Example: SaaS (Slack)

A team-collaboration tool like Slack lives and dies by activation and habit: a workspace signs up, reaches an "aha" moment (an activated, actually-using team), then either sticks through daily use or drifts and cancels. The SaaS model is built exactly around this arc.

1. Events to instrument

Emit these from your app/backend, keyed by the user's external_id. For a team product, decide whether a "contact" is a user or a workspace admin — send the events for whichever person you want to engage.

Your event            Fires when…                        Useful properties
-------------------   --------------------------------   -------------------------
account_created       a user/workspace signs up          plan, seats, referral
workspace_activated   the team crosses your activation   active_members, first_msg
                      bar (e.g. 3 members + 10 messages)
session_start         a user opens the app / logs in     platform, workspace_id
plan_cancelled        they cancel their subscription     reason, plan

curl https://api.engageapp.xyz/api/v1/public/events \
  -H "X-API-Key: df_your_secret_key" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "events": [
      { "external_id": "user_1042", "event_name": "workspace_activated",
        "properties": { "active_members": 4, "first_msg": true } }
    ]
  }'

2. Choose the model & map events

Pick SaaS and map:

Canonical behavior       Role          Your event            Required?
----------------------   -----------   -------------------   ---------
signed_up                acquisition   account_created       required
activated                conversion    workspace_activated   required
logged_in                activity      session_start         required
subscription_canceled    churn         plan_cancelled        optional

Mapping the churn behavior is optional but highly recommended for SaaS — it's what turns a cancellation into an immediate win-back opportunity.

3. Resulting lifecycle stages

Contacts are classified as new → onboarding → engaged → at-risk → dormant → churned. A cancellation forces churned; an activated user with recent sessions is engaged; one who's gone quiet slides from at-risk to dormant.

4. Opportunities & campaigns

• Onboarding stall — signed up but never activated. Campaign: a setup nudge showing the fastest path to the "aha" moment (invite teammates, send first message).
• Post-conversion — just activated. Campaign: a habit-building sequence highlighting the next high-value features.
• Re-engage dormant — activated but sessions dried up. Campaign: "here's what you're missing" with recent activity and a reason to return.
• Win back (churn) — cancelled. Campaign: a win-back with a targeted offer or a "what changed?" survey.

The SaaS model has no intent or repeatable role, so there's no cart-style abandon or high-value tier here — activation and retention are the whole game.

5. Channels, autonomy & real-time

Email and in-app takeovers are the natural fit for onboarding and feature nudges. Start in review required. Both workspace_activated (conversion) and plan_cancelled (churn) trigger real-time detection, so a fresh activation or a cancellation is acted on within minutes rather than on the next sweep.

Next steps

• Start from the general integration guide.
• Compare with the subscription model if you sell seats on a recurring plan.