Lots of requests for more specific retention advice for #DTC and #SaaS.

Let's walk through a framework for handling active cancellations and churn that focuses on your off-boarding.

(yes, that's a thing).

The goal is to triage cancellations into three groups:

1. Those who are gone anyway. Action: Let them go.

2. Those who just need to talk. Action: Get them on the phone.

3. Those who can be saved. Action: Get them more time with an offer (more below) 2/

To determine the group you'll add some friction (survey, open ended question, etc.). Some folks find forcing the user to call or email to cancel works. I wouldn't recommend doing this, as it hurts long term and squanders the opportunity for a save. 3/

Make sure this data gets used. You'll know what to change or accelerate in your user experience - whether it's highlighting a feature more, changing up your value proposition, etc - there are a lot of reasons people churn 4/

Based on the response, you'll determine which bucket the cancelling customer is in and then make an offer to help them stay or get on the phone with someone - or you'll let them churn. 5/

The point here isn't just to get another month. The point is to buy you additional time to get them to see that you're the one for them and to maintain the relationship. 6/

The most common way to buy time is a salvage offer, where you give them their same plan for a time limited discount or add-on. In DTC this may be offering up an exclusive item. Important idea here is you're trying to get them to stay for another 30 days for them to see value. 7/

Maintenance and pause offers are for if usage/consumption is going to go to 0. You still hold on to the customer at a lower price (or $0) where their usage or interest triggers them going back to their paid plan. The get here is typically "we'll save your account/preferences" 8/

Some companies will downgrade folks to a free tier that's limited (or membership tier in DTC). This works, but I'd rather have the customer commit to seeing value through a salvage offer than dampen the experience. Depends on the reason they're cancelling, of course. 9/

You also can play chicken. Just a reminder that it's absolutely fine to let someone leave, especially if they aren't a great customer. That being said, if folks are hurting I'm a much bigger fan of a discount of some sort, because of the enormous brand will you'll get. 10/

Recap and takeaways:

1. Triage cancellations

2. Collect *why* they want to leave and use this data to prevent future cancellations.

3. Depending on their answer, offer up time to meet or an offer to gain an additional month to get them to see the value of staying 11/

Ok back to my analyst igloo

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