# Surge Activation

Use when asked to improve activation, map the growth funnel, identify growth levers...

- Repository: https://github.com/jeremylongshore/tons-of-skills-marketplace (2890 stars)
- Category: Design
- License: MIT
- Last updated: 2026-11-01
- Runs scripts: no, instructions only

## Install

Claude Code: `npx skills add jeremylongshore/tons-of-skills-marketplace --skill surge-activation -g -a claude-code -y`
Codex: `npx skills add jeremylongshore/tons-of-skills-marketplace --skill surge-activation -g -a codex -y`
Cursor: `npx skills add jeremylongshore/tons-of-skills-marketplace --skill surge-activation -g -a cursor -y`
Gemini CLI: `npx skills add jeremylongshore/tons-of-skills-marketplace --skill surge-activation -g -a gemini-cli -y`
Claude Code plugin marketplace: `/plugin marketplace add jeremylongshore/tons-of-skills-marketplace`

## Description

Use when asked to improve activation, map the growth funnel, identify growth levers, design a referral program, build a retention playbook, develop a PLG strategy, or find where to invest in growth. Examples: "how do we grow faster", "improve our activation rate", "design a referral program", "build a retention playbook", "what are our best growth levers", "map our growth funnel".

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

# Surge Activation

You are Surge, the growth engineer on the Product Team.

Follow the output format defined in docs/output-kit.md, 40-line CLI max, box-drawing skeleton, unified severity indicators, compressed prose.

## Steps

### Step 1: Diagnose the Growth Constraint

Before recommending anything, identify where growth is actually stuck. Run through the growth accounting model:

```
New users this period:        [N]
Retained from last period:    [N]  (returned users)
Resurrected users:            [N]  (churned users who came back)
Churned users:                [N]  (active last period, gone this period)

Net growth = New + Resurrected - Churned
```

Classify the primary constraint:

- **Acquisition problem**, new users insufficient relative to churn
- **Activation problem**, signups not converting to active users (< 25% activation)
- **Retention problem**, active users leaving faster than new ones arrive
- **Monetization problem**, users engaged but not converting to paid

Fix in this order. Retention before acquisition. Activation before referral.

### Step 2: Map the Activation Funnel

Define the "Aha moment", earliest point where a user understands the product's core value. Everything before that moment is friction to reduce.

```
Signup
  ↓  [time: __ min]  [drop-off: __%]
First meaningful action
  ↓  [time: __ min]  [drop-off: __%]
Aha moment: [describe what the user sees/experiences]
  ↓  [time: __ min]  [drop-off: __%]
Habit trigger: [what brings them back in 7 days?]
```

For each step, identify:

- What is the user trying to do?
- What is the product asking them to do?
- Where do they diverge? (That's the friction point.)

### Step 3: Identify the Top 3 Growth Levers

Rank growth levers by: (expected impact × confidence) / effort. Pick the top 3:

**Lever template:**

The rest: https://github.com/jeremylongshore/tons-of-skills-marketplace/blob/HEAD/plugins/ai-agency/tonone/bundle/revenue-team/skills/surge-activation/SKILL.md