Service Business Marketing Budget Calculator

The “5% Rule” is Dead. Stop Budgeting Based on Your Wallet.

Here is the most common, fatal mistake field service business owners make:
They look at their bank account at the end of the month, see $1,000 left over, and say, “Okay, that’s my marketing budget for Google Ads next month.”

Then, they get 10 leads, close only 2 jobs, and say: “Google Ads doesn’t work. I wasted my money.”

The problem wasn’t Google Ads. The problem was your math.

Marketing is not a gamble; it is a machine. You put money in, and you get jobs out. But to make the machine work, you cannot start with your wallet. You must start with your Revenue Goal and work backward using “Reverse Engineering.”

This calculator uses Funnel Math to tell you exactly how much you need to spend to hit your $1 Million (or $100k) revenue target in 2026.

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🎯 The Growth Calculator

Input your Revenue Goal, Average Ticket, and Booking Rate to see your required budget.

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The Math: How to Reverse Engineer Your Success

If the calculator gave you a scary number (like "You need to spend $4,500/month"), don't panic. You need to understand the Sales Funnel Physics behind that number.

To hit a revenue goal, you must solve a 3-step equation. Most contractors ignore steps 1 and 2, jumping straight to spending.

Step 1: Revenue to Jobs (Volume)

First, we calculate how many actual trucks you need to roll.

Formula: Revenue Goal ÷ Average Ticket Size = Jobs Needed

• Example: $100,000 Goal ÷ $500 Avg Ticket = 200 Jobs.

Step 2: Jobs to Leads (The Booking Rate Variable)

This is where money is burned. Not every phone call becomes a job. You might miss the call, the dispatcher might be rude, or the price might be too high.

• Industry Average Booking Rate: 40% - 45% (CSRs are order takers).
• Target Booking Rate: 70%+ (CSRs are sales pros).

Formula: Jobs Needed ÷ Booking Rate = Leads Needed

• Example: 200 Jobs ÷ 40% Booking Rate = 500 Leads.

Step 3: Leads to Budget (The CPL Reality)

Now you know you need 500 phone calls. How much does one call cost? This is your Cost Per Lead (CPL).

Formula: Leads Needed x Average CPL = Required Budget

• Example: 500 Leads x $50 CPL = $25,000 Budget.

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2026 Industry Benchmarks: What Should You Pay Per Lead?

To use the calculator effectively, you need realistic expectations. If you enter a $10 CPL for "New HVAC Installation Leads," the calculator will give you a fake budget.

Here are the estimated averages for Paid Channels (Google LSA, PPC, Facebook) in the US market for 2026.

Trade / Service Type	Low CPL (Organic/Referral)	Avg. Paid CPL (Google LSA)	High CPL (Competitive PPC)
HVAC (Service/Repair)	$25 - $40	$45 - $85	$110+
HVAC (New Install)	$65 - $90	$95 - $180	$300+
Plumbing (General)	$30 - $45	$55 - $95	$130+
Plumbing (Emergency)	$40 - $60	$80 - $150	$200+
Electrical	$25 - $40	$40 - $70	$95+
Roofing (Repair)	$50 - $80	$90 - $140	$200+
Roofing (Replacement)	$100 - $150	$180 - $350	$500+

Insight: These numbers are national averages. In high-density markets like NYC, Los Angeles, or Miami, expect to pay a 30-50% premium due to competition.

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CPL vs. CAC: The "Profit Killer" Distinction

There is a critical difference between paying for a phone call and paying for a customer. Understanding this distinction is what separates $1M shops from $5M shops.

1. CPL (Cost Per Lead)

• Definition: The cost to make the phone ring.
• Who Controls It: Your Marketing Agency (or Google).
• Formula: Total Ad Spend ÷ Total Inbound Calls.

2. CAC (Customer Acquisition Cost)

• Definition: The cost to actually get a credit card on file and money in the bank.
• Who Controls It: Your Operations Team (Dispatchers).
• Formula: Total Ad Spend ÷ Total Booked Jobs.

Why this matters:
If you generate leads for cheap ($30), but your dispatcher puts customers on hold or doesn't follow up, your CAC might be $300.

• Bad Math: Blaming Google Ads for high costs.
• Good Math: Fixing your Booking Rate to lower your CAC.

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How to Track (And Lower) These Costs

You cannot improve what you do not measure. If you are spending $2,000/month on ads but don't know which calls came from Google vs. Facebook, you are flying blind.

You need FSM Software with Call Tracking and ROI Attribution.

Top Tools for Marketing Attribution:

1. ServiceTitan Marketing Pro

The "Gold Standard" for attribution. It tracks the exact ROI of every dollar. It tells you: "You spent $1000 on Google, generated 10 calls, booked 6 jobs, and made $4,500 in revenue."

• Best For: Enterprise companies ($2M+ Revenue).
• Read Review: ServiceTitan Review

2. Workiz (Best for Phones)

Workiz has a built-in VoIP phone system with "Ad Tracking" numbers. You can assign a different phone number to your flyers, your truck wrap, and your Google Ads to see which one rings the most.

• Best For: Junk Removal, Locksmith, Garage Door.
• Read Review: Workiz Review

3. Housecall Pro

Offers excellent integrations with Google Local Services Ads (LSA), allowing you to see your booking rates directly inside the dashboard.

• Best For: Residential Service (1-20 Employees).
• Read Review: Housecall Pro Review

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)