Shippage

A $50K landing page team in your terminal. One sentence in, production-ready page out.

This skill encodes the expertise of a CRO strategist ($10K/mo), conversion copywriter
($3K-5K/page), SaaS designer ($5K-15K/page), and full-stack developer — as data.
No AI slop. No templates. No subscriptions.

Data moat: 1,000+ lines of conversion copy rules from A/B tests · 200 real design
token sets from top SaaS sites · 7-step conversion psychology sequence · Social proof
cascade system · Risk reversal on every CTA · Pre-launch intelligence for zero-proof pages

Stack: React + Tailwind CSS + Framer Motion + shadcn/ui + Magic UI (default).
Adaptable to any framework — see references/framework-adapters.md.

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The Conversion Sequence

Every page follows a 7-step narrative arc. Each section has exactly one job:

1. STOP THE SCROLL (Hero) — 5 seconds to keep the visitor
2. BUILD TRUST (Social Proof) — logos and metrics establish credibility
3. AGITATE THE PAIN (Problem) — visitor feels understood
4. SHOW THE SOLUTION (Features) — how you solve their problem
5. PROVE IT WORKS (Testimonials) — real customers validate the claim
6. REMOVE DOUBT (Pricing + FAQ) — objections answered
7. MAKE THE ASK (Final CTA) — visitor converts

Do not reorder. Do not skip. Do not combine jobs.

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Step 1: Intake

Quick Mode

User provides product name + one-line description. Skill infers the rest using these rules:

Awareness level — infer from product description:

• Mentions a known problem category (slow deploys, manual work, data chaos) → problem-aware
• Mentions a solution category (CI/CD, CRM, analytics) → solution-aware
• Mentions specific product capabilities or pricing → product-aware
• Default if unclear: solution-aware

CTA — infer from product stage signals:

• "coming soon", "beta", "waitlist", "early access" → waitlist
• "open source", "free tier", "try it" → free-trial
• Mentions pricing, plans, or enterprise → purchase
• B2B + complex product → demo
• Default: free-trial

Vibe — infer from product domain:

• Developer tools, CLI, API, infrastructure → dark-premium
• AI, ML, data science → dark-premium
• Marketing, sales, CRM, email → bold-modern
• Design, creative, content → playful-creative
• Finance, security, compliance, healthcare → enterprise-trust
• Default: minimal-clean

Social proof — default to none in Quick Mode (assume pre-launch, use Step 4c)

Audience — extract from one-liner keywords:

• "teams", "developers", "engineers" → dev teams at startups
• "marketers", "founders", "businesses" → business users / non-technical
• Default: "teams building [product category]"

Guided Mode (8 questions)

1. Product name + one-liner
2. Target audience (job title, company size, industry)
3. Awareness level: problem-aware / solution-aware / product-aware
4. Primary CTA: free trial / demo / waitlist / purchase
5. Available social proof: logos / testimonials / metrics / none yet
6. Vibe: minimal-clean / bold-modern / dark-premium / playful-creative / enterprise-trust / "look like X.com"
7. Brand assets (optional): brand colors (hex), font name, logo file — or "none, pick for me"
8. Voice calibration: customer's own words describing their pain

Minimum Input (3 fields)

If the user provides very little: require product name, one-liner, and primary audience.
Defaults: solution-aware, free-trial CTA, minimal-clean vibe, professional-casual voice.

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Step 2: Design System

Four-Tier System

Tier	Source	When
0: Custom	User provides brand colors, fonts, or full token set	User says "my brand is #1E40AF / Poppins"
1: Curated	scripts/select-design-system.py queries design-tokens-db.json — 200 systems across 8 industries	Default. Match by industry + vibe.
2: Database	Same script with --top 8 for broader search	When Tier 1 has no close match.
3: Live	scripts/extract-tokens.sh --site [url]	When user says "make it look like X.com"

python3 scripts/select-design-system.py --industry "Developer Tools" --vibe dark
python3 scripts/select-design-system.py --list-industries

Tier 0: Custom Brand Tokens

When the user provides their own brand colors, fonts, or design values, use them directly.
Build the globals.css :root block by mapping user values to the required CSS custom properties:

:root {
  --background: [user bg, or derive: white for light, #0a0a0a for dark vibe];
  --foreground: [user text, or derive: contrast against background];
  --primary: [user brand color — the main accent];
  --primary-foreground: [derive: white or black, whichever contrasts 4.5:1];
  --muted: [derive: desaturated, lighter shade of background];
  --muted-foreground: [derive: mid-contrast text for secondary content];
  --accent: [user secondary color, or derive: lighter shade of primary];
  --accent-foreground: [derive: contrast text against accent];
  --border: [derive: subtle gray matching the palette];
  --card: [derive: slight offset from background];
  --card-foreground: [same as foreground];
  --destructive: [default: #ef4444 unless user specifies];
  --destructive-foreground: [derive: contrast text];
  --ring: [same as primary];
  --radius: [user value, or 0.5rem default];
}
.dark { /* derive dark mode variants: invert lightness, keep hue/saturation */ }

Minimum user input needed: one brand color (hex). Everything else can be derived.
Font: If user specifies a font name, use it for both heading and body (or heading only if they provide two).
Import via @fontsource/[font] (Vite/generic) or next/font/google (Next.js).

Vibe Defaults (fallback when no match found and no custom tokens)

Vibe	Font	Palette	Radius
minimal-clean	Inter	#000/#fff	4px
bold-modern	Plus Jakarta Sans	saturated #6366f1	8px
dark-premium	Geist	#0a0a0a/#fafafa	8px
playful-creative	DM Sans	warm #f97316	12px+
enterprise-trust	Inter	navy/slate	6px

Tokens become CSS custom properties in globals.css → referenced via Tailwind semantic classes.

---

Step 3: Section Selection

Mandatory Sections

• navbar — references/sections/navbar.md
• Hero: hero-centered or hero-split
• cta-footer — references/sections/cta-footer.md

Optional Sections

Section	When to Include
social-proof-logos	Always if logos available
pain-points	Problem-aware and solution-aware
features-bento or features-alternating	Always (core conversion)
how-it-works	Complex products, enterprise
testimonials	When testimonials with results exist
pricing	Self-serve with public pricing
comparison-table	Solution-aware comparing alternatives
faq	Always recommended
waitlist	When CTA is waitlist — replaces hero + cta-footer with viral waitlist system
exit-intent-popup	Always recommended — recovers 2-5% of abandoning visitors. Auto-includes for lead-gen CTAs (free trial, waitlist, demo, newsletter)
sticky-cta-bar	Always recommended — keeps CTA accessible after hero scrolls out of view. 8-15% conversion improvement
contact-form	When lead capture or direct inquiries are needed — most landing pages benefit from this
cookie-consent	Always recommended — GDPR/CCPA-compliant cookie consent banner with preference panel, script blocking, regional auto-detection

Programmatic Selection

python3 scripts/select-sections.py \
  --awareness problem-aware --cta free-trial \
  --proof logos,testimonials --sections 9

python3 scripts/select-sections.py \
  --awareness solution-aware --cta waitlist \
  --proof logos --hero centered --sections 8

Hero Variant Heuristic

• hero-split (default): products with strong UI/screenshot
• hero-centered: waitlist (no screenshot), product-aware + purchase/demo, or explicit --hero centered

Target: 6–9 sections. Fewer feels thin. More causes scroll fatigue.

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Step 4: Copy

Read references/conversion-copy.md — the authoritative source for every copy decision.

Key rules (detail in conversion-copy.md):

• Headline formulas by awareness level (problem/solution/product-aware)
• Subheadline: 15–25 words, must contain a specific number or timeframe
• Every feature gets a "so that [outcome]" benefit clause
• Zero banned AI words (leverage, unlock, revolutionize, seamlessly — full list in Section 5)
• "You/your" outnumbers "we/our" 3:1
• CTA uses approved text only + trust hint below every CTA
• Voice calibration: weave customer language throughout

After generating all copy, run a final anti-AI word sweep.

---

Step 4b: Icons and Images

Icons

All templates use Lucide React icons. When generating, select contextually relevant icons:

• Pain points: use negative-emotion icons (AlertTriangle, Clock, Frown, Ban)
• Features: use function icons (BarChart3, Zap, Shield, Users, Globe, Lock, Cpu)
• How-it-works: use process icons (Settings, Rocket, CheckCircle, ArrowRight)
• Pick icons that match the specific feature/pain described — never reuse the same icon twice

Templates with icon: React.ElementType props (how-it-works, pain-points, features-bento,
features-alternating) accept any Lucide icon. Choose from https://lucide.dev/icons.

If user provides custom SVG icons or brand icon files, render them as inline <svg> or
<img> components passed to the icon prop slot.

Images and Screenshots

Template	Needs	If user has none
Hero (split/centered)	Product screenshot	Use a gradient placeholder with "Your Product Here" or skip screenshot and use hero-centered with text-only layout
Features alternating	Screenshot per feature	Use abstract geometric illustrations via CSS (gradient boxes, code snippet mockups)
Social proof logos	Company logo files	Use text-only logo names in gray: <span className="text-lg font-semibold text-muted-foreground">Acme Corp</span>
Testimonials	Avatar photos	Use initials avatar: colored circle with first letter of name

Always ask: "Do you have product screenshots, company logos, or testimonial photos ready?
If not, I'll generate placeholder visuals you can swap later."

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Step 4c: Pre-Launch Optimization

When user has no social proof (logos, testimonials, metrics), replace standard sections
with high-converting pre-launch alternatives. Most indie hackers and solo founders hit
this case — handle it as a first-class workflow, not a fallback.

Replace Social Proof Logos with Traction Signals

Instead of a logo strip, use one of:

• Waitlist counter: "Join 847 founders on the waitlist" (use a realistic number)
• GitHub stars: "★ 2.4k stars on GitHub" (if open source)
• Beta badge: "Currently in private beta — 50 spots left"
• Founder credibility: "Built by a [Company] engineer" or "From the team behind [Previous Product]"

Replace Testimonials with Founder Story

Instead of customer quotes, use:

• Builder credibility section: "I built [Product] because..." — 3-sentence founder story
  with photo, linking the pain (Section 3) to personal experience
• Early traction proof: beta user count, GitHub activity, Product Hunt launch results
• "Why now" section: market timing argument (regulation change, technology shift, cost reduction)

Replace Product Screenshots with

• Problem visualization: Show the painful "before" state (messy spreadsheet, error messages,
  slow dashboard mockup) to make the pain tangible
• Architecture diagram: For dev tools — show the system diagram of how the product works
• Waitlist CTA with value preview: "See how [Product] works — join the waitlist for early access"

Pre-Launch Section Order

Replace the standard 7-step sequence with:

1. Waitlist hero (references/sections/waitlist.md) — viral waitlist with email capture,
   referral link, queue position, tiered rewards, leaderboard, and social sharing.
   Replaces $15-69/mo tools (GetWaitlist, Viral Loops, Prefinery). Includes serverless
   API route template (references/waitlist-api.md) with 4 ranking algorithms, fraud
   prevention, welcome emails, and analytics tracking.
2. Traction signals (waitlist count or founder credibility)
3. Pain points (agitate harder — this carries more weight without proof)
4. Solution preview (features with CSS mockups instead of screenshots)
5. Founder story (replaces testimonials)
6. FAQ (address "when does this launch?", "how do I get access?", "is this free?")
7. Final CTA (waitlist or early access)

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Step 5: Effects

Read references/effects-catalog.md for the complete library with install instructions.

Budget: max 3 premium effects per page:

1. ONE hero background (Aurora, Particles, DotPattern, etc.)
2. ONE headline text effect (optional)
3. ONE CTA/section effect (optional)

Universal motion (scroll reveals, hover states, stagger) is always included — free.

If an effect fails to install: fall back to CSS-only alternative. The page must look good with zero JS effects.

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Step 6: Assembly

1. Read each section template from references/sections/
2. Read shared rules from references/section-defaults.md — especially the Visual Polish section
3. Apply design tokens in globals.css (:root + .dark)
4. Insert generated copy into section templates
5. Wire effects: hero background (REQUIRED), text effect (recommended), CTA effect (recommended)
6. Apply visual polish (REQUIRED):
   • Grain texture overlay on body (see section-defaults.md §Visual Polish)
   • Glow effects behind hero content and CTA buttons
   • Gradient transitions between sections — never hard edges
   • Frosted glass on cards for dark vibes
   • Colored shadows using brand primary
   • Scroll-linked parallax on hero section
   • Animated number counters on social proof stats
   • Mix 3-4 different entrance animation variants across sections (see §Scroll Animation map)
7. Add conversion tools: exit-intent popup (always), sticky CTA bar (always). Add data-hero-cta to hero CTA button and data-cta-footer to final CTA section.
8. Add cookie consent banner (references/sections/cookie-consent.md). Add data-cookie-settings to footer "Cookie Settings" link.
9. Generate legal pages (references/legal-pages.md): Privacy Policy, Terms of Service, Cookie Policy, Acceptable Use Policy. Fill templates with user's business details from intake.
10. Add SEO assets: JSON-LD structured data (Organization + SoftwareApplication + FAQPage schemas), OG image (component or Next.js dynamic), sitemap.xml, robots.txt. See references/framework-adapters.md for templates per framework.
11. See references/framework-adapters.md for framework-specific setup

Dark Mode

• Dark-first only: dev tools, AI/ML, dark-premium vibe
• Light + toggle: enterprise, fintech, general SaaS
• Light-only: conservative enterprise, healthcare

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Step 7: QA

Run automated checks: python3 scripts/qa-check.py --dir [project]

Critical Manual Checks

1. CTA visible without scrolling on mobile, all touch targets ≥ 44px
2. Zero banned AI words, every feature has "so that" benefit clause
3. Hero content is static HTML (no JS-dependent first paint), LCP < 2.5s
4. Color contrast ≥ 4.5:1, semantic heading hierarchy, skip-to-content link
5. Title ≤ 60 chars, meta description ≤ 160 chars, OG tags present, JSON-LD schemas valid

Full checklists: Mobile (10 items), Speed (9), Conversion (12), Accessibility (9), SEO (9), Dark Mode (5).

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Audit Mode

When user asks to "audit", "roast", or "review" a landing page URL:

1. Extract tokens via extract-tokens.sh --site [url], read page content
2. Score against all QA checklists (Mobile, Speed, Conversion, A11y, SEO)
3. Recommend specific fixes ranked by conversion impact
4. Rewrite headline, subheadline, primary CTA, weakest feature, first testimonial
5. Compare design tokens against industry best-in-class

Format each fix as: BEFORE → AFTER → WHY.

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File Reference

Category	Files
Copy rules	references/conversion-copy.md
Effects	references/effects-catalog.md
Shared defaults	references/section-defaults.md
Framework setup	references/framework-adapters.md
Design tokens	references/design-tokens-db.json (200 sites, 8 industries)
Section templates	references/sections/ — navbar, hero-centered, hero-split, social-proof-logos, pain-points, features-bento, features-alternating, how-it-works, testimonials, comparison-table, pricing, faq, cta-footer, contact-form, waitlist, exit-intent-popup, sticky-cta-bar, cookie-consent
Legal pages	references/legal-pages.md (Privacy Policy, Terms of Service, Cookie Policy, Acceptable Use Policy — replaces Termly/Iubenda/GetTerms at $3-35/mo)
Waitlist system	references/sections/waitlist.md (frontend) + references/waitlist-api.md (serverless API, email templates, storage adapters)
Conversion tools	references/sections/exit-intent-popup.md (exit-intent detection, A/B testing, frequency capping, mobile teaser) + references/sections/sticky-cta-bar.md (scroll-aware bar, 4 variants, countdown timer)
Scripts	scripts/select-design-system.py, scripts/select-sections.py, scripts/extract-tokens.sh, scripts/parse-tokens.py, scripts/qa-check.py

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Execution Summary

1. Intake — product info (quick, guided, or minimal mode). Ask about brand assets.
2. Design System — custom tokens (Tier 0) > curated (Tier 1/2) > live extract (Tier 3) > vibe defaults
3. Sections — pick 6–9 using decision matrix or select-sections.py
4. Copy — write per conversion-copy.md rules, sweep for banned words
   4b. Icons & Images — select contextual Lucide icons, handle missing screenshots with fallbacks
5. Effects — pick ≤ 3 premium effects by vibe, with CSS fallbacks
6. Assembly — generate project with dark mode support, cookie consent banner, conversion tools
7. Legal Pages — generate Privacy Policy, Terms of Service, Cookie Policy from references/legal-pages.md
8. SEO Assets — JSON-LD schemas, OG image, sitemap.xml, robots.txt from references/framework-adapters.md
9. QA — run qa-check.py + manual critical checks, fix all failures

Output: npm install && npm run dev — a single deployable project.