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How much should you spend on marketing — and where should it go?

Every owner runs into the same two questions, and guessing at either one is expensive. Answer four questions below and get a monthly figure built on the same benchmarks we use when we scope a client plan — plus a split showing where those dollars belong.

Three minutes on what the number means — or skip it and scroll to the calculator.

Free tool

Marketing Budget Calculator

Run your number

Tell us about the business and get a monthly and annual figure in about ten seconds — plus the split showing roughly where those dollars belong. Built on the benchmark table we use when we scope a real client plan.

  1. Your business Industry, what you want this year, how competitive your market is, revenue and how many locations you run.
  2. Your number A monthly figure and the annual total, the share of revenue it represents, and how it splits across the four areas that matter.
  3. Your plan, if you want it We put together what that budget should actually go toward in your market and walk you through it. Optional, and free.

A benchmark for 253 industries, not a quote. The figure is yours to keep whether or not we ever speak.

Your monthly budget

$—

Your annual budget

$—

Add your industry and revenue to see the figure.

    A benchmark, not a quote. Nothing is stored until you ask for the plan.

    How it works

    Three things the number is built on

    Illustration: calculator, cash and a rising chart — the inputs behind a marketing budget
    01 — Category

    Different trades, different norms

    A professional services firm and an e-commerce brand are not in the same business. Benchmarks run from about 3% at the low end to 32% for software scaling hard.

    02 — Goal

    Holding, growing or taking share

    Maintaining costs roughly half of what scaling costs. Most of the gap is paid media, because that's the lever that moves fastest.

    03 — Competition

    Where in the band you land

    Low competition puts you at the floor of the range, high puts you at the ceiling. In Phoenix, most trades sit at the top.

    FAQ

    Questions about the number

    Is a percentage of revenue really how this works?
    It's the starting point, not the whole answer. A share of revenue sets a sensible range; where you land inside it depends on how competitive your market is, how much ground you're making up, and whether you're defending a position or taking one. The calculator handles the first part and the audit handles the second.
    Does ad spend count toward this number?
    Yes. The figure is total marketing — agency fees, ad spend, creative, software, the lot. For most local service businesses running paid ads, spend is the larger half of it.
    What if I'm spending far less than this?
    Plenty of businesses are, and some are fine. It usually means growth is coming from referrals and repeat work rather than marketing, which is a good position until it stops. The number matters most when you have a growth target that referrals won't cover.
    What if the number looks impossible?
    Then start with the channel that pays back fastest in your trade and build from there. We'd rather tell you to spend $1,500 well than $6,000 badly. That conversation is the free audit.
    Where do these percentages come from?
    They're the benchmark table we use internally when scoping plans, built from category norms and fifteen years of running these accounts in Arizona. They're published here rather than kept behind a sales call.
    Do you store what I enter?
    No. The calculation happens in your browser. Nothing is sent to us, saved, or used to follow you around the internet.
    What should my marketing budget be?
    The benchmark is a share of annual revenue, set by your category and how fast you want to grow — roughly 5–8% for a home service business holding steady, 12–20% for one scaling hard, and higher for e-commerce. Competition in your market decides where in that band you land. Our marketing budget calculator gives you a monthly figure in about ten seconds, free and with nothing to fill in.