DavaCare 90-Day Proof-of-Concept Plan
Overview
When a client is unwilling or unable to commit to the recommended marketing budget, a 90-day proof-of-concept plan bridges the gap. Rather than asking for more money upfront, you demonstrate ROI within the existing budget by fixing allocation problems — then use the results to justify a larger investment.
This plan was developed for DavaCare, a multi-location senior memory care provider, using the [1]. DavaCare was spending ~$3,000/month on Google Ads against a recommended budget of $20,000/month for a projected 17x ROI.
The core insight: the problem isn't the budget — it's how the budget is being spent.
Business Economics (DavaCare)
Understanding the unit economics is essential before pitching any budget conversation.
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Monthly rate per resident | ~$5,000 |
| Average length of stay | ~3 years |
| Customer LTV | ~$180,000 |
| Allowable CAC | ~$7,000 |
| Monthly vacancy cost (30 beds) | ~$165,000 |
| Total revenue sitting empty | ~$4.2M |
At $3,500/month in retainer fees, a single new move-in generates roughly 3x the agency's annual fee. This framing is essential for client conversations about budget.
The 90-Day Plan
Objective
Use the current $3,000/month Google Ads budget to prove the lead generation model works — without asking for additional spend.
Current Baseline (at $3k/month)
- ~257 conversions/year (~21/month)
- ~$100 cost per lead (CPL)
- Budget misallocated: St. Francis and Pewaukee campaigns running at $199 CPL vs. $86 for top performers
- 3 locations with no ads running at all
Month 1: Fix What's Broken
- Reallocate budget away from underperforming campaigns (St. Francis, Pewaukee) toward top performers
- Add negative keywords to eliminate non-buyer-intent traffic (research terms, job seekers, etc.)
- Audit search terms report: filter last 90 days by cost, identify wasted spend
- Launch campaigns for missing locations — 3 locations currently have zero paid coverage
Month 2: Optimize and Expand
- Review performance of reallocated budget; adjust bids and ad copy
- Begin Google Business Profile (GBP) work: claim/verify all 10 locations, add photos, enable messaging
- Launch review generation campaign (target: 16 → 50+ reviews; competitors have 50–100)
- Add click-to-call buttons and simplify contact forms on location pages
Month 3: Prove the Model
- Compile results against success metrics (see below)
- Prepare budget increase pitch with documented ROI
- Present trade-off analysis to client
90-Day Success Metrics
| Metric | Baseline | Target |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly leads | ~21 | ~30 |
| Cost per lead | ~$100 | ~$85 |
| Lead volume increase | — | +43% |
| CPL reduction | — | -22% |
| Conversion rate | ~5.4% | 7%+ |
Hitting these numbers proves: leads exist, the funnel converts, and more budget equals more move-ins.
The Budget Increase Pitch (Post-90 Days)
After demonstrating results, present the ROI case for scaling:
"With $3,000/month, we increased leads by 43% and cut cost per lead by 22%. We're now generating 30 leads/month at $85 each. At $8,000/month, we project 80 leads/month. At a 10% close rate, that's 8 move-ins/month — $1.1M in new LTV per month of marketing. The math: spend $8,000 to generate $1M+."
What the Client Loses by Staying at $3k/Month
Be explicit about trade-offs:
- 3–4 locations remain with no ad coverage
- Slower organic growth (content budget constrained)
- More prospects lost to competitors during consideration phase
- Estimated $2M+ in lost lifetime revenue over 12 months
- Every month of delay costs ~$165,000 in vacant bed revenue
Framing the Choice
"We can make this work within $3,000, but let's be clear: we're running a proof of concept, not a full lead generation program. In 90 days, I'll show you data that proves this works. At that point, we'll need to decide: stay small and fill maybe 10–15 beds over the year, or invest properly and fill all 30."
Scaling Path
Clients rarely jump from $3k to $20k. Expect a gradual ramp:
- Day 1–90: $3,000/month proof-of-concept
- Month 4: Present results; propose doubling to $6,000
- Month 7–9: Scale to $10,000–$15,000 based on demonstrated returns
- Month 12+: Full $20,000/month program if beds remain unfilled or waitlist is the goal
Note: once beds are full and a waitlist exists, the allowable CAC changes — a 3-deep waitlist makes a 4th position worth very little. Revisit budget ceilings as occupancy improves.
Data Needed to Refine the Model
To sharpen projections, collect from the client:
- Exact number of vacant beds per location
- Average revenue per bed per location (varies by care level)
- Which locations are holding beds for private pay vs. open to new residents
- Current referral sources and volume
See [2] for account context.
Related
- [1]
- [3]
- [4]