5 Customer Acquisition Strategy With Examples in 2024

Introduction 

To make your online business bigger and keep it going, you need to keep getting new customers. But it’s not just about getting more people – you have to make sure your marketing reaches the right ones.

To do that, you need to understand your customers. By doing some research, you can make a plan to get new customers who will like your business and stick around. This way, your marketing connects with the right people, and your business can keep growing.

What is customer acquisition strategy? 

A Customer Acquisition Strategy is like a detailed plan that businesses use to get new customers. It includes different ways to attract and interest potential customers, turning them into paying clients. The goal is to grow the customer base by finding and getting new customers successfully.

This strategy includes figuring out who the target customers are, finding the best ways to reach them, and using different marketing and sales methods to convince them to become customers. It’s an important part of making a business grow, especially when it comes to bringing in new customers.

Why is customer acquisition important? 

Getting new customers is crucial for businesses, no matter their size or how long they’ve been around. It helps your business generate income to cover expenses, pay your team, and invest in expansion. Plus, it demonstrates progress to external stakeholders like investors, partners, and influencers. Consistently bringing in and converting new customers is the key to keeping your company thriving and investors satisfied.

Customer acquisition vs marketing 

Marketing is about making people know about your business, while customer acquisition is about getting them to do something, like buying your products. 

Consider creating an informative webinar for your software solution and sharing it with industry professionals (that’s marketing). You can use metrics to see how many businesses engage with your webinar content. Now, if those businesses take the next step by signing up for a trial or purchasing your software, that’s customer acquisition. 

In simpler terms, marketing is about showcasing your solution to businesses, and acquisition is when those businesses become your clients.

What is the acquisition process of saas? 

The acquisition process for Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) involves a series of stages designed to attract, engage, and convert potential users into paying customers. 

This process can vary based on the specific characteristics of the SaaS product, the target audience, and the overall business strategy. Here is a general outline of the acquisition process for SaaS: 

1. Awareness 

First, people need to know about SaaS. This happens through ads, online content, and social media. The idea is to make the SaaS known and catch the eye of potential users.

2. Consideration 

Next, the focus is on providing detailed information. This includes things like webinars and helpful content. The goal is to show why the SaaS is valuable, how it solves problems, and why it’s a good choice.

3. Conversion 

Once people are interested, the next step is to turn them into users who pay for the SaaS. This involves effective sales methods, personalized demos, and free trials. The aim is not just to make a sale but to show that the SaaS brings real value.

4. Retention 

Finally, there’s the part of keeping users happy and loyal. Ongoing support, updates, and staying in touch help to keep users around. Keeping customers is just as important as getting them in the first place for a healthy and long-lasting SaaS business.

5 Customer acquisition strategy in saas – examples

To further illustrate the implementation of customer acquisition strategies in the SaaS space, let’s explore five examples:

1. Content marketing and seo

Content marketing involves creating and sharing valuable, relevant content to attract and engage a target audience. SaaS companies often use blogs, ebooks, webinars, and other forms of content to showcase their expertise and address pain points their target customers may have. 

For example, HubSpot produces a wealth of educational content on inbound marketing, sales, and customer service, positioning itself as an authority in the industry. By optimizing this content for search engines (SEO), they increase their visibility and attract organic traffic.

2. Free trials and freemium models

Offering free trials or freemium versions of a SaaS product allows potential customers to experience its core functionality before committing to a paid plan. This strategy is effective because it reduces the barrier to entry. 

Slack, for instance, provides a free version with basic features, making it easy for teams to adopt and integrate into their workflow. As users become accustomed to the platform, they are more likely to upgrade to a paid subscription for advanced features and additional benefits.

3. Referral programs

Referral programs leverage the existing user base to bring in new customers. Dropbox’s referral program incentivizes users to refer friends by offering both the referrer and the new user additional storage space. This strategy turns satisfied customers into advocates, effectively turning word-of-mouth into a scalable customer acquisition channel. 

The success of the referral program is often tied to the perceived value of the incentive and the ease with which users can refer others.

4. Partnerships and integrations

SaaS companies can expand their reach and offer more value by forming partnerships with other software providers. Zapier, for example, acts as a bridge between various apps and services, enabling users to automate workflows seamlessly. 

By integrating with popular platforms, Zapier not only enhances its own functionality but also taps into the user bases of the integrated services. When the integrations target common pain points or simplify procedures for users, this method works particularly well. 

5. Social media advertising

Social media advertising allows SaaS companies to target specific audiences with tailored messages. Salesforce, a CRM platform, leverages platforms like LinkedIn to showcase success stories, customer testimonials, and key features. By using a professional context for advertising, Salesforce reaches businesses seeking effective CRM solutions. 

Social media ads can be highly targeted, enabling SaaS companies to connect with decision-makers and influencers within their target industries.

In practice, SaaS companies often combine these strategies, creating a holistic customer acquisition approach. 

For instance, content marketing can drive awareness, free trials capture leads, referral programs harness existing customers, partnerships broaden reach, and social media advertising targets specific demographics. The key is to align these strategies with the product, target audience, and overall business goals.

Wrap up 

Getting new customers is crucial for any business, be it small or large. It means you can’t afford to stop marketing to new customers, no matter how much it costs. Research shows that the key to growth isn’t just in your marketing or sales team but also in your customer service team and your customers themselves. 

Successful companies highlight their customers, making them central to both acquiring and keeping customers. If you set up your strategy for getting customers right, you not only spend less on acquiring new customers but also increase the value you get from each customer over time.

When it comes to acquiring new customers, it’s not just about getting anyone. You want to attract the right customers who will stick around and help you get even more customers. Continuously bring in new customers, but don’t forget about the ones you already have. Support them to succeed, and they will end up working on your behalf by bringing in more customers. It’s about creating a cycle where everyone benefits. 

Visit our page to read detailed guides about the ins and outs of B2B SaaS business processes.