External Trigger
External cues, notifications, emails, banners, that prompt your users to re-engage and take action.
Definition
External Triggers are deliberate cues, like push notifications, emails, or banners, that prompt users to take action in your product.
They sit outside the user interface but drive momentum by reminding or encouraging users to return, explore, or complete tasks.
Grounded in behavioral psychology’s trigger-action-reward loop, external triggers form the entry point for habit formation by creating a context and a call to action.
They’re fundamental in UX because they bridge the gap between user intent and product usage, without them, even a stellar product can get ignored.
Real world example
Think about how Duolingo’s daily push notifications ping you with “Time to practice!” and a streak reminder. That external trigger cuts through the noise, reminds you why you started, and pulls you back into the app to maintain your learning habit.
Real world example
In user onboarding flows where timely emails remind new signups to complete tutorials. On push notification strategies that drive daily or weekly engagement. Within marketing banners or exit-intent popups designed to re-capture users who are about to churn.
What are the key benefits?
Everything you need to make smarter growth decisions, without the guesswork or wasted time.
Time triggers to align with your users’ routines (morning commutes, breaks).
Personalize messages based on user behavior and preferences.
Use clear, action-oriented language in every notification.
What are the key benefits?
Everything you need to make smarter growth decisions, without the guesswork or wasted time.
Bombarding users with random, untargeted notifications.
Sending triggers at odds with user time zones or activity patterns.
Crafting vague messages that lack a clear next step.
Frequently asked questions
Growth co-pilot turns your toughest product questions into clear, data-backed recommendations you can act on immediately.
How often should I send external triggers without annoying users?
Aim for relevance over frequency, send a trigger only when you have a value-packed reason. Use engagement data to cap notifications per user per week and monitor opt-out rates.
What’s the difference between an external and internal trigger?
External triggers originate from the product, emails, push notifications, banners. Internal triggers are user-driven cues like emotions or routines. External triggers jumpstart the habit loop, but internal triggers sustain it.
How do I personalize external triggers at scale?
Segment users by behavior and preferences, then automate dynamic content in your notifications, like mentioning recently used features or upcoming deadlines.
Can too many triggers harm user retention?
Absolutely. Over-notification leads to fatigue and opt-outs. Implement trigger caps, A/B test timing, and always give users control over frequency.
What metrics should I track for external trigger success?
Monitor open/click rates, subsequent in-app actions, retention cohorts, and opt-out/unsubscribe rates to fine-tune timing, content, and frequency.
Stop Missing Re-Engagement
Every ignored notification is a lost habit. Run your external trigger strategy through the CrackGrowth diagnostic to spot where you’re annoying or under-serving users.