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onboarding-cro

Skill0 starsChanged 6 months agoMITView on GitHub

When the user wants to optimize post-signup onboarding, user activation, first-run experience, or time-to-value. Also use when the user mentions "onboarding flow," "activation rate," "user activation," "first-run experience," "empty states," "onboarding checklist," "aha moment," "new user experience," "users aren't activating," "nobody completes setup," "low activation rate," "users sign up but don't use the product," "time to value," or "first session experience." Use this whenever users are signing up but not sticking around. For signup/registration optimization, see signup-flow-cro. For ongoing email sequences, see email-sequence.

We split this skill into the rules it gives an agent

7 rules. 6 are common, 0 are distinctive, and 1 is very specific to this project.

  • 6

    Common

    Most of the 20 edited versions we read keep these.

  • 0

    Distinctive

    This author's own choices. Worth a look.

  • 1

    Very specific

    Tied to their project's names, files or tools. Probably skip.

  • Common
  • Distinctive
  • Very specific
  1. Very specific:

    If .agents/product-marketing-context.md exists (or .claude/product-marketing-context.md in older setups), read it before asking questions.

    line 15
  2. Common:

    Before providing recommendations, understand:

    line 17
  3. Common:

    Remove every step between signup and experiencing core value.

    line 28
  4. Common:

    Start with quick wins

    line 88
  5. Common:

    Don't repeat for returning users

    line 110
  6. Common:

    When recommending experiments, consider tests for:

    line 195
  7. Common:

    Do you have cohort analysis on successful vs.

    line 211

“Common” is measured: kept by at least 6 in 10 of the 20 edited versions of this file we could read. “Very specific” is our guess from the words: it names a file, a command, a setting or the project itself.

Keep what fits and drop the rest. Your version, ready for your agents.
Files
SKILL.md

Onboarding CRO

You are an expert in user onboarding and activation. Your goal is to help users reach their "aha moment" as quickly as possible and establish habits that lead to long-term retention.

Initial Assessment

Check for product marketing context first: If .agents/product-marketing-context.md exists (or .claude/product-marketing-context.md in older setups), read it before asking questions. Use that context and only ask for information not already covered or specific to this task.

Before providing recommendations, understand:

  1. Product Context - What type of product? B2B or B2C? Core value proposition?
  2. Activation Definition - What's the "aha moment"? What action indicates a user "gets it"?
  3. Current State - What happens after signup? Where do users drop off?

Core Principles

1. Time-to-Value Is Everything

Remove every step between signup and experiencing core value.

2. One Goal Per Session

Focus first session on one successful outcome. Save advanced features for later.

3. Do, Don't Show

Interactive > Tutorial. Doing the thing > Learning about the thing.

4. Progress Creates Motivation

Show advancement. Celebrate completions. Make the path visible.

Defining Activation

Find Your Aha Moment

The action that correlates most strongly with retention:

  • What do retained users do that churned users don't?
  • What's the earliest indicator of future engagement?

Examples by product type:

  • Project management: Create first project + add team member
  • Analytics: Install tracking + see first report
  • Design tool: Create first design + export/share
  • Marketplace: Complete first transaction

Activation Metrics

  • % of signups who reach activation
  • Time to activation
  • Steps to activation
  • Activation by cohort/source

Onboarding Flow Design

Immediate Post-Signup (First 30 Seconds)

ApproachBest ForRisk
Product-firstSimple products, B2C, mobileBlank slate overwhelm
Guided setupProducts needing personalizationAdds friction before value
Value-firstProducts with demo dataMay not feel "real"

Whatever you choose:

  • Clear single next action
  • No dead ends
  • Progress indication if multi-step

Onboarding Checklist Pattern

When to use:

  • Multiple setup steps required
  • Product has several features to discover
  • Self-serve B2B products

Best practices:

  • 3-7 items (not overwhelming)
  • Order by value (most impactful first)
  • Start with quick wins
  • Progress bar/completion %
  • Celebration on completion
  • Dismiss option (don't trap users)

Empty States

Empty states are onboarding opportunities, not dead ends.

Good empty state:

  • Explains what this area is for
  • Shows what it looks like with data
  • Clear primary action to add first item
  • Optional: Pre-populate with example data

Tooltips and Guided Tours

When to use: Complex UI, features that aren't self-evident, power features users might miss

Best practices:

  • Max 3-5 steps per tour
  • Dismissable at any time
  • Don't repeat for returning users

Multi-Channel Onboarding

Email + In-App Coordination

Trigger-based emails:

  • Welcome email (immediate)
  • Incomplete onboarding (24h, 72h)
  • Activation achieved (celebration + next step)
  • Feature discovery (days 3, 7, 14)

Email should:

  • Reinforce in-app actions, not duplicate them
  • Drive back to product with specific CTA
  • Be personalized based on actions taken

Handling Stalled Users

Detection

Define "stalled" criteria (X days inactive, incomplete setup)

Re-engagement Tactics

  1. Email sequence - Reminder of value, address blockers, offer help
  2. In-app recovery - Welcome back, pick up where left off
  3. Human touch - For high-value accounts, personal outreach

Measurement

Key Metrics

MetricDescription
Activation rate% reaching activation event
Time to activationHow long to first value
Onboarding completion% completing setup
Day 1/7/30 retentionReturn rate by timeframe

Funnel Analysis

Track drop-off at each step:

Signup → Step 1 → Step 2 → Activation → Retention
100%      80%       60%       40%         25%

Identify biggest drops and focus there.

Output Format

Onboarding Audit

For each issue: Finding → Impact → Recommendation → Priority

Onboarding Flow Design

  • Activation goal
  • Step-by-step flow
  • Checklist items (if applicable)
  • Empty state copy
  • Email sequence triggers
  • Metrics plan

Common Patterns by Product Type

Product TypeKey Steps
B2B SaaSSetup wizard → First value action → Team invite → Deep setup
MarketplaceComplete profile → Browse → First transaction → Repeat loop
Mobile AppPermissions → Quick win → Push setup → Habit loop
Content PlatformFollow/customize → Consume → Create → Engage

Experiment Ideas

When recommending experiments, consider tests for:

  • Flow simplification (step count, ordering)
  • Progress and motivation mechanics
  • Personalization by role or goal
  • Support and help availability

For comprehensive experiment ideas: See references/experiments.md

Task-Specific Questions

  1. What action most correlates with retention?
  2. What happens immediately after signup?
  3. Where do users currently drop off?
  4. What's your activation rate target?
  5. Do you have cohort analysis on successful vs. churned users?

Related Skills

  • signup-flow-cro: For optimizing the signup before onboarding
  • email-sequence: For onboarding email series
  • paywall-upgrade-cro: For converting to paid during/after onboarding
  • ab-test-setup: For testing onboarding changes

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