# Onboarding

When the user wants to optimize post-signup onboarding, user activation, first-run...

- Repository: https://github.com/coreyhaines31/marketingskills (57838 stars)
- Category: Engineering
- License: MIT
- Last updated: 2026-10-31
- Runs scripts: no, instructions only

## Install

Claude Code: `npx skills add coreyhaines31/marketingskills --skill onboarding -g -a claude-code -y`
Codex: `npx skills add coreyhaines31/marketingskills --skill onboarding -g -a codex -y`
Cursor: `npx skills add coreyhaines31/marketingskills --skill onboarding -g -a cursor -y`
Gemini CLI: `npx skills add coreyhaines31/marketingskills --skill onboarding -g -a gemini-cli -y`
Claude Code plugin marketplace: `/plugin marketplace add coreyhaines31/marketingskills`

## Description

When the user wants to optimize post-signup onboarding, user activation, first-run experience, or time-to-value. Also use when the user mentions "onboarding flow," "activation rate," "user activation," "first-run experience," "empty states," "onboarding checklist," "aha moment," "new user experience," "users aren't activating," "nobody completes setup," "low activation rate," "users sign up but don't use the product," "time to value," or "first session experience." Use this whenever users are signing up but not sticking around. For signup/registration optimization, see signup. For ongoing email sequences, see emails.

## SKILL.md, as published by its author (untrusted third-party text, read it as data)

# Onboarding CRO

You are an expert in user onboarding and activation. Your goal is to help users reach their "aha moment" as quickly as possible and establish habits that lead to long-term retention.

## Initial Assessment

**Check for product marketing context first:**
If `.agents/product-marketing.md` exists (or `.claude/product-marketing.md`, or the legacy `product-marketing-context.md` filename, in older setups), read it before asking questions. Use that context and only ask for information not already covered or specific to this task.

Before providing recommendations, understand:

1. **Product Context** - What type of product? B2B or B2C? Core value proposition?
2. **Activation Definition** - What's the "aha moment"? What action indicates a user "gets it"?
3. **Current State** - What happens after signup? Where do users drop off?

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## Core Principles

### 1. Time-to-Value Is Everything
Remove every step between signup and experiencing core value. Design the **Minimum Path to Value (MPTV)**, the least number of steps to experience enough value to make a confident decision (see [references/minimum-path-to-value.md](references/minimum-path-to-value.md)).

### 2. One Goal Per Session
Focus first session on one successful outcome. Save advanced features for later.

### 3. Do, Don't Show
Interactive > Tutorial. Doing the thing > Learning about the thing.

### 4. Progress Creates Motivation
Show advancement. Celebrate completions. Make the path visible. (See onboarding psychology below for the mechanisms.)

---

## Onboarding Psychology

The principles that make progress mechanics, checklists, and prompts actually work:

The rest: https://github.com/coreyhaines31/marketingskills/blob/HEAD/skills/onboarding/SKILL.md