Rescuing a High-Churn SaaS with Onboarding
Company: FitTrack (Fitness App SaaS)
TTM Metrics:
- Revenue: $900k
- Profit: $90k (10% Net Margin)
- Churn Rate: 12% monthly
- Activation Rate (Day 7): 40%
- Ad Spend: $200k/year
- Free Trial-to-Paid Conversion: 6%
Current Scenario
Pricing & Features:
Basic Plan ($19/month):
- 50 workout videos
- Generic meal plans
- Progress tracking
Premium Plan ($29/month)
- 200 workouts
- Custom meal plans
- Live chat support
Ad Strategy:
- Ran Instagram/Facebook ads with influencers doing flashy workouts (e.g., “Get Shredded in 30 Days!”).
- Landing page headline: *“Join 500k+ Users Transforming Their Lives!”
Customer Feedback:
- “I did 3 workouts and got bored – no structure.”
- “Meal plans didn’t account for my dietary restrictions.”
Diagnostic Process
1. Funnel Leakage:
- Problem 1: Ads had 3% CTR (high) but 6% trial-to-paid (low) → Overpromised “transformation” but underdelivered quick results.
- Problem 2: 60% of users never logged a meal → Generic plans felt irrelevant.
- Problem 3: No post-trial nurturing → Users forgot to upgrade
2. User Journey Map:
- Day 1: Signup → Overwhelmed by 50 workout choices.
- Day 3: No progress → Churn risk spiked
Problems in Detail
1. Onboarding Overload
- Dumped users into a library of 50 workouts with no guidance.
- Meal plans ignored allergies/preferences (e.g., vegan, gluten-free)
2. Ad-to-Experience Mismatch
- Ads showed dramatic transformations but offered no structured path to replicate them
3. Silent Post-Trial Funnel
- No emails reminding users to upgrade after trial ended.
Command Growth Solutions
1. “7-Day Quick Start Challenge”:
- Day 1: “20-Min Fat Burn” video (guaranteed 300+ calories).
- Day 3: “Measure Progress” guide (photos, waistline tracking).
- Day 7: “Upgrade to Save 50%” offer.
2. Personalized Meal Engine:
- Added a 30-second quiz (dietary needs, goals) to generate custom plans.
3. Post-Trial “FOMO” Sequence:
- Email 1 (Trial Ended): “Your 50% Discount Expires in 48 Hours!”
- Email 2 (Day 3): “Last Chance: We’ll Add a FREE Recipe Book.”
Implementation Steps
1. Week 1-2:
- Film 7-Day Challenge videos (hire fitness influencers: $1k).
- Build meal quiz with Typeform ($50/month).
2. Week 3-4:
- Update ads to “Follow Our 7-Day Challenge – Or Get 200% Refund.”
- Retarget inactive trial users with “Day 3 Progress Check” emails
3. Week 5-6:
- A/B test discount offers (40% vs. 50% vs. free recipe book