How can startups cut customer acquisition costs?

If you are a web based startup SEO is the marketing channel that keeps you ROI positive. Not that you're customers will necessary convert via SEO but that's the cheapest way for them to enter the marketing funnel.Setup lead generating sites, whitepapers, and other landing pages. Get their email address and start working your magic on retargeting and and email marketing.Once you have people in the door, another channel that help lower your CPA is product. Use your product to soft upsell and reward customers for sharing your products with their friends. Essential a free way to get new customers.Finally social media is the last channel that can help you keep CPA low. You can engage with potential customers and get them in the door for just the cost of your time.These channels bring in customers for essentially free and help keep your average CPA low.

One of the most effective ways to cut customer acquisition costs when you're in the startup phase is to identify your marketing strengths and use them to expose a few low-hanging fruit you can profit from. There's no point spreading yourself too thin when you're in startup mode. You're far better off doing a few things really well and building a base from that, rather than doing lots of things poorly.