onboarding-plan

Overview

Based on "Never Lose a Customer Again" by Joey Coleman, most customers who churn do so in the first 100 days - not because the product failed, but because the transition from buyer to user was never properly managed. Coleman's framework maps eight emotional phases every new customer moves through. Ignoring any phase creates a gap where customers feel abandoned or confused.

The core insight: onboarding is an emotional journey, not a technical checklist. Customers need to feel welcomed, capable, and successful - in that order - before they commit to the product.

Workflow

Step 1: Identify the customer's starting state

Before building the plan, answer these four questions: