User Onboarding Best Practices

Most coaches & consultants don’t have a time problem. They have a systems problem. AI doesn’t fix chaos. It scales whatever system you already have. Here are 5 AI tools that actually plug into your daily workflow (with real use-cases): 1. ChatGPT: Use it to think, not just write. Daily integration: Pre-call: Generate 5 sharp questions based on client background Post-call: Convert notes into insights and next steps Sales: Practice objection handling before discovery calls Example: “Here are my client notes → identify blind spots and suggest 3 tough questions for next session.” 2. Notion AI :Your second brain for client delivery. How to use: Create client dashboards with auto summaries Maintain SOPs for your programs Turn session transcripts into insights + next steps Example: Upload session notes → “Summarize key breakthroughs + assign action items” Your client gets clarity instantly. 3. Descript: Content creation without the headache. How to use: Edit podcasts/videos by editing text Remove filler words automatically Repurpose long-form content into shorts Example: Record a 20-min coaching insight → Cut it into 5 LinkedIn videos + 10 reels in under an hour. 4. Otter.ai.: Never miss what your client actually said. Daily integration: Record and transcribe coaching calls Highlight key patterns across sessions Build a repository of client insights over time Example: Spot recurring phrases like “I feel stuck” and use that language in your next session to go deeper. 5. Make: Where everything connects. Daily integration: Auto-send session summaries after calls Connect forms to CRM, email, and task managers Build end-to-end onboarding flows Example: Client fills a form, gets a calendar link, books a call, receives a prep doc, and you get a summary. All automated. Here’s the shift most people miss: Don’t ask, “Which AI tool should I use?” Ask, “Which part of my workflow is still manual?” That’s where AI fits. Because the goal isn’t to use more tools. It’s to free up more thinking time. What’s one task in your workflow you’d love to automate right now?

SMART goals are dumb. Definitely outdated. They were literally coined in 1981 by John T. Doran in the Management Review. That's 43 years old. Oh and psst - your team hates setting them. Why? Because the acronym is fundamentally flawed: Specific: Limits creativity and hampers your ability to adapt when new information emerges. 🤔 Measurable: Sure, you know when you've achieved it, but does it drive meaningful, impactful outcomes? 📉 Attainable: Keeps you comfortably within your comfort zone—hardly a place for growth. 🛋️ Realistic: Another word for attainable. It encourages small thinking and boxes you in. 🚫 Time-bound: While deadlines are important, meaningful goals need built-in milestones that keep motivation high and the dopamine flowing. 🎯 In short, SMART goals keep us stuck in mediocrity, lacking purpose and innovation. So, what’s the alternative? Enter the PIC Framework: Purpose-Driven: Every goal should connect to a deeper mission or value. This alignment not only motivates but also gives each goal a clear "why." 🎯 Impactful: Goals should aim for outcomes that matter—shifting the focus from what's easily measurable to what's truly transformative. 🌍 Challenging: If your goals don’t make you a little uncomfortable, you’re not aiming high enough. Embrace the discomfort as a sign of growth and ambition.💪 Want to innovate your goal setting? Here's how you can bring PIC to your organization: Start with Purpose ➡ Align goals with the organization's mission. 🌟 Define Impact ➡ Focus on meaningful outcomes that drive the business forward over easy measurements (especially, for the sake of a great dashboard). 📊 Set Challenging Objectives ➡ Encourage ambition and innovation - yep, even if it scares you. 🚀 Embed Milestones ➡ Keep motivation high with regular wins - not just a potential bonus at the end of the year. 🏆 Foster Reflection ➡ Regularly review and adapt goals as needed. 🔄 (In other words, setting a goal in January and refusing to change it because you set it, even though you have new information, is well...ridiculous.) By moving from SMART to PIC, you create a culture of purpose, impact, and challenge. And who knows - maybe people will finally start to buy-in to the goal setting process and actually like it! 🌟 #Leadership #Innovation #GoalSetting #BusinessGrowth #PurposeDriven

Last week, I posted my most viral post ever on how to set better goals. This weekend, I used the technique myself. Here is what I learned. The method comes from Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani and was recently featured in a Harvard Business School case study by Frances Frei. It looks simple. It also looks beautiful. The four steps are: (1) Define your main goal. (2) Write that goal in the center of a 9×9 grid. (3) Identify eight supporting goals and place them around the center. (4) For each supporting goal, list eight specific behaviors you can practice consistently. On paper, this feels almost too easy. In practice, I don't think it is. When I filled out my grid, the hardest part was not coming up with actions. The hardest part was deciding what I actually want and what I am willing to trade off. --- A few things surprised me. --- First, the “main goal” matters more than I expected. My take is that it should be ambitious but realistic within the next decade. Not too concrete, like “publish paper XYZ.” Not too abstract, like “be a good human being.” The sweet spot is a medium-term direction that can be translated into tangible subgoals. --- Second, the grid forces you to confront overlap and misalignment. Some behaviors supported multiple supporting goals at once. That felt great because it creates leverage. But I also noticed something else: I have goals that matter to me that do not directly serve the main goal. That is also fine. Not everything has to be instrumental. Some things are worth doing because they make life better. --- Third, I realized I am not pursuing just one main goal. I am pursuing several. And sometimes they conflict. That is where the grid becomes less of a productivity tool and more of a self-reflection tool. It can make your competing commitments more visible. --- Fourth, not every supporting goal and not every specific behavior is equally important for the main goal. It feels a bit superfluous to even say this, but of course I can practice as much yoga as I want and it still probably will not matter too much for my academic career. But if I bring several projects to the finish line (100%) rather than just close to it (80%), this will likely have a much stronger impact on my main goal. And still, even the goals that may feel less important at first are still important for achieving the goal. If all I do all day long is "work on one project at a time" and not do anything else, I will soon give up on my main goal altogether and pursue a different career. --- No goal-setting technique is perfect, and my grid is definitely not perfect. Still, I walked away with this feeling: If I make just a little progress on most tiles in this grid over the next few years, I will move meaningfully closer to my main goal of becoming a professor. And that makes the exercise worth it. Have you tried the grid yet? What does yours look like?

Every successful business runs on trust—but trust without systems is chaos waiting to happen. When we started, like many founders, we relied on good relationships and verbal agreements to kick off projects—especially those that came through referrals. It worked, until it didn’t. One tricky client experience taught us that while trust is great, it doesn’t replace clear communication and proper systems. And if you’re serious about scaling your business, having processes in place is non-negotiable. Here’s what we implemented to level up: 1️⃣ AI-Powered Meeting Notes: Every meeting now has an AI assistant capturing detailed notes, ensuring alignment and transparency. Summaries are shared with clients right after to avoid any miscommunication. 2️⃣ Dedicated Communication Manager: A single point of contact now handles all client communication, making the process more professional and seamless. 3️⃣ Standardized SOPs and Agreements: Every project starts with a signed agreement and SOPs covering everything from onboarding to delivery. It’s all about consistency and clarity. These processes didn’t just make us more efficient—they gave us confidence in how we operate and collaborate with clients. To fellow founders: don’t wait for a tricky client experience to teach you this. Build your processes early—it’s one of the best investments you can make in your business. P.S. What’s one system you swear by in your business? Let’s swap ideas!

Most HR teams think their onboarding is solid. → Laptop ready. → Paperwork completed. → First day meet and greet? Check. But here is the truth we see behind the curtain: Most teams skip the parts that matter most for long-term success. Here are two steps most teams forget during onboarding and what to do instead. 1. 𝗖𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗰𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗴𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝗯𝗲𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸 Telling someone your values is easy. Showing them how the team 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 works is the magic. New hires do not struggle with the handbook. They struggle with the unwritten rules. Give them real language instead of vague gestures. For example, instead of asking… "Do you use Slack?" Try saying… "Our team lives in Slack during business hours. We expect same day responses for most messages and a quicker reply if it is from your manager or during core hours." Other examples to spell out clearly: • How often leaders drop in for updates • When cameras are expected on • How people give feedback • When it is okay to block focus time • Preferred communication style (short pings or detailed notes) And pair them with a culture buddy. Someone who can answer real questions like "Is it normal to send a calendar note before messaging the VP?" That saves so much social anxiety and avoids awkward first month missteps. 2. 𝗥𝗼𝗹𝗲 𝗰𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗳𝘂𝗹 𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗹𝘆 𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗰𝗸𝗽𝗼𝗶𝗻𝘁𝘀 A job title is not direction. People want to know exactly how to succeed. → Get specific. → Paint the picture. Instead of saying… "You will lead onboarding." Try… "In your first 30 days, you will run onboarding for three new hires. Success looks like zero missed system access steps, plus a feedback survey score of 4.5 or higher." Then schedule a 30 day check in. Not to judge. To support. Ask questions like: "What has been clear so far?" "What has been confusing?" "Where do you need resources or examples?" And tell them one thing they are doing well. Everyone needs a confidence anchor early. Strong onboarding is not fancy. It is clear, human, and consistent. Which onboarding detail made the biggest difference for you in a new role? If this sparked ideas, share it with another HR pro building better onboarding. #OnboardingTips #HRLeadership #PeopleFirst ♻️ I appreciate 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 repost. 𝗪𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗛𝗥 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀? Click the "𝗩𝗶𝗲𝘄 𝗺𝘆 𝗡𝗲𝘄𝘀𝗹𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿" link below my name for weekly tips to elevate your career!

Your first 90 days with a customer can make or break the entire relationship. I've seen it happen too many times: - Great sales process - Solid product demo - Strong contract value - Excited stakeholders Then onboarding happens. And everything falls apart. Why? Most companies treat onboarding like a checklist: - Setup call ✓ - Product training ✓ - Technical integration ✓ - Documentation shared ✓ But here's the truth about onboarding: It's not about your process. It's about their success. After managing hundreds of onboarding sessions, here's what I've learned: The best onboarding isn't standard. It's personalized. Think about it: - Every customer has different goals - Every team has different challenges - Every organization has different paces - Every stakeholder has different priorities Your onboarding needs to reflect this. Here's what works: 1. Start with clear expectations - Define success metrics upfront - Set realistic timelines - Map out key milestones - Align on responsibilities 2. Build a dedicated team - Assign specialists who understand their industry - Create cross-functional support - Have clear escalation paths - Enable quick problem-solving 3. Monitor health signals - Track early usage patterns - Watch engagement levels - Note stakeholder participation - Measure progress velocity 4. Automate the right things - Regular check-in reminders - Progress updates - Resource sharing - Usage alerts But here's where most companies fail: They don't plan for challenges: - Low customer engagement - Complex technical integrations - Unclear success metrics - Resource constraints - Scalability issues The solution? Build feedback loops: - Collect input at every stage - Adjust plans based on signals - Iterate on materials - Improve processes continuously Remember: Onboarding isn't about getting customers to use your product. It's about helping them achieve their goals through your product. The first 90 days set the tone for everything that follows. Make them count. What's your approach to customer onboarding? What challenges have you faced? ------------------ ▶️ Want to see more content like this and also connect with other CS & SaaS enthusiasts? You should join Tidbits. We do short round-ups a few times a week to help you learn what it takes to be a top-notch customer success professional. Join 1993+ community members! 💥 [link in the comments section]

A customer once told me: 'We're not just buying your product —we're betting on your ability to help us succeed and grow over time.'" That comment challenged me to think differently, and it still does each today. It came up during one of my regular customer check-ins. The kind where we’re not solving fires — but stepping back and asking, “What's working well? What's not? What’s next for you?” And the answer surprised me (but shouldn't have!) They of course had some concerns about today’s pain points. But more importantly, with how fast the world is changing and the level of embedded uncertainty, they were even more thinking 6–12 months ahead: ➡ How will our strategy evolve? ➡ What help do we need today that sets us up for more wins in the future? ➡ What will we need from you then that we’re not even asking for now? It was a wake-up call and a great reminder of that quote from years ago. Our current onboarding (and broader post-sales motion) focused too much on narrow current needs — not on future ones. And in today’s pace of change, that’s not enough. So we shifted: ✅ Start every engagement (for more customer segments) by co-creating a future-state vision ✅ Build our roadmap around where they’re going, not just where they are ✅ Check in on that vision — regularly The impact? Stronger partnerships. Stickier outcomes. More trust. How are you helping your customers grow into the future, not just succeed in the present?

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗚𝗼𝗮𝗹-𝗦𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗽: 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗡𝗼𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗙𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗜𝘁 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗽: Setting ambitious goals is crucial, but the pitfall comes when these goals aren't fully understood or when they're borrowed from external benchmarks without real personal insight. The biggest hurdle? Not properly planning the time and resources needed to achieve these goals. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗼𝗻 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗲: Time estimation. It's easy to underestimate how much time tasks will really take, especially when your schedule is already packed. Our experience at OwnersUP, working with over 1,000 entrepreneurs, has highlighted time estimation as a critical hurdle in goal realization. 𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝗦𝗼𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗖-𝗕𝗥𝗜𝗖𝗦 𝗠𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗱𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘆 Transform your goal-setting with our structured 𝗖-𝗕𝗥𝗜𝗖𝗦 approach: • 𝗖larify Your Objective: Ensure your goal resonates with your personal and business vision. • 𝗕reak It Down: Segment your goal into 30-minute actionable tasks. • 𝗥esources Identification: Evaluate necessary resources for each task—time, money, assistance. • 𝗜mplement Daily Commitment: Carve out 1.5 hours every day to focus on these tasks. • 𝗖heck-Ins Regularly: Assess progress and fine-tune your strategy continuously. • 𝗦tay Flexible: Be prepared to pivot based on new insights and challenges. 𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗰𝗵 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀: 𝗣𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆: It breaks down lofty goals into manageable actions. 𝗘𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝘆: Encourages a realistic assessment of time and effort. 𝗖𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆: Fosters a deeper understanding of the path to your goals. 𝗗𝗶𝘁𝗰𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗗𝗼𝘂𝗯𝘁𝘀: No more wondering why goals aren’t met or making excuses. We're talking clear steps, manageable tasks, and real timelines. It’s the step so many miss, then wonder why success seems just out of reach. Say goodbye to the guesswork and hello to hitting those milestones. 𝗜'𝗺 𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀: Is time estimation your biggest hurdle in achieving your business goals? ----------------------- Hi, I'm Tanya Alvarez. I help B2B service-based entrepreneurs scale profitably and reclaim their time. Need help? Send me a DM.

Most communities look the same from the outside. But internally, they’re a mix of very different personas. After managing thousands of creators at scale, I realised there are three groups you’ll always find in any community. Here’s a quick guide on how I learnt to identify who is who and how that changed the game for me! 📌 The Champions You recognise them instantly. They’re the ones posting consistently, advocating for your product, replying to your emails before you’ve even hit send, and saying “this program genuinely changed my life” without being asked. How I activate them: • Give them visibility (roundtables, speaker slots, exclusive features) • Collect their wins and stories regularly (a simple monthly cadence works beautifully) • Bring them into early tests or pilots so they feel like co-builders Whenever the brand or social team needed speakers, I never had to think. I already knew who would represent the platform brilliantly. Activating champions almost always led to higher-quality advocacy. I also built a VOM system, kept a monthly BCC list, and stayed intentionally close to them so I never lost momentum with this group. 📌 The Questioners This group sees some value but isn’t fully convinced yet. They want context. They show up to sessions, ask thoughtful questions, and look for that one “aha” moment. How I activate them: • Share deeper product context (case studies, capability walkthroughs, feature updates) • Track their engagement patterns so you can understand where they’re leaning • Host 1:1s or small-group sessions when needed to move them from “I’m not sure” to “count me in” Along with dashboards, I’d turn on post notifications to stay close to their on-platform activity and understand how they were progressing in real time. When done well, this cohort turns into champions fast. 📌 The Enthusiasts I like to call them curious explorers. They don’t know the product well yet but they’re excited enough to peek in. Almost like landing in a new city and signing up for a guided tour! How I activate them: • Run short onboarding sprints • Mix formats (scaled sessions, value-driven newsletters, gamified challenges) • Give them small wins that create mini “aha!” moments Once I saw consistent session attendance or challenge participation, I knew they were ready for deeper programming. This group moves KPIs the fastest when nudged with intention. I’m speaking from a platform lens, but you can absolutely tweak this for product or service communities too. The “how” becomes much easier the moment you figure out the “who.” What do you think? Would love to hear your community-building tips in the comments! 🙌 Image Credits: https://lnkd.in/dxCWC7GV #communitybuilding #creatorcommunities #programmanagement

Before the start of each new year my partner Anurag Viswanath 🤖 and I set goals for ourselves across three dimensions - personal, professional and couple goals. 👫 A lot of people do this on their own. Here’s why we share this exercise: 1. Having an accountability partner who's equally invested means regular goal reviews that keep both of you on track. 2. Many personal and professional goals inevitably need your partner's involvement. By defining and prioritizing goals together as a couple, you stack the odds of achievement in your favor. Over the years we’ve experimented with many frameworks for goal setting and here’s what we’ve found to be the most effective. 🎯 Under each theme (personal, professional and couple) it’s super important to start by looking back on the last year and just talking through your highs and lows. It also makes for a really wholesome afternoon to spend together. ✍️ Next, put pen to paper- and we actually prefer doing it analog and then transferring it to a digital format - with sections for: 1. Defining your main goals 2. Breaking them down into smaller, actionable steps 3. Setting deadlines or timeframes (we do this quarterly) 4. Identifying potential obstacles and solutions 5. Tracking progress (monthly) It doesn’t need to be in a fancy spreadsheet or an aesthetic journal. Just make sure each goal is a SMART GOAL ie. Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. 💪 Optional: We also set one Misogi for ourselves each year. A Misogi challenge is something so daunting that it hovers between possible and impossible. The idea is to set a goal that has about a 50% chance of success if you do everything right. Most importantly, keep your goals visible. Having them "out there" serves as a constant reminder of the expectations you've set for yourselves. We use Pinterest/ Canva to create vision boards and use them as our phone wallpapers. Happy 2025 planning! Let me know if you try it 📝 #GoalSetting #NewYearGoals #Planning2025