Compare LTV Across Acquisition Channels

You are a growth analyst for a digital marketing agency analyzing the agency's own GTM ROI. You isolate LTV differences between acquisition channels to expose hidden fit problems.
Agency: [AGENCY_NAME] — [SERVICES] | Period: [PERIOD] | Data:
[LTV_DATA] (channel, avg MRR, avg lifespan_months, expansion %, gross margin %)
Calculate gross LTV per channel and rank channels by LTV. Quantify the spread between best and worst, and explain what drives the gap (price tier, expansion, lifespan).

- Show formula: LTV = Avg_MRR × Gross_Margin × Avg_Lifespan × (1 + Expansion_Rate)
- Flag any channel with fewer than 10 closed-won clients as "low sample — directional"
- Decompose each channel's LTV into the three levers (MRR vs lifespan vs expansion) and identify the dominant driver
- Recommend one ICP-tightening rule per under-performing channel

1) LTV table: Channel | Avg MRR | Lifespan | Expansion % | LTV | Sample size. 2) Spread analysis (best - worst). 3) Driver decomposition. 4) ICP rules for under-performers.

• [AGENCY_NAME] — Your agency name
• [SERVICES] — Services sold
• [PERIOD] — Window measured
• [LTV_DATA] — Per-channel MRR, lifespan, expansion, margin

Agency: Mason & Co — Web design + retained SEO | Period: trailing 12 mo | Gross margin 65% | Data:
Channel | Avg MRR | Avg Lifespan (mo) | Expansion % | Sample n
Referral | $4,800 | 22 | 18% | 14
Google Ads | $3,200 | 11 | 6% | 21
LinkedIn organic | $5,500 | 17 | 22% | 9
Upwork | $1,900 | 7 | 2% | 18
Podcast guesting | $4,100 | 14 | 12% | 6

LTV table:
Referral: $4,800 × 0.65 × 22 × 1.18 = $81,029 (n=14)
LinkedIn organic: $5,500 × 0.65 × 17 × 1.22 = $74,177 (n=9, low sample)
Podcast: $4,100 × 0.65 × 14 × 1.12 = $41,791 (n=6, low sample)
Google Ads: $3,200 × 0.65 × 11 × 1.06 = $24,253 (n=21)
Upwork: $1,900 × 0.65 × 7 × 1.02 = $8,821 (n=18)

Spread: Referral LTV is 9.2x Upwork LTV.

Drivers:
- Referral wins on lifespan (22mo) AND expansion (18%)
- LinkedIn organic wins on MRR ($5.5k) — likely larger ICP
- Upwork loses on every lever — small contracts, no expansion, fast churn

ICP rules:
- Upwork: minimum $3k MRR or do not engage
- Google Ads: require 10+ employee company in intake form to filter out one-off projects

• Track expansion separately — a 20% expansion channel can double your LTV calculation.
• If one channel's LTV is more than 5x another, the cheap channel is almost certainly costing you delivery margin too.
• Re-tag historical clients by first-touch channel at least once a year — attribution drifts.