I bet you are doing product activation all wrong.

90% of the monetization and retention issues stem from incorrect activation.

This is the last part of a mini-series I’ve done with the team at June:

• Part 1 reviewed the difference between product analytics in B2C and B2B

• Part 2 explored precisely how expansion happens in B2B

But for this final part, we need to talk about the foundational piece that makes B2B growth possible: activation.

Specifically: What activation IS and what it is NOT.

Activation: What it IS

I like Reforge’s definition best:

Activation is taking a user from signing up to establishing a habit around your core value prop.

In practice, product activation consists of 3 steps: setup, aha, and habit loop. 

Setup 

Setup phase involves the user performing the necessary actions to get to the core value prop of the product. Think about a person going on a walk: The setup consists of getting dressed, getting out the door, and starting your walk.

Examples of the setup:

• SurveyMonkey: Create a survey, add questions, pick response collection method

• Miro: Create the board, add elements to the board, invite somebody/s…