The first days decide everything.
WHY IT MATTERS MOST
Customers who do not reach value early do not stay, whatever happens afterwards.
WHAT TO IDENTIFY
The moment a customer first receives value.
WHAT TO MEASURE
How many reach it, and how long it takes.
WHAT TO OPTIMISE
Both.
WHAT REMOVES FRICTION
Fewer required fields at signup Sensible defaults Sample or imported data Doing setup for them, early on
WHY DOING IT FOR THEM WORKS EARLY
It guarantees they reach value, and it teaches you what onboarding must automate.
WHAT TO AVOID
Requiring configuration before anything works Long tours before use Demanding payment details before value, unless deliberate
WHAT EMPTY PRODUCTS FEEL LIKE
Work, with no evident benefit.
WHAT SOLVES THAT
Getting real data in quickly.
WHAT IMPORT SHOULD SUPPORT
Whatever format their existing data is in, including spreadsheets.
WHAT TO SEQUENCE
One step at a time, with progress visible.
WHAT TO SEND
A small number of well-timed messages, tied to what they have and have not done.
WHAT TO AVOID SENDING
A fixed sequence ignoring their actual progress.
WHAT TO WATCH
Where new customers stop.
WHAT TO DO
Fix that step, before anything else.
