Early metrics should reveal activation, repeated value, retention, and the cost of acquiring and serving customers. Vanity totals can wait.
Work through it
Define activation
Name the first behavior that indicates a customer experienced meaningful value.
Measure return
Choose a retention interval that matches how often the problem naturally occurs.
Track the funnel
Observe where qualified prospects stop between first contact and repeat use.
Review by cohort
Compare groups that started at similar times instead of relying only on totals.
Common mistakes
- Celebrating registrations
- Using daily metrics for monthly behavior
- Ignoring service cost