Define target customers
From segmentation and market potential (TAM, SAM, SOM) we determine which target groups to win.
Services / Customer Strategy / Customer acquisition
Customer acquisition: Win the right customers strategically
New customers matter, but not every new customer is worth winning. Strategic customer acquisition defines which customers a company wants to win and what it may invest to do so.
ProNexum treats acquisition as part of customer strategy: from target customers and acquisition logic to economics. Operational execution in marketing and sales is not the focus.
On this page
What it is about
Strategic acquisition answers four questions: Which customers do we want to win? With which value proposition? By which routes do we reach them? And what may a new customer cost, measured against what they bring to the company?
The answers follow from target picture, segmentation, value proposition and portfolio. Acquisition is aligned with retention and development, because a won customer only pays off through their customer value.
New customers or retention?Winning a new customer is, depending on the industry, roughly two to ten times as costly as retaining or reactivating an existing one. This is a range from experience that should be checked case by case.
Typical mistakes
These patterns make acquisition expensive and not very sustainable.
Channels before target groups
Choosing channels first and then looking for customers often wins the wrong ones.
Acquisition cost without customer value
A cheap new customer with low value is more expensive than a costly customer with high value.
Growth only through new customers
Retaining or developing existing customers is usually cheaper. Both belong in a growth logic.
Acquisition and retention separate
If new customers leave quickly, the acquisition effort is wasted.
Promises not kept
If acquisition promises more than the company can deliver, churn and complaints rise.
Our approach
Four steps to an acquisition logic that pays off.
Assess acquisition logic
We assess strategically by which routes target groups can be reached, and with which value proposition.
Check economics
We set acquisition cost, payback and expected customer value against each other and define a cost framework.
Align with retention
We align acquisition with onboarding, retention and development so that won customers stay and grow.
Results
At the end you have a strategic framework that marketing and sales can implement.
- Defined target customers with market potential
- Strategic acquisition logic and priorities
- Cost framework and payback logic
- Coordinated interplay of acquisition and retention
- Guidelines for marketing and sales
A typical example
Illustrative example
A company wins many new customers through price promotions but loses them quickly. The strategic view shows that the most valuable customers come through recommendations and a clear service promise. The company shifts budget to this target group, sets a cost framework per new customer and aligns onboarding with retention.
How this building block connects to others
Customer acquisition is part of the growth logic and builds on segmentation and value proposition.
In the Customer Lifecycle it forms the first phase. For retention and development afterwards, Loyalty Consulting can help.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
How does strategic acquisition differ from marketing and sales?
Strategy decides whom the company wants to win, with which offer and at what cost. Marketing and sales implement it. Our focus is the strategic side.
How much more expensive is a new customer than retention?
Depending on the industry, roughly two to ten times as costly as retention or reactivation. This is a range from experience that we check with your data case by case.
How do we determine which customers are worth it?
Through customer value and market potential: Which target groups bring the biggest long-term contribution, and how large is the market we can realistically reach?
Does this apply to B2B as well?
Yes. In B2B the focus is often on selecting target companies, the role of decision makers and the length of the buying process. The strategic logic stays the same.
Do you want to set up or sharpen your customer strategy?
We would be glad to discuss your starting point, goals and a sensible first step.