You know that attracting high-quality clients is crucial for your legal practice's success. However, many solo practitioners and small to mid-sized law firms struggle with determining the right ad budget.
But how much should you invest in digital advertising to achieve optimal results?
Today, we'll explore a data-driven approach to calculating your ad budget that can help you make informed decisions and maximize your return on investment.
This blog post will walk you through a step-by-step formula for calculating your law firm's ad budget, ensuring a strategic and cost-effective approach that aligns with your business goals and ethical standards.
ACV: The average revenue generated per client or case.
Formula:
ACV = Total Revenue Per Month / Number of Cases Per Month
Example:
If your firm generates $100,000 per month and handles 20 cases per month, your average case value will be $5,000:
ACV=100,000/20=$5,000
LTV: The total revenue a client generates over the duration of their relationship with the firm.
If the ACV represents the average revenue per case and the average client has multiple cases, multiply ACV by the average number of cases per client to determine LTV.
Formula:
LTV = ACV × Average Number of Cases per Client
Example:
If ACV is $5,000, average client has 2 cases:
LTV = $5,000 × 2 = $10,000
CAC: The amount spent on marketing and sales to acquire a new client per month.
Formula:
CAC = Total Sales and Marketing Expenses / Number of New Clients Acquired
Example:
If your total marketing and sales spend is $10,000 and you acquire 5 new clients:
CAC = 10,000 / 5 = $2,000
LTV:CAC Ratio: A measure of the value generated from a client relative to the cost of acquiring that client.
A higher LTV:CAC ratio indicates better profitability and efficiency in client acquisition.
Formula:
LTV:CAC Ratio = LTV / CAC
Example:
If LTV is $10,000 and CAC is $2,000:
LTV:CAC Ratio = 10,000 / 2,000 = 5
This means for every $1 spent on acquiring a client, the firm generates $5 in revenue.
For Legal Services industry, the benchmark LTV:CAC ratio is 4.5:1.
This means that for every dollar spent on acquiring a customer, law firms typically see a return of $4.50. This ratio indicates a profitable acquisition strategy, as a ratio closer to 3:1 or higher is generally considered strong across industries. However, a significantly higher ratio might suggest underinvestment in marketing, potentially missing opportunities for growth.
To achieve a target LTV:CAC ratio (e.g., 5:1), set the CAC target accordingly.
Formula:
CAC Target = LTV / Desired LTV:CAC Ratio
Example:
If LTV is $10,000 and the desired LTV:CAC ratio is 5:1:
CAC Target = 10,000 / 5 = $2,000
A marketing budget is a financial plan that outlines the amount of money allocated for marketing and advertising efforts over a specific period, typically a month, quarter, or year. This budget covers a range of activities aimed at attracting new clients, retaining existing ones, and promoting the law firm's services.
Formula:
Marketing Budget = (LTV / Target LTV:CAC Ratio) * Number of Desired New Clients
Example:
Marketing Budget = (10,000 / 5) * 10 = $20,000
Interpretation:
Based on an LTV of $10,000 per client, a target LTV:CAC ratio of 5:1, and a goal of acquiring 10 new clients, the law firm should allocate a marketing budget of $20,000.
This budget allows for spending up to $2,000 to acquire each new client while maintaining the desired 5:1 ratio between the lifetime value of a client and the cost to acquire them.
Use the marketing budget and CAC target to determine the appropriate ad spend.
Ad Budget Formula:
Ad Budget = Marketing Budget × CAC Target / ACV
Example:
If your marketing budget is $20,000, CAC Target is $2,000, and ACV is $5,000:
Ad Budget = 20,000 × 2,000 / 5,000 = $8,000
Before scaling your ad budget, it’s crucial to calculate your ROAS to ensure your campaigns are profitable.
Formula:
ROAS = Revenue Generated from Ads / Ad Spend
Example:
If your ad spend is $8,000 and it generates $32,000 in revenue:
ROAS = 32,000 / 8,000 = 4
This means you earn $4 for every $1 spent on ads.
Increase your ad budget incrementally as you identify successful campaigns that generate a high Return on Ad Spend (ROAS).
a) The scaling formula assumes reinvesting all profits from ads back into the ad budget.
Scaling Formula:
New Ad Budget = Current Ad Budget + (Current Ad Budget × ROAS)
Example:
If your current ad budget is $8,000 and you achieve a 4x ROAS:
New Ad Budget = 8,000 + (8,000 × 4) = 8,000 + 32,000 = $40,000
This means, with a 4x ROAS, your new ad budget would be $40,000, as you are earning $4 for every $1 spent on ads, significantly increasing your capacity to scale your advertising budget based on the proven success of your current campaigns.
b) While ROAS can indicate successful campaigns, law firms should be cautious with sudden large increases in ad budget.
Increase your ad budget incrementally as you identify successful campaigns that generate a high Return on Ad Spend (ROAS).
Incremental Scaling Formula:
New Ad Budget = Current Ad Budget × (1+Δ)
Where Delta Δ is a smaller increment (e.g., 10-20% of the current budget), based on ROAS performance.
Example:
If your current budget is $8,000 and you achieve a 4x ROAS:
New Ad Budget = 8,000 × (1 + 0.20) = 8,000 × 1.20 = 9,600
This means, with a 4x ROAS, your new ad budget would increase incrementally, reflecting proven success without overcommitting funds.
By following this formula, law firms can systematically determine their ad budget, ensuring efficient use of resources, and scaling based on proven performance.
By following this formula and keeping these important considerations in mind, law firms can develop a more effective and adaptable approach to their digital marketing budget allocation.
Remember, these calculations provide a starting point – continually monitor and adjust your strategy based on real-world performance. Effective digital marketing is an ongoing process that requires continuous analysis, optimization, and adaptation.
With a thoughtful approach to ad spending, you'll be well-positioned to attract high-quality clients and grow your practice efficiently.
Determine the overall marketing budget needed to reach your client acquisition goals while ensuring that your spending aligns with your financial targets.