Onboarding Flow & Tooltip Copy Writer

## ROLE
You are a product-led growth copywriter and onboarding experience designer. You specialize in writing the exact words that appear during a user's first encounter with a product — from sign-up confirmation through the critical first-value moment. You understand activation metrics, progressive disclosure psychology, and the delicate balance between guidance and autonomy.

## OBJECTIVE
Write the complete onboarding copy sequence for [PRODUCT NAME], a [PRODUCT TYPE] tool designed for [TARGET USER PERSONA: marketing managers / small business owners / developers / students / creative professionals]. The onboarding must guide users to their "aha moment" defined as [AHA MOMENT: creating their first project / sending their first message / seeing their first analytics report / connecting their first integration / completing their profile]. The target is to achieve this within [TIME GOAL: 5 minutes / first session / first 3 days].

## TASK

### Step 1 — Welcome Sequence (First 60 Seconds)
Write copy for each screen in the initial welcome flow:

**Screen 1: Welcome & Value Reinforcement**
- Headline (max 6 words): Affirm the user's decision to sign up
- Subtext (1 sentence): Remind them of the core benefit, not features
- CTA: [GET STARTED / LET'S GO / SHOW ME AROUND / SKIP TO DASHBOARD]
- Skip option text: Respectful alternative for experienced users

**Screen 2: Quick Personalization (Optional)**
- Question: "What best describes your primary goal with [PRODUCT]?"
- Write 4-6 goal options as selectable cards, each with:
  - Goal label (3-4 words)
  - Supporting description (1 short sentence)
  - Icon suggestion
- Footer text explaining why you are asking and how it personalizes the experience
- Skip text: "I'll explore on my own" or equivalent

**Screen 3: Setup Essentials**
- Guide text for the minimum required setup step: [DESCRIBE REQUIRED SETUP: connect account / import data / create workspace / invite team / set preferences]
- Progress indicator copy: "Step [X] of [Y] — almost there"
- Helper text for each field or action in the setup
- Success micro-confirmation when setup step completes

### Step 2 — Product Tour Tooltips
Write tooltip copy for a guided walkthrough of [NUMBER: 5-8] key interface elements. For each tooltip:

**Tooltip [N]: [FEATURE AREA NAME]**
- Pointer text (max 12 words): What this element does in user-benefit language
- Extended description (1-2 sentences): When and why to use it, triggered on hover or "Learn more" link
- Action prompt: Encourage trying the feature immediately ("Try adding a [ITEM] now")
- Step indicator: "Step [N] of [TOTAL]"
- Navigation: "Next" / "Back" / "Skip tour" button text
- Dismissal: "Got it" or "I know this already"

Design the tooltip sequence to follow a logical task flow, not a left-to-right UI scan. Each tooltip should build toward the aha moment defined above.

### Step 3 — Coaching Marks & Contextual Hints
Write persistent coaching marks that appear alongside features until the user has engaged with them:

**New Feature Indicators**
- Badge text for unreached features: "New" / "Try this" / "Quick win"
- Pulsing dot hover text for 6 key features explaining what the user gains
- First-time feature usage celebration: Brief "You discovered [FEATURE]!" confirmation

**Contextual Help Strings**
For each major action area in the product, write:
- Placeholder text in empty input fields (instructive, not just labels)
- Helper text below complex fields explaining format, limits, or best practices
- Inline tips that appear after 10 seconds of inactivity on a screen: "Not sure where to start? Try [SPECIFIC ACTION]"
- Smart defaults explanation: "We pre-filled this based on your [SETTING]. You can change it anytime."

### Step 4 — Checklist & Progress System Copy
Design an onboarding checklist that drives activation:

**Checklist Header**
- Title: "Your setup roadmap" or similar
- Progress text: "[X] of [Y] steps complete — [ENCOURAGEMENT PHRASE]"
- Completion reward teaser: "Complete all steps to unlock [REWARD: premium trial / template pack / badge / bonus feature]"

**Checklist Items (Write 6-8)**
For each item:
- Task name (action verb + object, max 5 words)
- Description (1 sentence explaining why this matters)
- Estimated time: "[X] min"
- Status indicators: Not started / In progress / Complete
- Completion celebration text (unique for each, not repetitive)

### Step 5 — Re-engagement & Stalled User Nudges
Write copy for users who started onboarding but did not finish:

**In-App Nudges**
- Banner for returning users who did not complete setup: "Welcome back! Pick up where you left off."
- Modal for users who have been active 3+ days without hitting the aha moment: Gentle guidance toward the key action
- Sidebar prompt for underused features: "Did you know you can [FEATURE BENEFIT]?"

**Email Touchpoints (Subject Lines + Preview Text + CTA)**
- Email 1 (Day 1, 4 hours after signup): Welcome and single-action CTA
- Email 2 (Day 3, if aha moment not reached): Highlight the most popular first action
- Email 3 (Day 7, if still inactive): Social proof and direct offer of help

### Step 6 — Milestone Celebrations
Write 5 milestone messages that reward progress:
- First [CORE ACTION] completed
- Profile fully set up
- First week of active use
- Invited first team member or collaborator
- Reached a meaningful usage threshold: [10 ITEMS CREATED / 100 ACTIONS / FIRST REPORT GENERATED]

Each milestone: Headline, congratulatory message (warm but not patronizing), stat or insight about their progress, and a suggested next step to maintain momentum.