What Are the Key Stages of the Customer Lifecycle?
A shared, end-to-end model—from Attract and Convert to Onboard, Adopt, Expand, and Renew & Advocate—so teams coordinate plays and leaders fund what grows NRR.
The customer lifecycle is the operating system for growth: a sequence of stages with clear entry/exit criteria, owners, and KPIs. The core stages are Attract → Convert → Onboard → Adopt → Expand → Renew & Advocate. Each stage declares the goal (e.g., activation), the plays (e.g., onboarding checklist), and the metrics (e.g., time-to-value, NRR) that prove progress.
The Stages (and What They Mean)
The Customer Lifecycle Playbook
Codify entry/exit criteria, SLAs, and KPIs; then connect data so every stage rolls up to GRR/NRR.
Attract → Convert → Onboard → Adopt → Expand → Renew & Advocate
- Attract: Define ICP & pains, build signal taxonomy, and launch demand plays with offer tracking.
- Convert: Enforce routing & speed-to-lead, qualification rules, stage exits, and win-loss capture.
- Onboard: Kickoff to “first value” plan; staff roles; implement success plan; instrument activation events.
- Adopt: Goals > features; usage and outcome dashboards; executive cadence; support SLAs & deflection.
- Expand: Trigger plays from milestones and intent; attribute wins to plays; track payback and margin.
- Renew & Advocate: Health-based renewal forecast; risk mitigation; ROI proof; references & reviews program.
Lifecycle Capability Maturity Matrix
| Stage | From (Ad Hoc) | To (Operationalized) | Owner | Primary KPI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Attract | Clicks & MQL volume | ICP-fit demand with intent & offer IDs | Marketing/RevOps | Pipeline Coverage, SQO Rate |
| Convert | Manual routing | Rules-based SLAs and stage exits | Sales Ops | Win Rate, Cycle Time |
| Onboard | Unscoped kickoff | Success plan to first-value with RACI | CS/PS | Activation %, Time-to-Value |
| Adopt | Feature training | Outcome adoption & executive cadence | CS | Health Score, Outcome Attainment |
| Expand | One-off upsells | Trigger-based cross-sell & seat growth | CS/AM/Marketing | Expansion ARR, Attach Rate |
| Renew & Advocate | Last-minute renewals | Health-driven forecast & advocacy engine | CS/Finance/Marketing | GRR/NRR, Reference Rate |
| Data & Governance | Channel clicks | MTA to activation, adoption, and NRR | Analytics/RevOps | ROMI, Plan Variance |
Client Snapshot: Lifecycle, End-to-End
Orchestrating clear stage exits (activation, outcome adoption, renewal intent) simplified leadership reviews and unlocked expansion. See disciplined execution in action: Transforming Lead Management: How Comcast Business Optimized Marketing Automation and Drove $1B in Revenue.
Ground your lifecycle with Key Principles of Revenue Marketing and wire metrics using the Revenue Marketing Dashboard guide.
Customer Lifecycle FAQ
Operationalize Your Customer Lifecycle
Define stage exits, wire the right metrics, and launch plays that move customers to value faster.
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