Your Launch Day Execution#

Two weeks before launch, create a Launch Contacts view filtered to Warmth >= 4 and Status = Not Notified. On launch day, your task is to personally notify every person in this view.

For your 5s: personal message with a specific reference to your conversation ("I know you mentioned you'd been frustrated with HubSpot's pricing — we built the open-source local alternative I mentioned. Launched today: [link].")

For your 3-4s: a slightly less personal message, still personalized to what you know about them.

For your newsletter/social following: a general launch announcement.

DenchClaw makes the personalization fast: ask the agent to draft a message for each 5-star contact that references your conversation notes. Review, adjust, send.

The Week Before Launch#

Run a final check with DenchClaw:

• "How many launch contacts do I have with warmth >= 4?"
• "Who haven't I been in touch with in the last 2 weeks?"
• "What are the key themes from my beta user feedback?"

The beta user feedback synthesis is particularly valuable for the launch post. Specific user quotes and concrete use cases make launch announcements much more compelling than generic descriptions.

Frequently Asked Questions#

What if I don't have an existing network to populate the CRM with?#

Start building it now. Attend relevant online communities (Discord servers, Slack groups, Twitter spaces). Engage genuinely with people building in adjacent spaces. Launch day with 50 warm contacts is much better than launch day with none.

Should I reach out to press before launch?#

Yes, selectively. The top 3-5 journalists who cover your specific category are worth reaching out to 1-2 weeks before launch with an exclusive preview. Journalists who cover "AI tools for founders" are more valuable than generic tech journalists for a product like DenchClaw.

How many beta users should I have before launching?#

Enough to have concrete stories. 20-50 active beta users who can speak to specific use cases is better than 200 who signed up and never used it. Quality of engagement matters more than quantity.

What should I do with people who respond enthusiastically on launch day?#

Get them on a call immediately. The window of enthusiasm is short. A 20-minute call the day after launch with an engaged user is worth far more than an email exchange that spans two weeks.

Ready to try DenchClaw? Install in one command: npx denchclaw. Full setup guide →