Turn classic churn prevention methods into a proactive retention strategy that engages customers based on their interaction patterns to prevent churn.
About the Growth Play
This Growbook walks you through building a proactive churn prevention flow that spots churn before it happens.
Track early signals like missed logins or declining product usage
Build dynamic segments based on churn risk
Trigger multi-step, personalized journeys designed to acquire and retain at-risk users
Benefits
Detect churn before it happens: Use behavioral signals to catch signs of disengagement early, before users go cold.
Boost repeat purchase rates: Automatically re-engage customers who haven't logged in or slowed down their usage.
Increase LTV: Deliver timely nudges that keep your best users active and loyal.
Automate retention: Replace one-off win-back emails with always-on journeys that adapt in real time.
How It Works
To illustrate the use case, we will refer to a made-up project management app, similar to Asana called "Otto."
Step 1: Set Up Tracking for User Activity
To start, install the Intempt JavaScript SDK. This will enable GrowthOS to track actions like logins and session frequency, page and feature usage, sign-ups and trial starts, and completed tasks or missed milestones.
Step 2: Create a Qualification Agent
In a pre-monetization flow, our qualification agent can be used to qualify and route leads based on their 'Fit' and 'Activity'.
In GrowthOS, head to Agents and create a new Qualification Agent named 'Churn Risk Agent'. Set up Fit Criteria — to define your ideal user (e.g., location, company size, industry) and Activity Criteria — to track meaningful behaviors (e.g., sign up, task creation, email clicks)
This agent will assign each user a Fit Score — how well they match your ideal persona — and an Activity Score — how engaged they are, based on behavior.
Use weight to prioritize high-intent actions, and decay to reduce the value or impact of an activity over time.
Step 3: Build Real-Time Segments
In a post-monetization flow, qualification isn't necessary — your users are already customers. Instead, use Segments to define activity-based criteria that reflect how they engage with your product. This gives you a direct way to build tailored journeys for both power users and those showing early signs of churn.
For pre-monetization flow, head to the Segments tab and create new segments using combinations of Fit Score (how well a user matches your ideal customer profile) and Activity Score (how engaged they are).
Create a new Segment called 'At Risk' with high Fit Score and low Activity Score. These users match your ICP but aren't engaging. Reach them with personalized reactivation journeys.
Next, create a new Segment called 'High Potential' with high Fit Score and high Activity Score. These are your ideal customers actively engaging right now — perfect for feature expansion, upgrades, or exclusive offers to boost LTV.
Next, create a new Segment called 'Curious Visitors' with low Fit Score and high Activity Score. They're exploring actively but may not be a great long-term fit yet. Consider light-touch journeys to qualify further or convert if relevant.
These segments auto-update based on real-time behavior — no manual tagging needed.
For post-monetization flow, head to the Segments and create a new segment for users called 'Slipping Users' using actual behavioral data. Select events like 'completed onboarding', 'created ml task', 'visited a feature page' more than twice in the past 14 days and 'login' once in the past 10 days.
Step 4: Multi-Step Retention Journeys
In Journeys, build a personalized flow for each segment. Each journey is triggered by real-time changes in Fit + Activity Score, so the moment someone starts slipping — the right touchpoint kicks in.
For pre-monetization flow, create a new journey named 'At Risk Journey' and select the 'At Risk' segment as the trigger. These users are a great match — but they've gone cold.
Journey Example:
Day 0: Reminder of the last feature or page visited ("Still exploring Smart Dashboards?")
Day 2: Email with curated use cases tailored to their role or company size
Day 4: Invite to a live onboarding session or async walkthrough
Day 6: Friendly check-in from a success manager or founder ("Need help getting value from [Feature X]?")
Next, create 'High Potential Journey' and select the 'High Potential' segment as the trigger:
Day 0: Thank-you message + "Next best step" CTA (e.g., explore advanced features)
Day 2: Early access to a new feature or roadmap preview
Day 5: Invite to community, referral program, or customer panel
Day 7: Pro-tip email with advanced use cases they haven't tried yet
Next, create 'Curious Visitors Journey' and select the 'Curious Visitors' segment:
Day 0: "Is Otto right for you?" interactive guide or onboarding quiz
Day 2: Role-specific use case spotlight or video
Day 5: Offer a quick 1:1 session or group demo
Day 7: "Still exploring?" email with a light-touch CTA (download checklist, save progress, etc.)
For post-monetization, create a new journey named 'Slipping Users' and select that segment as the trigger. Their usage is slowing — proactive action is needed.
Journey Example:
Day 0: Check-in email: "We noticed a drop — anything we can help with?"
Day 2: Recommend underused or new features they haven't tried
Day 4: Offer priority support or beta access to an upcoming feature
Day 6: Invite to feedback call or customer roundtable
Pro Tip
Use Branch Conditions in GrowthOS Journeys to dynamically adjust flows based on actions like opens, clicks, or conversions — keeping your messaging relevant without extra setup.
Step 5: Track & Optimize
Open your journey and monitor the following metrics — Entered: Users who qualified and entered journey, Messaged: How many received the message, In Progress: Users still progressing through steps, Completed: Finished full journey, Exited Early: Dropped out before completion, Converted: Took desired action (Subscribed to basic/ premium plan, sign up, invite team members)
