Graphic design Marketing Contribution ROI
ROI = (revenue × contribution margin − marketing cost) / marketing cost × 100
Gather project time logs, licence invoices and retainer scopes. Include creative hours, revisions, and licensed assets. The starting figures are examples. Replace them with your own records.
Formula and worked example
ROI = (revenue × contribution margin − marketing cost) / marketing cost × 100
| Input | Example |
|---|---|
| Attributed revenue | 15,000 |
| Pre-marketing contribution margin | 40 % |
| Marketing cost | 3,000 |
| Calculated result | 100 % |
Choose reliable inputs
Include software licences, delivery time, revisions and ongoing support when costing a project. For this graphic design calculation, use project time logs, licence invoices and retainer scopes and a consistent definition of one design project.
- Creative hours: include the portion belonging to this design project or reporting period, and record where the value came from.
- Revisions: include the portion belonging to this design project or reporting period, and record where the value came from.
- Licensed assets: include the portion belonging to this design project or reporting period, and record where the value came from.
Use the same currency for every money input. Do not mix weekly costs with monthly revenue, or count the same expense in both an itemised cost and allocated overhead.
How is marketing ROI different from ROAS?
ROAS divides revenue by advertising spend. This model subtracts variable delivery costs and marketing spend before calculating return.
Attribution is an input assumption; revenue is not the same as profit.
What if this input changes?
If attributed revenue rises by 10%, this example changes by 20 %. This shows the effect of one change; it does not predict what will happen.
Open the calculator, save your baseline, then change the input supported by the least reliable estimate in your records. Compare both scenarios before committing to a price or capacity promise.