Why it matters
Retention is the base everything else stands on. A product that keeps its users can grow from almost any channel; one that leaks users has to buy them again and again.
This station covers measuring retention and churn properly, what drives engagement, lifecycle messaging by email and push, segmentation, and how to bring lapsed users back.
After this station you can
- Read a retention curve and say whether it flattens
- Tell good retention from bad for your product category
- Plan a lifecycle email sequence for new users
- Design a win-back campaign for lapsed users
Every resource below is free to read or watch online. Links open in a new tab.
7.1 Measuring retention & churn
| Resource | Type | Level | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| New data shows losing 80% of mobile users is normal, and why the best apps do better — Andrew ChenShows what typical mobile retention curves look like and why the first days matter most. | Essay | Beginner | 10 min |
| What is good retention? — Lenny Rachitsky, Lenny's NewsletterBenchmarks for good and great retention by product type, gathered from operators. | Newsletter | Beginner | 15 min |
| Why Retention Is The Silent Killer — Brian Balfour, ReforgeExplains how retention drives acquisition and monetization, and why weak retention caps growth. | Essay | Intermediate | 15 min |
| Mastering Retention (User Retention Playbook) — AmplitudeA step-by-step framework: critical event, usage interval, and new, current and resurrected user retention. | Guide | Intermediate | 2 h |
7.2 Engagement
| Resource | Type | Level | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| The hierarchy of engagement | Sarah Tavel — Lenny's PodcastSarah Tavel walks through her model: grow engaged users, retain them, then make them self-perpetuating. | Podcast | Intermediate | 1 h |
7.3 Email marketing
| Resource | Type | Level | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 lifecycle emails that'll elevate your engagement game — Customer.ioThe core lifecycle emails most products need, from welcome to re-engagement, with examples. | Guide | Beginner | 15 min |
| How to create a powerful lifecycle marketing strategy in 5 simple steps — Customer.ioA simple process for mapping lifecycle stages and planning messages for each one. | Article | Beginner | 15 min |
| What Makes A Really Good Email? — Really Good EmailsPractical rules for email copy and design, backed by a large library of real examples. | Guide | Beginner | 15 min |
| Klaviyo Academy — Klaviyo [free with email]Free courses on email and SMS flows, segmentation and deliverability, mostly for ecommerce. | Course | Beginner | 5 h |
| The Law of Shitty Clickthroughs — Andrew ChenWhy every channel's response rates decay over time, and what that means for lifecycle messaging. | Essay | Intermediate | 10 min |
7.4 Push & in-app messaging
| Resource | Type | Level | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 best practices for push notifications — OneSignalBasics of timing, personalization and frequency so push helps retention instead of causing opt-outs. | Article | Beginner | 10 min |
| In-app messaging: types, examples & best practices — AppcuesCovers in-app message formats, behavioral triggers and frequency caps, with product examples. | Article | Beginner | 15 min |
7.5 Segmentation & personalization
| Resource | Type | Level | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Power User Curve: The Best Way to Understand Your Most Engaged Users — Li Jin and Andrew Chen, a16zSegment users by how many days they are active to find power users and track engagement shifts. | Essay | Intermediate | 15 min |
7.6 Win-back & resurrection
| Resource | Type | Level | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| How Duolingo reignited user growth — Jorge Mazal, Lenny's NewsletterDuolingo's growth model of current, new and resurrected users, and the levers like streaks that moved it. | Article | Intermediate | 25 min |
Exercise.txt — Plan a lifecycle sequence
- Pick a product and its most valuable user action.
- Write the first 14 days of messages for a new user: day, channel, goal, one-line content.
- Add one branch for users who haven't done the key action by day 3.
- Write a win-back message for users inactive for 30 days.
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Terms in this station
Retention curveChurnCohortDAU/MAULifecycleResurrection