5 Strategies To Improve Your Average Contract Value In 2024

Content

• What is Average Contract Value?
• How to calculate the average contract value
• Why is ACV important for businesses?
• What is the ideal ACV for your business?
• How to improve your average contract value in 2024
• Conclusion

Businesses are always prowling for ways to close more deals and increase their revenue. However, onboarding customers, particularly for SAAS businesses, necessitates a specialized marketing and sales strategy. Sales teams must continuously monitor their processes and KPIs to identify pain points and opportunities. Average contract value, or ACV, is one such metric that businesses must prioritize. That is why here’s a quick overview of ACV,  its ideal value, benefits, and strategies to keep you ahead of the curve in 2024.

What is Average Contract Value?

Average Contract Value (ACV) is a metric used in business to measure the average value of a contract or deal that a company closes with a customer. It is a crucial indicator for companies, especially in subscription-based or recurring revenue models. ACV provides insights into the average financial value of each customer relationship, helping organizations understand their revenue streams and make informed decisions about their sales and marketing processes.

Tracking the average value of a customer allows businesses to tailor their marketing strategies to attract higher-value customers and optimize customer acquisition costs. There may be variances in the computation or application of ACV across various industries and business models.  Enterprises can segment their customer base based on different ACV levels, enabling them to tailor services, support, and engagement strategies to specific customer groups.

How to calculate the average contract value

ACV is a valuable metric businesses use to analyze their financial performance and customer relationships. You can calculate the average contract value by dividing the total contract value (TCV) by the number of contracts. Here's the formula:

                                                                        ACV=  TCV/Number of Contracts
​
Total contract value is the entire value of a contract over its entire duration, including all recurring and one-time fees. TCV encompasses the complete revenue generated from the contractual agreement. For example, if a customer signs up for a yearly subscription at $1,200, the TCV for that contract would be $1,200.

Number of Contracts: This represents the total number of contracts or deals closed within a specific period. If, for example, a company closes 100 contracts in a given quarter, the number of contracts would be 100.

For instance, if a company has a total contract value (TCV) of $300,000 and the  number of contracts is 150 in a quarter, then the average contract value is as follows: 

                                                                 Average contract value = $300,000/150 = $2,000

Why is ACV important for businesses?

Understanding the value of each customer contract is a priority for any business to predict and plan its revenue streams more accurately. It enables companies to set realistic financial goals and make informed decisions about sales and marketing strategies. They can use ACV to allocate resources effectively, focusing on acquiring and retaining higher-value customers. Thus, all their actions cater to the needs of different customer segments. Some other benefits of the average contract value include: 

Marketing strategy: ACV guides marketing strategies by helping businesses identify the most profitable customer segments. Marketing teams can tailor their campaigns to attract and retain customers with a higher ACV, ensuring more cost-effective customer acquisition.

Sales performance evaluation: Sales teams can use ACV to evaluate the success of their efforts. By understanding the average revenue generated per contract, sales professionals can set performance targets, prioritize deals, and focus on opportunities that contribute more significantly to the company's overall revenue.

Customer segmentation: ACV enables businesses to segment their customer base based on different value tiers. This segmentation allows for more personalized services. They can develop support and engagement strategies catering to their unique needs and expectations.

Product and pricing strategy: ACV insights can guide product development and pricing strategies. Understanding the average value customers are willing to pay helps set competitive prices and develop products or services that align with customer expectations.

Subscription-Based Businesses: ACV is crucial for subscription-based models like SaaS (Software as a Service). It helps to understand the average revenue generated per customer subscription, aiding in the development of pricing tiers and subscription packages.

What is the ideal average contract value for your business?

ACV provides insights into the revenue generated relative to the costs associated with acquiring and serving customers. This information is essential for maintaining healthy profit margins. There isn't a one-size-fits-all answer to what constitutes an ideal average contract value for a business, as the optimal ACV varies based on factors such as industry, business model, target market, and specific business goals. What might be considered an ideal ACV for one company might not be suitable for another. However, businesses can assess and determine an optimum average contract value based on several considerations, including:

Industry Standards:

Benchmarking your ACV against industry standards can provide valuable insights. Different industries have varying pricing structures and customer behaviors. Researching and comparing your ACV to similar companies within your industry can help identify whether your business is within a competitive range.

Profit Margins and Cost Structure:

Understanding your business's cost structure and profit margins is crucial. The ideal ACV should allow for a healthy profit margin after accounting for the costs associated with customer acquisition, product or service delivery, and ongoing support. Ensure that your pricing strategy aligns with your business's financial objectives.

Customer Acquisition Costs (CAC):

Consider the relationship between your ACV and customer acquisition costs. The ideal ACV should be high enough to cover the costs of acquiring and retaining customers. If your ACV is significantly lower than your CAC, it might indicate a need to revisit your pricing or customer acquisition strategies.

Customer Lifetime Value (CLV):

Evaluate the relationship between ACV and customer lifetime value. Ideally, the revenue generated from a customer over their lifetime should significantly exceed the initial ACV. It ensures the business gains a net positive return on its customer acquisition investment.

How to improve your average contract value in 2024

In the competitive landscape of modern business, optimizing key metrics is essential for sustained growth. One such critical metric is the average contract value. It represents the average revenue generated per customer contract. Maximizing ACV increases revenue, profitability, and customer lifetime value. Here are five effective strategies to improve your average contract value.

1. Implement tiered pricing models

Tiered pricing models provide customers with options based on their needs, allowing businesses to capture additional value. By offering different packages with varying features and service levels, companies can appeal to a broader range of customers with different budgets and requirements. Clients seeking more comprehensive solutions will opt for higher-tier packages, increasing their overall ACV. This strategy boosts revenue and aligns with customer preferences. It provides a scalable approach to accommodate diverse customer segments.

2. Promote upselling and cross-selling

Upselling and cross-selling are effective techniques to increase the value of each customer transaction. Upselling involves encouraging customers to purchase a more advanced or premium version of the product or service they are considering, while cross-selling involves offering additional complementary products or services. Businesses can significantly impact the overall contract value by strategically presenting these options during sales. This approach enhances the customer experience and maximizes revenue opportunities within the existing customer base.

3. Bundle products or services

Bundling is a strategy where businesses combine related products or services into a single package at a discounted rate compared to purchasing each item separately. Apart from adding value for the customer, it also increases the overall contract value. By carefully curating bundles that cater to different customer needs and preferences, businesses can encourage customers to choose more comprehensive offerings. Bundling creates a win-win situation, providing customers with cost savings while driving higher revenues.

4. Long-term contracts and prepaid plans

Encouraging customers to commit to long-term contracts or prepaid plans can significantly impact ACV. Offering discounts or additional benefits for customers who choose extended commitments incentivizes them to make larger upfront payments. It secures revenue for an extended period but also improves cash flow predictability. Long-term contracts provide stability for the business and the customer, fostering a mutually beneficial relationship that can result in higher overall contract values.

5. Personalized and value-based pricing

Tailoring rates based on specific needs and perceived customer value can lead to higher contract values. Personalized pricing involves customizing offerings based on individual characteristics, preferences, or usage patterns. Value-based pricing, on the other hand, aligns the cost of the product or service with the perceived value it provides to the customer. Businesses can justify higher price points and increase ACV by understanding the unique customer requirements and demonstrating the value of the offering.

Conclusion

A healthy average contract suggests a company can generate significant revenue from its customer base. Consequently, most businesses place a high premium on optimizing average contract value. It requires a deep understanding of customer behavior and strategic pricing decisions. They can implement tiered pricing models, promote upselling and cross-selling, or encourage long-term commitments. These strategies can effectively boost their ACV and contribute to immediate revenue growth.

Dock 365 contract management software offers custom reports for KPIs, including contract value. Businesses can utilize our advanced reporting and analytics to improve their average contract value and revenue.