The “happy path vs. sad path” distinction is so damn useful. A lot of folks think in binary—engaged or churned—but you’re pointing to the nuanced middle ground where most users live: semi-stuck, semi-curious, coachable. That’s gold.
One thing I’d add from our playbook: we use emotion tags on user behavior. If someone signs up and instantly drops off, we tag it as “Overwhelmed.” If they linger but don’t act, it’s “Unclear Value.” Then we tailor each “sad path” email to that specific emotional block—using story, not just instruction.
Also: huge yes to the “Human Touch” email. In a world of AI agents and hyperautomation, that one friendly check-in still converts like magic.
PS: I’d love to see a future post on multi-channel onboarding — email + SMS + in-app + retargeting, all choreographed around behavior stages. 🙏
This is stellar, Ramli.
The “happy path vs. sad path” distinction is so damn useful. A lot of folks think in binary—engaged or churned—but you’re pointing to the nuanced middle ground where most users live: semi-stuck, semi-curious, coachable. That’s gold.
One thing I’d add from our playbook: we use emotion tags on user behavior. If someone signs up and instantly drops off, we tag it as “Overwhelmed.” If they linger but don’t act, it’s “Unclear Value.” Then we tailor each “sad path” email to that specific emotional block—using story, not just instruction.
Also: huge yes to the “Human Touch” email. In a world of AI agents and hyperautomation, that one friendly check-in still converts like magic.
PS: I’d love to see a future post on multi-channel onboarding — email + SMS + in-app + retargeting, all choreographed around behavior stages. 🙏