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.
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.
Use the current $3,000/month Google Ads budget to prove the lead generation model works — without asking for additional spend.
| 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.
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+."
Be explicit about trade-offs:
"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."
Clients rarely jump from $3k to $20k. Expect a gradual ramp:
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.
To sharpen projections, collect from the client:
See [2] for account context.