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Look, I’m going to level with you.

Most business owners have no idea where their money actually comes from. They have a vague sense of “what’s working,” but when you push them for specifics, they start talking about gut feelings and vibes.

That’s not a business strategy. That’s a wish list with a bank account.

Here’s what I know after working with hundreds of businesses: there’s almost always 20-40% more revenue sitting in your business right now. You’re just not looking in the right places. You’re too busy putting out fires, chasing the next shiny tactic, or convincing yourself that you need to “scale” before you can actually make money.

So today, I’m walking you through the exact 90-minute revenue audit I run with clients who pay me very real money to figure this stuff out. You’re getting it for free. Do with it what you will.

Why Most Revenue Audits Are Garbage

Before we get into the good stuff, let me tell you why most people screw this up.

They make it too complicated. They build seventeen spreadsheets, track forty-two metrics, and then never look at the data again because it’s overwhelming. Or they go the opposite direction and just glance at their Stripe dashboard once a month, shrug, and hope things improve.

Both approaches miss the point.

A real revenue audit isn’t about tracking every microscopic detail. It’s about finding the three to five levers that actually move the needle, then pulling those levers until something breaks (in a good way).

This audit is designed to be fast, actionable, and impossible to ignore. Ninety minutes. That’s it. And by the end, you’ll know exactly where to focus your energy for the next 30 days.

The Three Layers of Revenue (And Why You’re Probably Ignoring Two of Them)

Here’s the framework. Your revenue comes from three places:

Most people obsess over number one. They think the answer to every problem is “more traffic” or “better ads” or “another launch.”

Meanwhile, numbers two and three are sitting there like forgotten stepchildren, just waiting for someone to pay attention to them.

Here’s the truth: getting a new customer costs five to seven times more than selling to an existing one. And reactivating an old customer? That’s the easiest money you’ll ever make because they already know, like, and trust you. They just forgot you existed.

So in this audit, we’re going to look at all three layers. And I’d bet money that when you’re done, you’re going to find your biggest opportunity isn’t where you thought it was.

Step One: Map Your Current Revenue Sources (20 Minutes)

Grab a spreadsheet. Nothing fancy. Just three columns: Source, Revenue (Last 90 Days), and Percentage of Total.

Now list every single way money comes into your business. Not what you wish was working. What actually is working.

Here’s what this might look like:

Total: $75,000

Do this for your business right now. Real numbers. Last 90 days.

What you’re looking for here is concentration. If one revenue source is over 60% of your total, you’ve got a single point of failure. That’s not necessarily bad, but it means you’re one algorithm change, one market shift, or one pissed-off customer away from a very bad month.

You’re also looking for surprises. Maybe that “little” upsell you barely promote is doing 16% of your revenue. Maybe that affiliate deal you set up six months ago and forgot about is quietly printing money.

The things that surprise you are usually where the opportunity lives.

Step Two: Calculate Your Real Customer Value (15 Minutes)

This is where people get squeamish because it requires actual math. But it’s simple math. I promise.

You need to know three numbers:

Multiply those together and you get Customer Lifetime Value (LTV).

Example:

Now, here’s where it gets interesting.

Most businesses have wildly different LTV across different customer segments. The people who buy your $50 thing and disappear are not the same as the people who buy your $2,000 thing and refer three friends.

So break it down. Look at your top 20% of customers. What’s their LTV? Now look at the bottom 50%. What’s theirs?

This is going to hurt a little, but it’s necessary. Because once you see the gap, you can start asking better questions. Like: “What if I just focused on attracting more people who look like my top 20%?” or “What would happen if I fired my bottom 20% of customers?”

Yeah. I said it. Sometimes the best revenue decision is subtraction, not addition.

Step Three: Find the Leaks in Your Funnel (25 Minutes)

Now we’re going to figure out where you’re hemorrhaging money.

Every business has a funnel. Even if you don’t call it that. It’s just the journey someone takes from “I’ve never heard of you” to “Here’s my credit card.”

Draw yours out. Doesn’t have to be pretty. Just map the steps.

For a simple business, it might look like this:

For a more complex business:

Now, pull your conversion rates for each step.

This is where most people realize they’ve been optimizing the wrong thing.

You’ve been obsessing over getting more traffic to your landing page, but your landing page converts at 2% when it should be converting at 15%. Or you’ve been tweaking your sales emails when the real problem is that only 30% of people who register for your webinar actually show up.

Here’s a dirty little secret: a 10% improvement in your conversion rate is worth more than a 50% increase in traffic. And it’s easier to get.

So look at your funnel. Find the step with the worst conversion rate. That’s your bottleneck. That’s where you focus.

Step Four: Identify Your Expansion Opportunities (15 Minutes)

Alright, now let’s talk about the people who already gave you money. What else could you sell them?

This is the layer most people completely ignore, and it’s insane because these are the warmest leads you’ll ever have.

Make a list of every product or service you offer. Now, next to each one, write down what the logical next step would be for someone who buys it.

Example:

If you don’t have a clear next step for every product, you’re leaving money on the table. Period.

Here’s what I want you to do: pick one product. Just one. And create an upsell or cross-sell for it this week. Not next month. This week.

It doesn’t have to be fancy. It doesn’t have to be a whole new offer. It could be as simple as: “Hey, you just bought X. Most people who buy X also need Y. Want me to send you details?”

I’ve seen businesses add $10K-$30K a month just by doing this one thing.

Step Five: Resurrect Your Dead List (15 Minutes)

Now let’s talk about the people who used to buy from you but stopped.

Go into your CRM or email platform. Pull a list of everyone who:

This is your reactivation list. And it’s pure gold.

These people already know you. They already trust you. They already handed you money once. Something just happened. Life got in the way, they forgot about you, or they didn’t see the right offer at the right time.

Your job is to remind them you exist.

Here’s the email I want you to send this week:

Subject: “Quick question...”

Body: “Hey [Name],

I noticed you grabbed [product/service] back in [month/year], but I haven’t heard from you in a while.

Just checking in. Are you still working on [the problem your product solves]? Or did you move on to something else?

If you’re still in the game, I’ve got some new stuff that might help. If not, no worries. Either way, I’d love to know.

Hit reply and let me know where you’re at.

[Your Name]”

Send that to your reactivation list. You’ll get responses. Some will buy. Some will tell you they’re not interested anymore. Both outcomes are valuable.

The ones who buy? Easy money. The ones who aren’t interested? You stop wasting time and energy marketing to them.

What to Do With What You Just Found

By now, you should have a pretty clear picture of where your revenue is actually coming from and where the biggest opportunities are.

Here’s how you prioritize:

The businesses that win aren’t the ones with the fanciest funnels or the biggest ad budgets. They’re the ones that know their numbers, fix the leaks, and actually do the obvious stuff that everyone else is too busy to do.

The One Thing I Want You to Walk Away With

If you only remember one thing from this, make it this:

You don’t need a new strategy. You need to execute the one you already have, but better.

Most of the revenue you’re looking for is already in your business. It’s in the customers you already have, the offers you already built, and the lists you already own.

Stop chasing new traffic, new platforms, and new tactics. Start squeezing more value out of what you’ve already got.

That’s how you go from “making money” to “making real money.”

One More Thing

If you want help actually implementing this (because let’s be honest, reading about it and doing it are two very different things), reply with the word AUDIT and I’ll send you our complete Revenue Audit Template with all the worksheets, formulas, and step-by-step instructions. It’s the exact system we use with clients who pay $5K+ for this process.

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Now go run your audit. And then actually do something with what you find.

See you Wednesday.

Dan

P.S. I am taking on 4 businesses in February to install my ‘Dead Simple Growth’ operating system. We fix your clarity, strategy, and execution in 30 days. Reply ‘GROWTH’ if you want the details.