Calculate cost per acquired customer consistently
For a defined period or customer cohort, divide the acquisition costs allocated to it by the number of new customers acquired. Include the relevant ad spend, sales labor, tools and fees. Do not compare a fully loaded calculation with an ad-spend-only figure.
Separate cash flow from contract value
A $30,000 annual contract collected monthly does not put $30,000 in the bank at signing. If acquisition costs are paid today and revenue arrives over time, the pilot needs enough cash to bridge that delay. Cancellation and nonpayment can change the result.
Model the share available to each partner
For the acquisition partner, commission receipts must cover its acquisition and operating costs. For the delivery business, revenue after commission must cover fulfillment, support and other expenses. Test both sides with realistic collection and retention assumptions.
Set a bounded pilot
- Define the offer, audience and acquisition scope.
- Set a spending limit and a review period suited to the sales cycle.
- Agree on what qualifies as an opportunity and an attributed sale.
- Evaluate collection timing, conversion and delivery capacity before expanding.
Avoid treating early results as certainty
A small number of sales can distort the apparent cost per customer. Use the pilot to identify whether the approach deserves further investment, while watching for refunds, delayed collections and unusual one-off orders.