![Qayyum Rajan](https://cdn.feather.blog?src=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.notion.so%2Fimage%2Fhttps%3A%252F%252Fprod-files-secure.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com%252F03b09b06-3bbf-4428-bbbe-6803462a0b1b%252F0635f71f-3d23-4d19-bdf5-afac0f674091%252F1_-_Qayyum_Rajan_-_HeadshotPro_(1).png%3Ftable%3Dblock%26id%3Dc99d9b71-ee15-4992-af21-b8ab5609b352%26cache%3Dv2&optimizer=image&quality=80&width=280)
Qayyum (”Q”) is a serial builder with more than 5 startups to his name with 3 exits. He specializes in shipping products fast, and early with an focus on driving traffic across the marketing funnels
Table of Contents
- How to onboard your early-stage SaaS customers?
- 1. Demonstrate ASAP the value of your product to your target
- 2. Keep it simple - Remove frictions at all cost
- 3. Stay Attractive
- 4. Know your customers
- 5. Identify the reason why they're using your app
- 6. Gamification
- 7. Show your emotions
- 8. Help them to see ASAP the value of your product
- 9. If your product is complex, innovate
- 10. 80/20 on onboarding
- 11. Identify obstacles
- 12. Address them
- 13. Educate
- 14. Entice
- 15. Reduce friction
- 16. Make it productive
![How to onboard your early-stage SaaS customers (2024)](https://cdn.feather.blog?src=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.notion.so%2Fimage%2Fhttps%3A%252F%252Fprod-files-secure.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com%252F03b09b06-3bbf-4428-bbbe-6803462a0b1b%252F58b774ce-42c9-463c-b987-e412ba99eccc%252F15.png%3Ftable%3Dblock%26id%3D52627f6d-6d3c-4bc6-b47b-5f83a6692e03%26cache%3Dv2&optimizer=image&quality=80&width=280)
How to onboard your early-stage SaaS customers?
1. Demonstrate ASAP the value of your product to your target
![notion image](https://cdn.feather.blog?src=https%3A%2F%2Fusenotioncms.com%2Fproxy-prod%2Fblock%2F1c28ca49-c869-43d7-8aa7-caf07c3413ab%2F03b09b06-3bbf-4428-bbbe-6803462a0b1b%2Fc21e1771-aac7-44f8-83f6-f384a3825fdc%2FEBB6E825-4833-45A6-B7AB-57C8AE583002.jpeg&optimizer=image&quality=80&width=280)
2. Keep it simple - Remove frictions at all cost
- Be minimalist
- Use Multiple Choice Questions / Boxes to select when possible
- Don't overcharge the screen
- Do more steps, with fewer questions on each step
3. Stay Attractive
- Use Visuals
- Gifs / Videos
- Progress of the Sign up process (Step X/3), Loading Wheel
4. Know your customers
- Learn about their Company (Size / Sector / Funding Stage)
- Learn about them (Department / Role / Years of Experience)
- Where did they hear about you? (Attribution)
5. Identify the reason why they're using your app
- Helps you to adjust the positioning of your landing page
- The GOAL + Details collected on your customers will help to define better your user stories + build dedicated LP (and improve conv. rates)
6. Gamification
- Provide interactive tutorials if your app needs some training
- Give free perks (free days of trial) if some tasks are achieved
7. Show your emotions
- Once you asked their name, repeat it later on in the onboarding process
- Show your customer that you understand their pain to go through the onboarding process
8. Help them to see ASAP the value of your product
- If necessary, create a dedicated "in-depth setup process" that they can do later
- If an implementation is needed, guide them through it.
![notion image](https://cdn.feather.blog?src=https%3A%2F%2Fusenotioncms.com%2Fproxy-prod%2Fblock%2F9114c795-f424-4a9a-bce5-5a18a30b745e%2F03b09b06-3bbf-4428-bbbe-6803462a0b1b%2F7ce5a055-909a-40e5-bbaa-1f355b2e445f%2F1.jpg&optimizer=image&quality=80&width=280)
9. If your product is complex, innovate
10. 80/20 on onboarding
- Identify the obstacles that come up along the way
- Address those obstacles in your onboarding flow
11. Identify obstacles
- Require a lot of work
- Are boring
- For SaaS apps: Record users' in-app activity using Hotjar
- For physical goods: Run a study. Watch customers use your product
12. Address them
- Educate users
- Entice users
- Reduce friction
- Make onboarding productive
13. Educate
- Walkthrough: Point out key features
- Video: A no-fluff, 1-min video > 15 mins of documentation reading
- SaaS apps: Fill a dashboard w/ sample data & tips
14. Entice
15. Reduce friction
16. Make it productive
- Always make it clear what the next step is
- And that step must appear easy
Written by
![Qayyum Rajan](https://cdn.feather.blog?src=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.notion.so%2Fimage%2Fhttps%3A%252F%252Fprod-files-secure.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com%252F03b09b06-3bbf-4428-bbbe-6803462a0b1b%252F0635f71f-3d23-4d19-bdf5-afac0f674091%252F1_-_Qayyum_Rajan_-_HeadshotPro_(1).png%3Ftable%3Dblock%26id%3Dc99d9b71-ee15-4992-af21-b8ab5609b352%26cache%3Dv2&optimizer=image&quality=80&width=280)
Qayyum (”Q”) is a serial builder with more than 5 startups to his name with 3 exits. He specializes in shipping products fast, and early with an focus on driving traffic across the marketing funnels