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đŸȘ© Volume 115 | December 17, 2025
 
If your browser has fewer than 12 open tabs right now, congrats on your mental stability.
 
The rest of us are juggling:
  • comparison pages
  • Reddit threads
  • “best of” lists
  • and one rogue tab we’re afraid to close
So when a brand looks at me and says,

“Hey. This one’s for you.”
 
I feel seen.
--
 
This week's read time: 3ish mins
For you skimmers: 1 mins (hit the bold headers and bullet points)
 
 

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image of play doh and a statement about how the best marketing keeps things simple

We live in a world where choice is everywhere.
 
Too many choices.
Too many tabs open.
Too many “solutions” that all claim to be the solution.
 
So here’s my take:
If we can make decision-making clearer
 why the heck wouldn’t we?
 
Product brands figured this out first.
 
Let’s say I need a fitness watch (I don’t, but let’s pretend we do).
 
Or a new pair of training shoes (never enough of these tbh).
 
Garmin. Nobull.
 
Two brands that instantly cross my mind.
 
So I do what every consumer does: I go to their website.
 
And instead of panic-inducing feature dumps or 47 SKUs with microscopic differences, I’m met with something refreshing:
 
“Here’s what’s best for you.”
  • For runners
  • For strength training
  • For hybrid workouts
  • For everyday wear
 
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They don’t ask me to self-diagnose.
They don’t make me decode specs.
They route me.
 
That guide is the conversion engine.
 
For service brands
 This usually happens later.
 
!!!Here’s where it gets interesting!!!
 
In service-based businesses—especially SaaS—the “aha” moment often shows up after the sale.
 
The positioning does the job of getting someone in the door:
 
“We help you reduce stress.”
“We help you grow.”
“We help you get organized.”
 
But that ACTUAL make-or-break moment happens in

 
Onboarding.
 
That’s where the customer silently asks:
 
“Did I buy the right thing?”
“Where do I even start?”
“Is this actually for someone like me?”
 
Headspace is a strong example.
They don’t drop you into a blank meditation library and say good luck.
 
They immediately ask:
  • Are you stressed?
  • Trying to sleep?
  • Looking to focus?
  • Totally new to this?
And then they put you on a path.
 
Not because the product changes—but because the experience does.
 
Why this matters more than most brands realize
 
I want to be super duper precise here.
 
There isn’t one single, universally agreed-upon stat that says “X% of users churn in the first 30 days.” I can’t confirm a definitive number.
 
But:
 
Across SaaS research and onboarding studies (Appcues, Wyzowl, product-led growth reports), one thing is consistent:
 
Early experience heavily influences retention.
 
The first few weeks are when users decide:
  • If this tool fits their life
  • If it’s worth the effort
  • If success feels achievable
And brands that help customers choose a path early don’t just convert faster—they retain longer.
 
Confidence reduces churn.
 
The real lesson (and how any brand can apply this)
 
You don’t need a massive product catalog or a complex quiz to do this well.
 
Here’s what actually works:
 
1. Stop asking customers to figure it out alone
If your site or onboarding relies on “browse and explore,” you’re outsourcing decision-making to an already overwhelmed brain.
 
2. Name the moment they’re in
Not the feature.
Not the plan.
The situation:
  • “Just getting started”
  • “Scaling fast”
  • “Feeling burned out”
  • “Training for something specific”
3. Offer paths, not piles
People don’t want options.
They want direction.
 
4. Make the first win obvious
Early success builds belief. Belief drives retention.
 
The punchline
 
Here’s the rule I keep coming back to:
If a customer has to guess where they belong, you’ve already lost momentum.
 
Make the path obvious.
 
The rest gets easier.
 
 
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→ Okay WalMart has really been crushing holiday campaigns—and this one is one big ol’ “ambiance” 30 minute ad. BRB digging to see their agency of record because they GET THEIR AUDIENCE. I came across this ad via a member on our team, she said it was the BEST anti-ad. 1.3M views, on the WalMart YouTube channel, likely played on TVs in living rooms coast to coast. Such a fab example of meeting their audiences where they’re at (on YouTube, trying to set the Christmas vibe in their homes).
 
→ Has anyone located a Cadbury secret Santa poster yet????? Not I. Then again, I don’t live in a major city
 such a creative use of ad budget: they’ve planted posters to send a secret Santa chocolate (if you find one) FOR FREE. Check it out here.
🎁
Three things on my list that I plan to do over “Christmas break” (hopefully to inspire yours)
  • Finish our book club read: “You Deserve Eachother”
  • Clean out my garage, so I can move car back into said garage
  • Put my phone on airplane mode, on Christmas day, watch my toddlers open presents while sipping on a fat cup of coffee, and take sooooooooo many pictures of it all
  • Sending shorter versions of this newsletter :) 
^^yep that’s right!!! Next week + the following, I’ll JUST be doing a campaign breakdown and I’m gonna keep it short, sweet and fun. Might even sneak in some surprises. 👀
 
See you again on Christmas Eve :)
 
 

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