CAC Diagnostic Spreadsheet
By Marco Giunta | https://marcogiunta.com
1. Channel Attribution Analysis
Track first-touch and last-touch attribution to identify which channels are actually driving new business.
| Channel | Total Spend (Last 90 Days) | First-Touch Leads | Last-Touch Conversions | First-Touch CAC | Last-Touch CAC | Channel Efficiency Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LinkedIn Ads | $25,000 | 120 | 8 | $208.33 | $3,125.00 | Medium |
| Google Ads | $18,000 | 95 | 5 | $189.47 | $3,600.00 | Medium |
| Industry Communities | $5,000 | 45 | 12 | $111.11 | $416.67 | High |
| Implementation Partners | $7,500 | 25 | 14 | $300.00 | $535.71 | High |
| Content Marketing | $12,000 | 180 | 4 | $66.67 | $3,000.00 | Medium |
| Event Sponsorships | $35,000 | 60 | 6 | $583.33 | $5,833.33 | Low |
Channel Efficiency Rating is calculated based on the ratio between First-Touch CAC and Last-Touch CAC. The smaller the gap, the higher the efficiency.
Efficiency Formula: If (Last-Touch CAC / First-Touch CAC < 3) then "High" else if (< 10) then "Medium" else "Low"
2. Customer Segmentation by CAC-to-LTV Matrix
Analyze acquisition costs against lifetime value for different customer segments.
| Customer Segment | Average CAC | Average LTV | LTV:CAC Ratio | CAC Payback Period (months) | Investment Priority |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Enterprise (>1000 employees) | $8,500 | $125,000 | 14.7 | 5.1 | High |
| Mid-Market (100-999 employees) | $12,000 | $65,000 | 5.4 | 9.2 | Medium |
| SMB (20-99 employees) | $5,200 | $18,000 | 3.5 | 11.6 | Medium |
| Small Business (<20 employees) | $3,800 | $8,500 | 2.2 | 17.9 | Low |
| Manufacturing Industry | $9,200 | $105,000 | 11.4 | 5.3 | High |
| Technology Industry | $11,500 | $95,000 | 8.3 | 7.3 | High |
| Healthcare Industry | $14,200 | $78,000 | 5.5 | 10.9 | Medium |
Investment Priority is determined by the LTV:CAC Ratio and the CAC Payback Period.
Priority Formula: If (LTV:CAC > 8 AND Payback < 8) then "High" else if (LTV:CAC > 3 AND Payback < 15) then "Medium" else "Low"
3. Backward Funnel Analysis
Analyze closed-won deals to identify common characteristics and optimize acquisition strategy.
| Customer Origin | % of Closed-Won Deals | % of Marketing Budget | Budget-to-Result Ratio | Optimization Opportunity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Industry Communities | 42% | 8% | 5.25 | Major Increase |
| Implementation Partners | 30% | 7% | 4.29 | Major Increase |
| Direct Outbound | 12% | 15% | 0.80 | Maintain |
| Content Marketing | 8% | 12% | 0.67 | Slight Decrease |
| LinkedIn Ads | 4% | 25% | 0.16 | Major Decrease |
| Google Ads | 3% | 18% | 0.17 | Major Decrease |
| Event Sponsorships | 1% | 15% | 0.07 | Major Decrease |
Budget-to-Result Ratio measures how effectively your budget allocation aligns with actual results.
Optimization Formula: If (Ratio > 2) then "Major Increase" else if (Ratio > 0.75) then "Maintain" else if (Ratio > 0.3) then "Slight Decrease" else "Major Decrease"
4. CAC Reduction Plan
Based on the above analysis, implement the following budget reallocation plan:
| Channel | Current Budget % | New Budget % | Change | Expected CAC Impact |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Industry Communities | 8% | 25% | +17% | -22% |
| Implementation Partners | 7% | 20% | +13% | -18% |
| Direct Outbound | 15% | 20% | +5% | -8% |
| Content Marketing | 12% | 15% | +3% | -5% |
| LinkedIn Ads | 25% | 10% | -15% | -7% |
| Google Ads | 18% | 7% | -11% | -5% |
| Event Sponsorships | 15% | 3% | -12% | -3% |
| Total Expected CAC Reduction: | -68% |
This plan reallocates budget from high-CAC channels to low-CAC channels based on backward funnel analysis.
5. Implementation Timeline
60-day implementation plan to execute the CAC reduction strategy:
| Week | Action Items | Owner | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Complete attribution model reset, implement first-touch/last-touch tracking | Marketing Ops | Not Started |
| Week 2 | Pause lowest performing ad campaigns, reduce event sponsorship commitments | Digital Marketing | Not Started |
| Week 3-4 | Develop expanded industry community engagement strategy | Community Manager | Not Started |
| Week 5-6 | Create new implementation partner incentive program | Partner Manager | Not Started |
| Week 7-8 | Restructure outbound targeting based on CAC-to-LTV analysis | Sales Ops | Not Started |
6. Weekly CAC Monitoring Dashboard
Track the following metrics weekly to monitor progress toward CAC reduction goals:
| Metric | Baseline | Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4 | Week 8 | Target |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall CAC | $547 | $175 | |||||
| Demo-to-Close Ratio | 12% | 20% | |||||
| Sales Cycle Length (days) | 65 | 45 | |||||
| Industry Community Conversion % | 26% | 35% | |||||
| Partner Referral Conversion % | 56% | 65% |
Update this dashboard weekly to track progress and make ongoing adjustments as needed.
7. Customer Acquisition Insights
Document key insights about your successful customer acquisitions to inform future strategy:
| Customer Characteristic | % of Top Customers | Strategic Implication |
|---|---|---|
| Previously researched solution for 3+ months | 78% | Focus on late-stage buyer education |
| Engaged with industry thought leadership | 65% | Increase industry-specific content |
| Had prior relationship with implementation partner | 52% | Strengthen partner enablement |
| Experienced recent leadership change | 43% | Monitor leadership transitions in target accounts |
| Failed implementation with competitor | 38% | Develop competitor-specific messaging |
Use these insights to refine your ideal customer profile and targeting strategy.
8. Revenue Impact Projection
Project the financial impact of CAC reduction on overall business performance:
| Metric | Current (Monthly) | Projected (Monthly) | Change | Annual Impact |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marketing Budget | $125,000 | $125,000 | 0% | $0 |
| Demos Generated | 228 | 228 | 0% | 0 |
| CAC per Demo | $547 | $175 | -68% | -$4,464,000 |
| Demo-to-Close Ratio | 12% | 20% | +67% | N/A |
| New Customers | 27 | 46 | +70% | +228 |
| Average Contract Value | $28,500 | $28,500 | 0% | $0 |
| New MRR | $769,500 | $1,311,000 | +70% | +$6,498,000 |
| Total Annual Revenue Impact: | +$6,498,000 |
This projection assumes the same marketing budget but reallocated according to the CAC reduction plan.
About the Author
Marco Giunta is an operating partner at private equity firms where he manages a portfolio of companies facing critical growth challenges. Specializing in fixing broken go-to-market strategies, Marco has helped dozens of B2B companies overcome skyrocketing customer acquisition costs through data-driven methodology and strategic realignment.
With experience across SaaS, professional services, and traditional industries, Marco brings both practical tactical solutions and strategic vision to companies struggling with unsustainable CAC.
For more information or to discuss your specific CAC challenges, visit https://marcogiunta.com or reach out directly—Marco responds to every message.