“My accountant knows that”
We talk to business owners every week. Ask how their revenue is built, and many say: “My accountant knows that.” The accountant knows what happened last month. Running a business means deciding what happens next.
And that comes down to two numbers:
That’s it. Ads, the website, staff, discounts, photos, reviews — they all affect your business through these two levers only: how many times people buy and how much they pay each time. You can cut costs, but costs have a floor. Sales and ticket don’t.
Your numbers today
Now pull the levers
Costs stay put. Only the number of sales and the average ticket move.
A simplified model: fixed costs stay flat, variable costs stay the same % of the ticket. In real life more sales may need more staff or ads — factor that in yourself.
Why profit grows faster than revenue
Move both levers by 10%. Revenue grows 21%: 1.1 × 1.1 = 1.21. Profit grows much more. The reason is simple: rent and payroll don’t go up because you sold more. Once fixed costs are covered, almost every extra sale drops to profit.
That’s why two small wins — a few more customers and a slightly higher ticket — usually beat one big painful move, like slashing costs.
How to move the number of sales
- Get found. Google, Google Maps and now ChatGPT — that’s where customers decide who to call. If you’re not there, you’re not in the running.
- Get chosen. A site that answers questions, fresh photos, reviews, clear prices. More of the same visitors become customers.
- Reply fast. An inquiry answered tomorrow has often gone to a competitor today.
- Bring them back. Repeat purchases and referrals are the cheapest sales you’ll ever make.
How to raise the average ticket
- Packages and tiers. “Basic / best / premium” — many people pick the middle, not the cheapest.
- Add-ons. Ceramic coating with film, dessert with dinner, aftercare with a treatment. Offer what genuinely helps.
- Presentation. Great photos, a strong brand and a polished website justify the price before the first call.
- Fewer discounts. A 10% discount on a 30% margin wipes out a third of the profit on that sale.
One more customer a month is worth $0 in profit a year.
The calculator is a snapshot. Your income moves every day.
MoneyWorks Lite is the income tracker we built for freelancers and small business owners: rolling 30-day income, daily average, yearly pace and a forecast — on your phone and in a home-screen widget. Free to download, with 7 days of Pro included.
Common questions
How do I calculate my business revenue?
Revenue = number of sales in a period × average ticket. Profit = revenue − costs: variable costs (which grow with each sale) and fixed costs (the same every month).
My accountant handles the numbers. Why should I?
An accountant reports what already happened. How to get more sales and raise the ticket is the owner’s call — and it starts with knowing the two numbers.
Isn’t it easier to cut costs?
Sometimes it’s worth it. But costs have a floor — rent never goes to zero. Growth in sales and ticket has no such ceiling, and profit grows faster because fixed costs stay the same.
What is the break-even point?
The number of sales a month at which revenue covers all costs. Everything above it is profit. The calculator works it out for you.
One customer from Google can pay for your website. Here’s the math.
For a business with a ticket in the thousands, one customer from search is enough for a website to pay off. A calculator on your own numbers.