Definition
Customer acquisition is the work of turning strangers into paying customers — channel, offer, conversion, and cost. It is not “marketing” as a mood. It is a repeatable path you can name and pay for.
In the room
How the word shows up in a real conversation.
A founder gets the first 30 customers from CA WhatsApp groups, then tries paid search. The group path converts; paid search does not. Acquisition strategy is “keep the groups, kill the ads,” not “do more marketing.”
Common mistake
Counting sign-ups as acquired customers. Acquisition ends when money (or a hard commitment) arrives.
See also
Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC)
What you spend in sales and marketing to win one new paying customer.
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Go-to-market strategy
How you reach a specific customer, with a specific offer, through a specific motion.
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Product-led growth (PLG)
The product itself acquires, converts, and expands customers — not only a sales team.
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Churn rate
Percentage of customers who stop using a service over a given period.
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From the store
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