Joshua Porter writes about the Usage Lifecycle in Designing for the Social Web: The Usage Lifecycle, well worth reading.

The stages in the Usage Lifecycle of a product are:

• Unaware This isn’t so much a stage as it is a starting point. Most people are in this stage: completely unaware of your product.

• Interested These people are interested in your product, but are not yet users. They have lots of questions about how it works and what value it provides.

• First-time Use These people are using your software for the first time, a crucial moment in their progression.

• Regular Use These people are those who use your software regularly and perhaps pay for the privilege.

• Passionate Use These people are the ultimate goal: passionate users who spread their passion and build a community around your software

I have two products launching soon, so we’re at the unaware stage. Working hard on creating the materials to move people to interested stage. The goal as always, passionate use.