Summer is in full swing. Whether you’re basking in the sun of your marketing success or feeling the heat of unexpected challenges, one thing is clear: 2023 hasn’t turned out to be a “business as usual” year. A recent OneSignal study shows that brands aren’t relegating new customer acquisition strategies to the back burner like they typically do during economic slowdowns. Instead, many are intensifying their efforts to find more customers through the remainder of the year.

The OneSignal study, The State of Customer Messaging in 2023, reports that more than 42% of companies polled are now allocating more resources towards customer acquisition. However, escalating customer acquisition costs and outdated strategies may impact their success. Adding another layer of complexity, more than 80% of companies have reduced their marketing and product spend to focus on improving ROI this year, according to the study. 

So what does this mean, knowing half of 2023 is already behind us? 

1. The pressure is on for marketers to increase ROI: it’s time to “work smarter, not harder.”

2. There’s no better time than the present to reassess your customer acquisition strategies, align them with the current economic landscape, and shape them to meet your objectives for the rest of the year.

With high-quality data pivotal to finding new customers, look for ways to expand your reach with modern third-party data tools and strategies designed to drive ROI and business growth. Drawing upon our collective experience on this topic at OMI, here are six ideas to kickstart the second half of your year:

-   Acquisition email marketing offers a cost-effective way to get your message in front of prospects and decision-makers in market segments that matter to your business. Still, it takes a whole different strategy than customer-focused campaigns. By taking the right steps, you’ll see your ROI soar. Check out our B2B Beginner’s Guide to Acquisition Email – Part 1 and Part 2

-   Reimagine cold email marketing: Our team has curated seven steps to modernize your B2B lead-gen efforts with cold email marketing. It starts with leveraging customized audience data to enable you to scale your reach to high-quality prospects similar to your current customers.

-   Find more SMB customers: When it comes to customers, many service businesses consider SMBs to be their sweet spot. But getting your message seen and heard by this elusive audience can be challenging. Check out our tips for finding a steady flow of new SMB prospects. 

-   Don’t miss out on the power of intent data: The buzz around intent data is legit. If you haven’t tried it yet, you’re missing out. Dive into our blog on three ways to use intent data to gain a prospecting edge. It covers how intent data surfaces warm leads and identifies decision-makers who have shown an interest in buying solutions just like yours.

-   Use display ads to reach in-market prospects: Display ads can get your business in front of new audiences, but precision targeting is key. Check out our blog on four ways deterministic intent data drives display ad success by ensuring the prospects you’re targeting are in-market and interested in the solutions or services you offer.

-   Expand your reach: Did you know OMI’s B2B contact database has more than 117 million contacts, allowing you to reach new market segments and new decision-makers who perfectly align with your ideal customer profile? It simply makes good business sense to get your marketing messages in front of not just more people -- but the right people.

Don’t let the year slip away. Refresh your approach to customer acquisition today by connecting with our team to discuss modern strategies that work.