Define the One Retention Behavior That Matters using Get Who To By
Retention is the graveyard of bad products and even worse marketing. You spend a fortune acquiring users just to watch them leak out of your funnel like a cheap colander. Most retention 'strategies' are just desperate 'We miss you' emails sent into the void. The Get Who To By framework is your last-ditch effort to stop the bleeding. It forces you to pick one - and only one - behavior that keeps people from ghosting you, so you can stop wasting budget on users who were never going to stay anyway.
The TL;DR
Stop trying to 'delight' everyone. Use Get Who To By to identify your most salvageable users (GET), figure out why they’re actually leaving (WHO), give them a reason to stay that isn't insulting (TO), and build the actual hook that keeps them around (BY).
Why This Framework Beats Your Current 'Hope and Pray' Method
Most retention plans are too broad to work. This framework is a surgical strike on churn.
The Four Steps
GET
Which specific segment is on the brink of ghosting?
Forget your entire user base. Pick the group that reached the 'Aha' moment but hasn't formed a habit yet. This is your most winnable battle.
WHO
What is the psychological or technical wall they're hitting?
They aren't just 'busy.' They're confused, they've lost the habit, or they don't see the immediate value anymore. Find the friction point.
TO
What is the one stupidly simple thing they need to do next?
Don't ask them to 'explore the dashboard.' Ask them to click one button, finish one task, or see one specific piece of data that proves your worth.
BY
How are you going to physically force that action?
This is the trigger. Is it a push notification, a simplified UI, a personalized report, or a well-timed nudge? If there's no delivery mechanism, it's just a wish.
Why Your Retention Still Sucks
(A list of things you should probably stop doing)
- ×Targeting users who have already been inactive for 6 months (they're gone, move on)
- ×Defining 'TO' as something vague like 'Experience our brand value'
- ×Sending 'We miss you' emails without a clear, functional reason to return
- ×Ignoring the 'WHO' and assuming everyone leaves for the same reason
- ×Setting up a 'BY' mechanism that requires 5 clicks to complete the action
- ×Focusing on vanity metrics like 'Open Rate' instead of the actual retention behavior
- ×Trying to fix a bad product experience with better copywriting
- ×Overwhelming the user with too many 're-engagement' features at once
If you stop treating retention like a greeting card and start treating it like a behavioral engineering problem, you might actually see the needle move.
Real Examples
SaaS / Productivity Tool
Retaining trial users who haven't set up their first project.
GET
New sign-ups who haven't taken an action in 48 hours.
WHO
They feel 'setup anxiety' and think the tool will take hours to configure.
TO
Create your first task using our 30-second template.
BY
A 'Quick Start' email with a direct link to a pre-filled template that bypasses the empty dashboard.
E-commerce Subscription
Preventing 'one-and-done' subscribers from canceling.
GET
Subscribers who just received their second shipment.
WHO
They have a 'stockpile' of product and feel like they're paying for stuff they aren't using yet.
TO
Pause or skip your next delivery instead of canceling.
BY
A 'Manage your flow' SMS sent 3 days before the next billing cycle with a one-tap 'Skip' option.
Fitness App
Re-engaging users who broke their workout streak.
GET
Users who worked out 3+ times a week but haven't logged in for 5 days.
WHO
The 'all-or-nothing' mentality. They missed two days and now feel like they've failed entirely.
TO
Do a 5-minute 'reset' session to keep the streak alive.
BY
A push notification emphasizing that '5 minutes counts' rather than a full 60-minute workout.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can't I just offer a 20% discount to everyone who leaves?
Sure, if you want to train your customers to only value you when you're cheap. Discounts are a bribe, not a retention strategy. Fix the behavior first.
How do I know which behavior is the 'one' that matters?
Look at your data. Find the one action that 80% of your long-term users took in their first week. That's your 'TO'.
What if my 'GET' group is really small?
Good. A small group you can actually move is worth more than a massive group that ignores you. Precision over volume, every time.
Is the 'BY' always an email?
God, I hope not. It can be an in-app prompt, a UI change, a text, or even a physical postcard. Use the channel they actually look at, not the one that's easiest for you.
How long should I wait before triggered a retention 'BY'?
Before they've actually left. Retention starts the moment the habit fades, not three weeks after they've uninstalled the app.
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