As a startup founder or CMO, you don't want to spend too much on acquiring new customers. In fact, the lower your customer acquisition cost (CAC), the higher your profitability and overall success. But with so many acquisition strategies available, how do you know which one to use and how to optimise it? Fear not, dear reader. We've compiled 11 winning strategies that can help you reduce your CAC and acquire more customers with lower costs. Let's dive in!
1. What is Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC) and How Companies Can Reduce It
Before we jump into the strategies, let's briefly discuss what CAC is and why it's important. CAC is the total cost of acquiring a new customer, including marketing, sales, and operational expenses. To reduce it, you need to optimise your acquisition funnel, increase customer lifetime value, and improve retention. This can be done through various tactics, such as identifying your most valuable customers, testing different channels and offers, and analysing your data regularly.
2. Segmenting Audiences to Acquire More Customers with Lower Costs
One effective way to reduce CAC is to segment your audiences based on their demographics, behavior, and preferences. By doing so, you can tailor your messaging and offers to each group, increasing relevance and conversion rates. For example, you can target high-intent users with retargeting ads, nurture leads with educational content, and incentivise referrals from loyal customers.
3. Bundling Products to Drive Up Sales and Reduce CAC
Another strategy to reduce CAC is to bundle your products or services in a way that adds value to your customers while lowering your costs. By offering bundled deals, you can increase average order value, decrease customer churn, and attract new users who see your brand as more affordable and convenient. For example, you could offer a subscription service that bundles your most popular products, or create a seasonal package that includes complementary items.
4. Use Decoy Pricing to Increase Average Order Value
Decoy pricing is a psychological tactic that involves adding a third option to your pricing matrix that is intentionally less attractive than the two other options. This decoy option serves to make the second option seem more valuable and lead customers to choose it over the first option. By using this strategy, you can persuade customers to spend more on your products than they otherwise would have. For instance, you could offer a basic plan, a premium plan, and a super-premium plan that includes all features plus extra benefits.
5. Hone Target Audience to Maximise Acquisition Efficiency
By honing your target audience, you increase the chances of acquiring new leads who are likely to convert into paying customers. To achieve this, you need to delve deep into your customer personas and understand what drives them to make purchases. This involves conducting customer surveys, analysing social media engagement, collecting feedback on your products and services, and testing different messages and offers. Once you've identified your most responsive audience, you can double down on targeting them with your marketing efforts.
6. Take Advantage of Micro-Influencers to Reach New Customers
Micro-influencers are social media users who have a following between 1000 and 100,000, and who are highly engaged with their audience. By partnering with micro-influencers who align with your brand values and target audience, you can reach new customers at a fraction of the cost of traditional advertising. You can leverage their endorsements, reviews, and sponsored content to increase brand awareness, drive traffic to your site, and generate social proof.
7. A/B Ad testing to Improve ROI and Reduce CAC
A/B testing is a method of comparing two versions of an ad to determine which one performs better. By systematically testing different variables such as the headline, the copy, the image, and the call-to-action, you can optimize your ads for conversion and reduce wasted ad spend. This can also help you discover new insights about your audience, such as what messaging resonates best with them and what pain points you need to address.
8. Retargeting Campaigns to Reactivate Customers and Lower Costs
Retargeting is a form of digital advertising that targets users who have already visited your site or engaged with your content. By showing them relevant ads and offers based on their previous interactions, you can increase their chances of converting and reduce your CAC. This is because retargeting ads have higher click-through rates and conversion rates than generic ads, as they speak specifically to the user's interests and intent.
9. Loyalty Programs to Encourage Repeat Purchases and Cut CAC
Loyalty programs are a powerful way to incentivise repeat purchases and build a base of enthusiastic brand advocates. By offering rewards such as discounts, exclusive content, or early access to new products, you can keep customers engaged and loyal to your brand. This can reduce your CAC, as loyal customers are more likely to refer new customers to your business, leave positive reviews, and engage with your social media channels.
10. Affiliate Programs for Low-Cost Lead Generation
Affiliate marketing is a performance-based advertising model where publishers (affiliates) promote your products or services and earn a commission for each sale or lead they generate. By partnering with relevant affiliates who have a large audience or a loyal following, you can reach new customers at a low cost and only pay for results. This can also help you build relationships with influencers and other brands in your niche, leading to new opportunities for growth and collaboration.
11. Optimising the Website Experience to Keep Customers Around & Reduce Acquisition Costs
Finally, it's crucial to optimise your website experience to reduce the friction between potential customers and your products or services. This involves simplifying the navigation, improving the page load time, showcasing your value proposition, and creating calls-to-action that are easy to follow. By making the customer journey seamless and enjoyable, you can increase your conversion rates, reduce your bounce rates, and ultimately lower your CAC.
Reducing your CAC is an ongoing process that requires experimentation, analysis, and a willingness to learn from your customers. By combining multiple strategies and staying agile, you can build a sustainable acquisition engine that drives growth and profitability for your business. Try implementing some of these tactics today and see how they can help you acquire more customers with lower costs. Good luck, and happy marketing!