And, of course, don't overlook the federal government's sites, such as the Small Business Administration , the U.S. Census Bureau and FedStats . As mentioned, research companies' reports vary widely, so review their methodologies and select data most appropriate to your situation. The goal here is twofold. Keep in mind as well that successful attainment of benchmarks is founded on your company's executive commitment to a rational advertising budget and effort, logical expectations and goals, and the level of your hands-on involvement and maintenance. The formulas provided here are offered only as guidance and tools for your projections.
Different people use different methods.
As you monitor your advertising performance and obtain real results, continually fine-tune your principal quantifiers or reference points until they become as reliable as possible. And, of course, tailor these formulas and examples by plugging in numbers that coincide more closely with your own business and financial circumstances and expectations. Here's an example of how to project what you can afford to spend on leads. Estimated budget equals estimated acquisitions times unit cost. Let's say you want your online campaign to generate 50 quality leads daily or 1,500 leads monthly.