Retention Marketing That Actually Works
- Beth Mayhew
- Jun 4
- 2 min read
Updated: Jun 5
Keeping customers/users around is tough—but it’s also one of the most powerful ways to grow your business. Whether you're launching an app or nurturing your customer base, smart retention marketing can turn one-time users/customers into long-term fans.
Let’s break it down into six easy (and impactful!) steps:
Step 1: Map the User Journey
Before you fix churn, understand your users:
Who are they?
Why did they sign up?
Where are they coming from?
When do they drop off?
What’s driving them away?
Answer these, and you’ll unlock smarter retention tactics.
Step 2: Spot Churn Before It Hits
What % of users are leaving?
When exactly are they leaving?
Who are your happiest customers—and why?
Pro tip: Your biggest fans can show you what to fix for everyone else.
Step 3: Nail Onboarding and That First Purchase
Not all phases are created equal—onboarding is everything.
Setup: Help users glide through registration and login.
Education: Show how your product solves their problems—fast.
Data Collection: Get info (with permission!) to tailor their experience from day one.
📌 Stage-Based Retention Strategy
Onboarding (Days 0–2): First impressions matter. Nail your new user experience and you’ll see a big bump in retention.
Habit Formation (Days 3–10): The goal here is simple: get users to make your app part of their daily routine.
Long-Term Loyalty (Days 30, 60, 90): Are users still around a month later? If so, you’re doing something right.
📌 Golden rules for onboarding:
Keep it simple—bonus points if there’s a reward.
Let users skip optional tutorials.
Use clean UI guides and walkthroughs to highlight key features.
Always ask before requesting sensitive info or notifications.
Step 4: Analyze Your Funnel
Find where people drop off and fix it fast. A small hiccup in the user journey can turn into major churn if left unchecked.
Step 5: Get Personal with Your Messaging
Retention isn’t just about marketing—it’s about relationships. Use customer data to build personalized, relevant communication that resonates.
📌 Smart Segmentation Ideas:
Demographics: Age, gender, location, income
Psychographics: Interests, values, personality
Technographics: Device, OS, browser
User Intent: Behaviors, habits, preferences
Step 6: Ask for Feedback (and Actually Use It)
Want to keep users happy? Just ask them how things are going! Feedback helps you squash friction before it drives users away.
📌 Channels that Drive Retention
Use these to stay connected:
Email: Still king. Follow up with tips, promos, and helpful content.
SMS: Great open rates, but use sparingly. Respect the phone number!
Push Notifications: Perfect for reminders—if you don’t overdo it.
PPC: Retarget users with relevant offers or reminders.
Social Media: Build relationships, share updates, and keep your brand top-of-mind.
📌 Campaign Ideas to Spark Retention
Winback Campaigns: Tempt inactive users with a discount or special offer.
Referral Campaigns: Turn users into advocates with a reward-based referral system.
Onboarding Series: Walk users through their first week with helpful, fun content.
Subscription Incentives: Offer discounts for monthly/annual commitments.
Content-Driven Loyalty: Share exclusive content or resources to become their go-to.
Rewards & Loyalty Programs: Make users feel valued and appreciated.
Community Building: Create a space where your users can connect, share, and thrive.
