Attract customers with a heavily discounted first month or term. Simultaneously, charge a substantial one-time setup fee. This strategy liquidates acquisition costs and generates immediate cash flow while the discount drives initial interest, solving two problems at once.

For products with high trial churn, replace the standard "try before you buy" model. Instead, charge users upfront and offer a rebate or a free second month if they complete a key activation task. This creates commitment and incentivizes the exact behavior that leads to long-term retention.

If your monthly SaaS attracts project-based users who churn quickly, don't let them corrupt your core metrics. Create a separate, expensive one-time payment plan. This isolates their predictable churn, protecting your subscription metrics for investors and potential acquirers.

To make annual contracts more compelling, introduce a substantial setup or integration fee in your pricing. Then, offer to waive this fee entirely if the customer signs a yearly agreement. This frames the decision around a significant, immediate saving, increasing commitment rates.

To increase retention, offer subscribers a permanent, high-value upgrade (e.g., 'free bacon for life') that they lose forever if they cancel their service. This leverages loss aversion, making the cost of churning much higher than the monthly fee.

For high-ticket software or services, position a large setup fee as a standard part of the offer. Then, present an alternative: waive the entire fee if the client commits to a one-year contract. This creates a powerful incentive and gives the customer the illusion of choice, making the annual commitment feel like a significant win.

For services requiring customer participation to be successful (e.g., coaching, setup processes), a one-time startup fee ensures commitment. This financial investment makes customers more likely to complete required tasks and pay attention, ultimately improving their results.

For high-ticket services with delayed results like SEO, use a 'Waived Fee' offer. Present a large one-time setup fee plus a monthly retainer. Then, offer to waive the setup fee if the client commits to a longer term (e.g., 12 months), with an early-out clause if performance metrics aren't met in 90 days.

Customers who pay a significant initiation fee are psychologically primed to stay longer to justify their initial investment, even if their monthly rate is lower. This "sunk cost fallacy" makes them a "stickier" customer than those on low-cost, no-commitment plans.