10/01/2026
We wish there were a magic percentage we could give every business owner.
There isn't.
Because a business trying to maintain steady growth shouldn't necessarily have the same marketing budget as a brand-new company trying to introduce itself to the market. And a company planning to double in size probably needs a different investment than one that's perfectly happy where it is.
So instead of starting with, “How little can we spend on marketing?” we like to start with a few different questions:
•What are you trying to accomplish this year?
•How quickly are you trying to grow?
•How competitive is your market?
•How much awareness already exists around your brand?
•What marketing pieces do you already have in place?
•And, maybe most importantly, what would a new customer actually be worth to your business?
Your marketing budget should support the goals you've set for the business.
And remember, “marketing budget” isn't just ad spend. It includes your website, branding, social media, SEO, email, photography and video, advertising, print materials, events, sponsorships, and the people doing the work on those efforts.
There are industry benchmarks you can use as a starting point, but they're exactly that: a starting point.