Client Lifetime Value
Client Lifetime Value (CLV) measures the total revenue a client generates over your entire relationship. It's one of the most important metrics for a sustainable creative business.
Viewing CLV
Go to Money > Reports > Client Value. Each client is listed with:
- Total revenue — all payments received across all projects
- Number of bookings — how many sessions they've booked
- Average booking value — total revenue divided by bookings
- First booking date — when the relationship started
- Last booking date — most recent session
- Referrals — clients they've referred to you (if tracked)
Understanding the Data
Sort by total revenue to see your most valuable clients. But don't just look at the top — the data reveals patterns:
- Repeat clients — who comes back year after year?
- Upsell potential — who started with a mini session and now books full packages?
- Referral value — some clients bring in more revenue through referrals than direct bookings
- Dormant clients — who hasn't booked in over a year but has high past value?
Using CLV for Business Decisions
- Invest in retention — it costs 5x more to acquire a new client than retain an existing one. Send personal follow-ups to high-CLV clients.
- Calculate acquisition cost — if your average CLV is $3,000, spending $200 on marketing to acquire that client is a great return.
- Identify your ideal client — your highest-CLV clients define who you should be marketing to.
- Create loyalty programs — offer perks or discounts to repeat clients to increase their lifetime value.
Increasing Client Lifetime Value
- Follow up after every session with a personal note
- Offer annual session reminders
- Create milestone packages (newborn, six months, first birthday)
- Reward referrals with credits or discounts
Understanding CLV shifts your focus from chasing new leads to nurturing existing relationships — which is where the real money is.