10 Customer Acquisition Strategies That Actually Get Results

Customer acquisition costs are at an all-time high, with brands now bleeding $29 for every new buyer. Why is that? Well, traffic is getting more expensive while conversion rates stay flat.

If your business is caught in the crossfire, you’re not alone.

All you need is a solid customer acquisition strategy to take your business from barely surviving to consistently winning new customers.

In this guide, you’ll get ten proven customer acquisition strategies, plus examples of how real businesses put them to work. While it covers the fundamentals for beginners, we’ve also included some ingenious nuggets for seasoned marketers. If that’s you, keep an eye out for the “Pro Tip” callout boxes.

You’ll also learn how to turn traffic into leads, leads into buyers, and buyers into promoters.

Research & Foundation

Smart businesses know you can’t skip the homework phase. Before chasing customers, you must lay the groundwork: define what success is to you, and truly understand who you’re trying to reach.

Let’s say you’re about to launch a SaaS product, your goal might be 500 monthly signups, with 25% of them converting to paid subscriptions within two weeks.

Be specific with your targets. Saying you want “more Instagram followers” won’t cut it. Put a real number on it.

Buyer Personas

The next step is to determine who your ideal customer is.

Where do they spend their time online? What sources do they trust for information? What problems keep them up at night? And most importantly, why would they pick you over everyone else?

Aim for 2-3 detailed buyer personas; these are realistic profiles of your ideal customers. Include the basics like age, job title, and income, but dig deeper into their motivations, challenges, and daily habits.

Example:

For an insurance company, an ideal customer might be Emily, a 35-50-year-old female, married with two kids, who works full-time and constantly worries about protecting her family’s future.

With a clear picture of who you’re selling to, it also becomes easier to craft your value proposition and write marketing copy that connects with real people.

A simple way to hear directly from your customers is to participate in community forums.

You could search “[Your Industry]” + Reddit/Quora (e.g., “best eSIM for frequent travelers Reddit”). Look out for emotional language to understand their pain points (e.g., “I’m overwhelmed by hefty roaming fees…”)

Pro Tip: Your team can go a step further and create anti-personas too. These are profiles of people not worth targeting. For that same insurance company, it might be Risk-Taker Mike, 22, single, freelancer, who thinks insurance is a waste of money.

Knowing who to avoid helps in not wasting budget on low-quality leads.

Select the Right Acquisition Channels

Now that you know exactly who you’re targeting, it’s time to determine where and how to find them.

Acquisition channels are like different routes to your audience’s attention. Here are the most effective channels most businesses rely on:

• Search Engine Visibility: Getting your website ranked on high-volume keywords on SERPs like Google is like having a storefront on the busiest street in town. It takes consistent efforts over months to see results, but once you rank well, you get steady leads without paying for each click.
• Paid Advertising: Want results today? Paid ads on Google or social platforms like Facebook and Instagram offer precise targeting, so you’re only paying to reach likely buyers. You can even retarget those who’ve already visited your website before.
• Social Media: This channel works best when you have someone dedicated to creating valuable, engaging content consistently. The best course is to create content that entertains or solves problems first, and sells second.
• Email Marketing: Don’t believe anyone who tells you email is dead. When done right, with personalization and firsthand value, email remains one of the most cost-effective ways to drive sales.
• SMS Marketing: When was the last time you ignored a text? Exactly. Text messages have open rates as high as 55% (with “view rates” as high as 100%). You can use services like Mobile Text Alerts (that’s us!) to schedule and send messages in bulk.

Most businesses combine several channels that align with their budget, team skills, and resources. This diversifies the research while mitigating risks.

10 Customer Acquisition Strategies

Here are ten real strategies businesses are using right now to attract customers, with examples you can borrow from.

Stay consistent with content marketing (even when results take time)

Content marketing means creating valuable material—blog posts like this one, podcasts, videos—that educate your audience.

If done right, it drives visibility, establishes you as an expert, and brings in qualified leads.

Give genuine value first. You could use storytelling and solve real problems for your target audience, with your product or service mentioned subtly.

The only caveat is that content marketing isn’t a quick fix. Many businesses give up right before it starts paying off. So ask yourself some tough questions: Can you handle months of creating content without seeing major results? Do you have someone reliable to consistently create quality content, whether that’s an in-house team or a freelancer?

These questions might feel overwhelming, but here’s why content marketing is still worth it: With paid ads, the results stop the moment your budget runs out, while good content keeps working for you for months or even years later.

Pro Tip: Have your team create a content multiplication system. Turn a blog post into a LinkedIn article, a podcast episode, and several social media posts. It helps to plan your content calendar via tools like Notion so you don’t have to constantly scramble for ideas.

OnePageCRM is a good example.

They’re a CRM built for freelancers and solopreneurs that has cracked the content code. Their team consistently published blog posts, tutorials, and YouTube videos that directly help business owners manage clients better.

This approach has made them the go-to authority in their space, so when someone needs a CRM solution, OneCRM is the first choice.

Rank for high-intent keywords that your competitors are missing

Even with the rise of GEO/LLMs, SEO is still important.

And it works best when your product or service solves problems people are already searching for. By creating high-quality blog content that ranks well in search results, you can acquire customers in need of solutions.

Here’s how it works: start with keyword research using tools like Ahrefs. Then, audit the top five competitors for your keywords to find what they’re missing. Aim to create something better that covers all their main points while adding your own unique insights and case studies.

You can also add an FAQ section answering the questions from “People Also Ask” boxes that show up in Google searches. Tools like AlsoAsked can help you find more question clusters.

Like content marketing, SEO is a long-play that you control, mostly. Google algorithm updates can shake things up, but you can survive those by staying up-to-date with the latest SEO practices.

Make sure to keep your content fresh by regularly updating older posts with new statistics. As for advanced tactics like building backlinks, they help, but creating useful content should be the first focus.

Pro Tip: Your team can target authority gap keywords where top-ranking content is outdated, incomplete, or lacks depth. This is a better approach than going after competitive keywords, as it lets you outrank weaker content with fresh data.

For example, John Reinesch, an SEO consultant, shared how he helped a client boost organic traffic by 162% in three months with a single blog post. Instead of going after high-competition keywords, they targeted a smaller keyword with only 250 monthly searches, but one that linked to hundreds of related search terms.

After studying the top competitors and identifying gaps, they created a comprehensive post that covered everything competitors missed, plus added case studies. The result? Natural backlinks started flowing in, saving thousands in link-building costs while increasing traffic.

Double down on producing video content that stops the scroll

Video grabs attention like nothing else. It’s engaging, has better potential for storytelling, and puts a human face on your brand.

If you’ve got the resources, producing long-form YouTube videos is worth the investment. Millions of people turn to YouTube first to learn something new, and these videos can boost your SEO when you embed them in blog posts.

But what’s booming right now is short-form content. We’re living in times of 8-second attention spans and the reach potential is immense.

To get started, craft a hook that stops the scroll. Think “this productivity hack completely changed how I work.”

Always add captions, as most people watch with sound off. Additionally, implement strategic call-to-actions like asking viewers to comment “Template” for the free download or reply “Send” to this story for the link. This is great for capturing emails and phone numbers.

Yuzhi KYD Ni, a video creator, built a massive following of 8.6 million by testing viral ad products, gadgets, toys, anything trending, and sharing quick, entertaining reviews. He made his signature move to slam his credit card on the table when a product was a hit, signaling it was worth buying.

How did he build this following? First, he monetized through affiliate links to the products he tested. Later, he launched his site where followers could buy the products from his videos.

Turn your email list into a significant revenue stream

Email is one of the oldest acquisition strategies, but it’s still effective to this day. This is because while social media algorithms are ever-changing, email delivers your message directly to your audience’s inbox.

Your message is everything here. Say the right words and you can turn a maybe into a yes.

Someone visited your website and didn’t buy? Downloaded your guide but went quiet? Or abandoned their cart? A well-timed email with a special discount can make all the difference.

Here’s proof that emails still work: usage is expected to hit 4.89 billion people by 2027, and with impressive returns too. According to Upcity’s survey, 75% of budget-minded marketers see an ROI of $21 or more for every dollar they spend on email marketing.

Beyond the financial returns, email excels at building genuine connections with your customers. A thoughtful birthday message or early access to a new feature makes customers feel valued.

This is why newsletters work so well: they’re built for long-term relationship building.

Who doesn’t like subscribing to newsletters that consistently deliver value? This could be case studies, industry insights, and behind-the-scenes glimpses of your brand.

Skip the constant sales pitches and build trust by delivering value. Let the trust naturally convert into sales over time.

Andy Mewborn used a similar approach. He says in just 8 months he generated almost 5,000 free newsletters subscribers from LinkedIn by doing these things: documenting his entrepreneurial journey, sharing actionable business insights with signature humor, and becoming a familiar face by showing up consistently in his audience’s feeds.

While Andy built his following on LinkedIn, the same principles apply to email newsletters. These are consistency, value, and personality.

Master creating text message sequences that are hard to ignore

While emails pile up unread and phone calls go to voicemail, text messages have a superpower of getting opened within minutes.

For SMS marketing, you need concise copywriting. Unlike email, where your message can afford to be lengthy, every character in an SMS needs to earn its place.

A well-crafted SMS campaign might include good copy, an emoji or two, a clear link, and just enough urgency to prompt action.

Since recipients have already opted in to receive texts and they get opened instantly, they’re perfect for time-sensitive announcements - for example, flash sales, exclusive product drops, or last-minute offers.

With one notification, you can turn someone’s quiet midday into a purchase decision. Not many acquisition channels have this kind of direct impact.

Pro Tip: Make sure your marketing team doesn’t treat your entire contact list the same. It’s best to segment your list by creating hyper-relevant streams. New subscribers might appreciate a warm welcome with a special discount, while loyal customers would rather be the first to know about the newest drops.

Smart businesses choose SMS platforms that are reliable and straightforward, no matter if you’re a small jewelry store or a large enterprise.

This is exactly what Wanda did. She sells jewelry and was having trouble getting people to show up for live online sales events. She started using Mobile Text Alerts to send SMS alerts 30 minutes before each session with a direct link to join. The result? Her attendance shot up, and sales followed.

She didn’t stop there. Wanda also texted her best customers whenever new pieces arrived, which resulted in instant buzz and immediate purchases.

Like Wanda and many others, you can tap into SMS marketing by signing up for a free trial of Mobile Text Alerts.

Run strategic A/B tests to scale winning ad creatives (and maximize ROAS)

While organic growth takes patience, paid advertising gets you immediate results.

Businesses can use Google Ads to capture high-intent keywords that connect them with people who are actively looking for solutions. When someone types “hotels near me,” they’re ready to buy.

Meta takes a different approach, enabling businesses to reach people who don’t even know they need their product yet.

Meta’s strength comes from its interest-based targeting options that let anyone target incredibly specific audiences. But what determines success is your creatives.

Static images, slideshow formats, video carousels, and user-generated content all perform differently depending on your audience and offer.

This is where A/B tests become non-negotiable. Test different creative formats, and don’t stop there. Run the same creative against different interests.

Smart marketers always allocate some of their budget purely for experimentation because that’s where breakthroughs happen.

Pro Tip: Your team can use Meta’s Advantage+ feature to scale your winning ad copies. It lets AI handle the laborious tasks like budget allocation and audience targeting, so you can focus on creating more winning creatives.

A great case of this in action is Marbl. The Middle Eastern fashion brand shifted its entire approach to Meta’s Advantage+ campaigns. Instead of manually managing audiences, they let AI handle the optimization while focusing solely on creating Instagram-native content like Influencer-style Reels with “Show Now” buttons.

With such great focus on creatives, their ads didn’t look like ads, but like content that people interested in fashion wanted to see. This resulted in a 100% increase in sales.

Partner with brands and influencers that multiply your reach and credibility

Deliberate partnerships with brands that share your audience create a win-win for everyone involved. They act as a force multiplier for customer acquisition as you tap into new audiences and build credibility.

Not only should you partner with other brands, but also with influencers.

Pro Tip: Instead of spending your team’s entire budget on 1-2 mega influencers, distribute it across 8-10 nano and micro-influencers (5K-50K followers). This approach typically delivers better engagement rates because smaller creators have built genuine communities around specific niches. Plus, you’re diversifying risk: if one campaign underperforms, the others can make up for it. An influencer with 10K engaged followers who match your buyer personas will outperform someone with 100K followers who don’t care about your product category.

For brand partnerships, look for businesses that complement yours rather than compete with it. For instance, a fitness studio could partner up with an organic meal prep service and launch bundled offers like “four fitness classes plus weekly meal deliveries at 15% off.” Both businesses serve health-conscious customers, but neither threatens the other’s core business.

An example worth noting is Zach Yadegari, founder of the calorie tracker app Cal AI, who needed to acquire early users without a massive advertising budget. He knew he couldn’t compete with big-funded brands on expensive ad placements, so he partnered with fitness, wellness, and diet influencers.

His approach was clever: he paid flat fees for Instagram story promotions rather than full posts. Stories cost less but still reach highly engaged audiences. Each influencer received personalized referral codes, which added an extra incentive for them to drive sign-ups rather than just post and forget.

Build lead magnets so good people can’t resist sharing their contact details

Gated content is content that requires users to provide their contact information in exchange for access.

This content can be ebooks, guides, templates, white papers, industry reports, courses, webinars, etc.

If your gated content is actionable, it attracts qualified leads that can be later used to acquire customers. Someone downloading your industry-specific guide is already a better prospect than a casual website visitor.

Recent data shows the demand for gated content is only growing, increasing over 14% year-over-year according to NetLine.

(Just make sure your gated content remains gated. It’s worth periodically checking that a quick Google search for your asset’s title plus PDF doesn’t reveal direct download links, or potential leads won’t bother providing their details.)

For instance, a SaaS company partnered with PMG360 to create highly targeted webinars with gated content offers. This resulted in a major boost in registration and generated over 800 leads while significantly improving lead quality for the sales team.

Turn happy customers into active promoters with thoughtful incentives

Why chase new customers when your happy ones can do the work for you? Your satisfied customers already talk about your product; referral programs simply give them a reason to do it more often.

The best referral systems reward both parties involved. When someone refers a friend, both people should benefit through discounts, cash, or credits. Create a win-win situation that feels generous rather than transactional.

Additionally, aim to build a low-friction referral system with unique referral links or codes for easy tracking.

Ask for referrals at the right time, such as after five-star reviews or helpful support interactions.

Reward the most active promoters with VIP treatment, like exclusive perks and bigger rewards.

One business that successfully did this is Harry’s, the men’s grooming company. It generated 100,000 email addresses in just one week, without even selling anything. How? By building a pre-launch referral program that offered early access and free products to people who spread the word to their friends.

Flood your landing page with testimonials to remove buyer hesitation

Nothing convinces potential customers faster than seeing real people vouch for your product. Customer testimonials, success stories, and video reviews on your website, Google listings, or social media instantly boost credibility.

Brightlocal found that 42% of consumers regularly read online reviews when browsing local businesses.

Despite this, collecting reviews can be hard. Customers rarely leave them unless their experience was exceptionally good or terrible.

Don’t wait for reviews, as they might never come naturally. Send an SMS to satisfied customers requesting feedback, ideally after positive interactions.

A great case of social proof in action is MoonBrew. A functional tea brand that weaves customer testimonials throughout its entire website. Customer stories featured on product pages, video testimonials on landing pages, and even checkout pages feature star ratings. This constant stream of social proof helps overcome buyer hesitation, crucial for a relatively young brand competing against established tea companies.

While they haven’t shared exact conversion lifts, their heavy investment in user-generated content signifies that it’s a big part of their customer acquisition strategy.

FAQs

Let’s debunk some of the most frequent queries people have about customer acquisition.

What Does Customer Acquisition Mean?

Customer acquisition is how businesses turn strangers into customers through strategic outreach, relationship-building, and conversion tactics.

What’s the Importance of Customer Acquisition?

Customer acquisition is important for business growth. It gets you more money to cover operating costs, pay salaries, and fund expansion. A steady flow of new customers also demonstrates market traction to investors and partners.

How to Measure the Success of a Customer Acquisition Strategy?

Focus on two metrics: a) Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC): the total amount you spend to acquire each new customer. b) Customer lifetime value (CLV): the total revenue you expect from a customer throughout your entire relationship. Keep CAC low while maximizing CLV.

Put Acquisition Strategies into Action

These strategies have proven effective for businesses across industries. Now it’s your turn to put them into action. Remember, a successful customer acquisition strategy isn’t a one-time setup. It requires constant testing, reiterating, and optimizing. Think long-term, not quick wins.

And don’t forget: these tactics work even better when combined. Run targeted social media ads that drive traffic to gated content, collect phone numbers, and follow up with SMS campaigns with our 14-day free trial.

Author Bio:

Archit Dua is a specialist marketing content writer for tech and cybersecurity companies, who creates research-backed long-form articles that feel perfectly on-brand.