Know what a customer is worth over their lifetime.
What LTV is, and how to use it
Customer lifetime value is the total revenue one customer brings over the whole time they keep buying, not just their first order. For repeat-purchase and subscription brands it is the number that justifies acquisition spend. The math is direct: average order value times purchases per year times customer lifespan in years. A $60 order, three times a year, for two years is $360 in revenue LTV.
Revenue LTV sizes the relationship, but you cannot spend revenue you never keep. Multiply by your gross margin to get profit LTV, the amount you can actually reinvest. At 60% margin that same customer is worth $216 in gross profit. This is the figure to put next to acquisition cost, which is why the calculator uses gross-margin LTV for the ratio whenever you enter a margin.
The LTV:CAC ratio is the payoff. The classic target is 3:1: a customer worth about three times what you paid to acquire them. Below 1:1 you lose money, and well above 5:1 can mean you are underspending on growth. Pair this with the CAC calculator to nail both sides of the equation.
Raising LTV comes down to a higher AOV, more frequent orders, or a longer lifespan, and all three start with understanding why people buy and where they churn. The fastest way to surface those reasons is scraping what your customers actually say. See pricing for what Adlicio unlocks.
Customer LTV calculator FAQ
What is customer lifetime value (LTV)?
How do you calculate LTV for ecommerce?
What is a good LTV to CAC ratio?
Should I use revenue LTV or profit LTV against CAC?
How can I increase customer lifetime value?
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You know what a customer is worth. Now win the first order.
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