Acquisition is a Key Performance Indicator that measures the value of new business. It tracks the sales activity of new customers who bought this year but not last year. For young businesses, the goal is to acquire Customers, any Customers. But over time, the goal shifts to acquiring new Customers that produce more value than the lost ones they replaced.

When Acquisition is less than Attrition, it is a sign of trouble that can be corrected either by increasing Acquisition or reducing Attrition. Note that increasing Acquisition is estimated to be ten times more costly than reducing Attrition.

The Acquisition Rate is the sales activity of this year's new customers divided by the sales activity of all of last year's customers.