Tool
Marketing budget calculator
By Umair Nawaz, founder of Lirevon Updated How we test tools
Start with the number of extra jobs you want each month. The calculator works backward to the estimates, leads and answered calls you need, and the ad budget that buys them. Then it shows what changes if you fix your answer rate before you buy more leads.
Estimates needed
–
Leads to talk to
–
Leads to pay for
–
Monthly ad budget
–
Fix the answer rate first, or buy more leads?
Same goal, same close rate, same cost per lead. Only the answer rate changes.
Buy more leads
Answer rate stays at –
- Leads to pay for
- –
- Monthly ad budget
- –
- Spent on calls nobody answers
- –
Fix answer rate first
Answer rate raised to –
- Leads to pay for
- –
- Monthly ad budget
- –
- Lower budget for the same goal
- –
Estimate only. Real results depend on season, weather, competition and how fast you follow up. Fixing the answer rate has its own cost (staff, an answering service or a system like ours); compare that cost with the saving shown.
The formula
- Estimates needed = extra jobs ÷ close rate
- Leads to talk to = estimates needed ÷ lead-to-estimate rate
- Leads to pay for = leads to talk to ÷ answer rate
- Monthly ad budget = leads to pay for × cost per lead
- Spent on unanswered calls = monthly ad budget × (1 − answer rate)
In our October 2026 check of 6,842 tree companies, 92% of the websites we checked had no way to text the business. A caller who cannot reach you and cannot text you often calls the next company. Our missed-call text-back and AI receptionist are one way to raise the answer rate; Core is $497 a month. We cannot promise a set answer rate for your line.
Questions owners ask
How does the marketing budget calculator work?
It works backward from your goal. Extra jobs divided by your close rate gives the estimates you need. Estimates divided by your lead-to-estimate rate gives the leads you must talk to. Those divided by your answer rate gives the leads you must pay for. Times your cost per lead, that is the monthly budget.
What cost per lead should I type in?
Use your own number from past ad invoices or your ad dashboard: total spend divided by calls and forms received. If you have never run ads, ask the platform or an agency for a quote for your area. We do not suggest a figure because it changes by platform, market, job type and season.
Why does the answer rate change the budget so much?
Ad platforms charge for the lead whether you pick up or not. If one in four calls goes unanswered, one in four ad dollars buys nothing. Raising the answer rate means each dollar reaches more real conversations.
Where does the default answer rate of 73% come from?
Invoca reports that about 27% of calls to home-service businesses go unanswered, so 73% is a starting point only. Your own line may be better or worse. Our free answer rate test helps you measure it over one week.
What close rate should I use?
Your own. Count the estimates you gave last month and the ones that turned into paid jobs. If you do not track it, start this month. The default in the tool is only an example.
Does the budget include crew, fuel or my time?
No. It is ad spend only. To see profit after ads, use the lead cost estimator, which adds your job value and gross margin.
Is the result a promise of jobs?
No. It is an estimate from the numbers you type. Real results move with season, weather, competition and how fast you follow up.
Is anything I type sent to Lirevon?
No. The tool runs in your browser. Your inputs are remembered on this device only, so the page loads with your numbers next time. Nothing is sent to us.
Want the plain meaning of the terms? Read about cost per lead, answer rate, plans for growing tree companies and our offers.
Related tools and pages
- Google Local Services Ads budget planner: plan a weekly LSA budget.
- Answer rate test: measure your real answer rate over one week.
- All free tools, our services, pricing, free audit and the 30-second check.