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customer acquisition

 ’ can have two meanings. First, it may mean 

the use of the website to acquire new customers for a company as qualified leads that can 

hopefully be converted into sales. Second, it may mean encouraging existing customers to 

 migrate  to using online for purchase or service. Many organisations concentrate on the for-

mer, but where acquisition is well managed, campaigns will be used to achieve online con-

version. For example, American Express developed a ‘ Go Paperless ’ campaign to persuade 

customers to receive and review their statements online rather than by post. Phone bank 

First Direct used call centre representatives to persuade customers of the benefits of bypass-

ing them by reviewing their statements online. They also encourage ‘e-advocacy’ amongst 

employees, i.e. encourage them to use the online services so they can better empathise with 

customer  needs.   

 Before an organisation can acquire customers through the content on its site, it must, of 

course, develop marketing communications strategies to attract visitors to the website.  

  Customer  acquisition  management