Whether it is online ads, a directory listing or printed flyers, every dollar should be measured against what it brings back.
Three numbers
- Cost per lead: what you spent divided by the inquiries it produced.
- Cost per client: what you spent divided by the clients who actually hired you.
- Return: the profit from those clients compared with the spending.
Ask every caller
The simplest tracking is asking each new inquiry how they found you, and writing it down.
Count the whole relationship
A client who stays for years is worth far more than the first job. An ad that looks expensive for one job can be a bargain over the relationship.
Our advertising return calculator works out all three.
This article is general information, not legal, tax or regulatory advice. Rules change; confirm current requirements with the responsible agency or a licensed professional.
