Master your customer value metrics. Calculate, track, and optimize your Customer Lifetime Value (LTV) across all customer segments.
Customer Lifetime Value (LTV) is a crucial metric that predicts the total revenue a business can expect from a single customer account throughout the business relationship. It helps businesses make decisions about customer acquisition and retention spending.
Average Order Value × Purchase Frequency × Customer Lifespan
The basic LTV formula shows how much revenue you can expect from a customer over their entire relationship with your business.
Example:
$100 × 4 purchases/year × 3 years = $1,200 LTV
Customer Lifetime Value varies significantly across industries due to factors like purchase frequency, average order value, and customer retention rates. Here's a breakdown of typical LTV ranges by industry:
Improve customer retention through:
Increase transaction values with:
Encourage repeat purchases through:
Enhance overall experience with:
Common calculation mistakes include:
Segmentation oversights include:
Data quality issues include:
Strategic mistakes include:
Advanced prediction techniques:
Segment customers by:
Different channels require different approaches:
Direct Sales
E-commerce
Beyond the basic LTV formula, these advanced calculations provide deeper insights into customer value:
LTV × Gross Margin
Profit-Adjusted LTV shows the actual profit potential of a customer.
Example:
$1,200 LTV × 40% margin = $480 profit LTV
LTV ÷ CAC
LTV:CAC Ratio helps determine the efficiency of your customer acquisition spending.
Example:
$1,200 LTV ÷ $300 CAC = 4:1 ratio
Revenue × (Retention Rate ÷ [1 + Discount Rate - Retention Rate])
Discounted LTV accounts for the time value of money in future revenue.
Example:
$100 × (80% ÷ [1 + 10% - 80%]) = $267 DLTV
Average Order Value × (1 ÷ [1 - Repeat Purchase Rate])
Repeat Purchase LTV predicts value based on repeat purchase behavior.
Example:
$100 × (1 ÷ [1 - 0.3]) = $143 repeat LTV