I paid her to get into my users’ heads

September 02, 2025

Hey there,

Most apps lose 80% of users after the first session.

My app Puff Count (now acquired) hit $44k/month because I hired a behavioral scientist to help me craft the perfect onboarding.

Here are the psychological tricks that turn downloads into paying customers:

Step 1: Make them feel smart for choosing you 

Start with a "Congratulations" screen. Make users feel like they just made the smartest decision of their lives by downloading your app.

Step 2: Get them to confess their pain 

Ask deep questions:

  • "What brings you here?" 

  • "What's your biggest struggle?"

  • “What happens if you don’t solve that problem?”

This makes the user think about the problem in detail, making the urge bigger to solve it.

Step 3: Show them they're not alone 

Hit them with social proof: "50,000 people quit vaping with this method." 

Then testimonials from people who look exactly like them.

By this point, they're emotionally invested.

Step 4: Lock the gates with a hard paywall 

Most apps let users explore for free. Big mistake. Hard paywalls force a decision: pay or leave.

After users confess their problems and see social proof, they're already committed. The paywall becomes a commitment device, not a barrier.

I used this exact flow with Puff Count. Users hit the paywall after being primed with self-reflection and social proof. They converted because they were already invested.

Peace,
Steven