Quick answer: how many jobs cover a marketing plan?
Divide the monthly marketing cost by what one job leaves you, then round up to a whole job. In the examples below, a $1,197 plan is recovered by 5 to 7 additional completed jobs a month on a net-profit estimate. Month one takes more, because of the $1,000 setup.
What is the break-even formula for a contractor?
There are two useful versions. The standard one divides the marketing cost by the contribution from one added job: collected revenue minus that job's direct costs. The stricter one divides by net profit per job, which spreads your overhead over every job. Both round up to whole jobs.
- Standard break-even. Marketing cost ÷ (collected revenue per job − direct cost of that job).
- Net-profit estimate. Marketing cost ÷ (average ticket × net profit margin), using the margin from before this marketing cost.
- First month. Add the one-time setup fee to the cost before dividing.
The tables below use the net-profit estimate, the stricter of the two for most shops. To run both with your own numbers, use the free contractor break-even calculator.
What do the numbers look like for HVAC, plumbing and electrical?
In these worked examples, a $1,197 plan needs 5 to 7 added service jobs a month, and a $2,497 plan needs fewer large jobs because each one leaves more. The tickets and margins are illustrations only. They are not Phoenix price benchmarks, so swap in your own.
HVAC
Long cooling seasons across Glendale, Peoria and Phoenix keep AC repair and replacement calls coming for much of the year.
| Plan | Monthly cost | Example ticket | Example net margin | Net profit per job | Jobs to recover the monthly cost | First month, with $1,000 setup |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Local SEO & AI Search | $1,197/mo | $1,800 (AC repair or maintenance) | 15% | $270 | 5 jobs/month | 9 jobs |
| Local Growth | $2,497/mo | $7,500 (full system change-out) | 12% | $900 | 3 jobs/month | 4 jobs |
Plumbing
Slab leaks, drain service, water heaters and repipes are common calls across West Valley homes.
| Plan | Monthly cost | Example ticket | Example net margin | Net profit per job | Jobs to recover the monthly cost | First month, with $1,000 setup |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Local SEO & AI Search | $1,197/mo | $1,350 (slab leak or drain service) | 18% | $243 | 5 jobs/month | 10 jobs |
| Local Growth | $2,497/mo | $4,200 (repipe or water heater) | 12% | $504 | 5 jobs/month | 7 jobs |
Electrical
Panel repairs, service upgrades and EV charger circuits make up much of the residential electrical work.
| Plan | Monthly cost | Example ticket | Example net margin | Net profit per job | Jobs to recover the monthly cost | First month, with $1,000 setup |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Local SEO & AI Search | $1,197/mo | $950 (panel repair or EV charger) | 18% | $171 | 7 jobs/month | 13 jobs |
| Local Growth | $2,497/mo | $3,800 (service upgrade or rewire) | 12% | $456 | 6 jobs/month | 8 jobs |
Job counts are rounded up, since you cannot complete part of a job. Where one line covers very different work, such as a drain call and a slab leak, run each job type on its own.
What should a trade owner take from this?
Judge marketing by added, completed, paid jobs. In the service examples here, two additional completed jobs a month cover about 29% to 45% of a $1,197 monthly cost, before the setup fee. Calls and quotes only count once they turn into finished work.
- A missed call is not a lost job. Some callers would not have booked. Count the share that books and completes, not every ring.
- Count added jobs only. Jobs you would have won anyway do not pay for the marketing.
- Check your capacity. If the plan needs seven more service calls and your crew has room for four, the math does not work at that job mix.
- Month to month keeps it honest. With no long-term contract, you can compare each month's cost with what its jobs netted.
Questions Phoenix-area contractors ask
How many jobs does a Phoenix-area contractor need to pay for marketing?
It depends on what one job leaves you. In the worked examples on this page, a $1,197 monthly plan is recovered by 5 to 7 additional completed jobs a month using a net-profit estimate. Your own ticket size and job costs will change the number.
Should I use net profit or contribution margin?
Use both. Contribution, what you collect minus the direct cost of that one job, is the standard break-even measure for added work. A net-profit estimate spreads overhead across every job and is usually the stricter test. The free calculator shows the two side by side.
Does the first month cost more to recover?
Yes. Every Mandile SEO local SEO plan has a $1,000 one-time setup. In the HVAC example that means 9 jobs in month one instead of 5 in an ongoing month.
Are these typical Phoenix prices?
No. The tickets and margins are illustrative inputs to show the math. They are not regional price benchmarks or client results. Replace them with your own collected revenue and job-costing numbers.
Can marketing guarantee I reach break-even?
No. Break-even math tells you the target a plan has to hit. It does not predict how many jobs any marketing will bring in. No one can promise a ranking, a lead count or a date.
Run it with your own numbers
Open the break-even calculator, or see the Local SEO & AI Search plans.