Guide / Introduction to Distribution
The customer acquisition lifecycle
What it means
The customer acquisition lifecycle covers every step from first awareness through purchase, onboarding, retention, referral, and expansion.
The useful version of this topic is not theoretical. It should change something visible: the customer you choose, the words on the page, the offer in the email, the onboarding step you remove, or the metric you watch every week.
A good test is whether a founder could use this page and do something before lunch. If the answer is no, the topic is still too abstract.
Actions
Start with the smallest action that creates contact with reality. For early distribution, reality usually means a buyer, a user, a search result, a conversation, or a payment.
- Map the current customer path.
- Find the biggest drop-off point.
- Create one asset or product change that moves customers to the next stage.
Measure
Measure the signal closest to customer progress. Vanity numbers are allowed only if they predict something better later.
- Stage conversion
- Time to purchase
- Retention and referral rate
Template
Customer: [specific person or company] Current workflow: [what they do today] Pain: [what costs time, money, status, or sleep] Trigger: [what makes them look for a solution now] Proof needed: [what they must believe before buying] Next step: [conversation, demo, waitlist, pilot, or purchase]