Start Your Marketing Budget Now. Grow All Next Year.
Every January, the same thing happens. A business owner looks at the new year, decides it’s time to grow, and starts figuring out what to spend.
Here’s the problem: by January, the businesses that are going to out-grow you have already made their marketing plans months ago.
The businesses that plan their spending in the fall walk into the new year with a head start. The ones that wait, spend the first quarter catching up.
This is your reminder to be in the first group. Here’s how.
Why Fall Is a Good Time to Start
Bigger companies start sketching next year’s budget in September. By November, it’s locked.
There’s a good reason to start planning now: you’re giving yourself time to actually plan. You can review this year’s results, dig into what worked and what didn’t, research new opportunities, evaluate vendors and proposals, and decide where your budget needs to go before the new year begins.
Waiting until January means spending the first quarter planning instead of putting that plan into action.
Start With One Question
Before you touch a single number, answer this: what does next year need to look like?
Not in vague terms. In real ones. How many more jobs, customers, or projects? One new hire? A second truck? A second location?
Growth has a price tag. Your growth is made up of goals. Your goals have a budget, and your budget is determined by working backward from the growth that you want.
A Simple Way to Set the Number
There’s no one-size-fits-all marketing budget. A good place to start is by looking at where your business is now and what you want to accomplish next year:
- Holding steady? Plan around 5% of revenue for staying visible, reaching new customers, and keeping existing ones engaged.
- Ready to grow? If you want more leads, customers, or jobs, plan closer to 8–10%.
- Launching something new? A new business, new location, new service, or even a new website or major refresh may require more upfront investment.
The goal isn’t to pick a percentage and call it done. Build your budget around what you actually want to accomplish next year, then make sure you have the money budgeted to support it throughout the year.
The Trap to Avoid
When money gets tight, the first thing most owners cut is the money that brings in customers.
It feels responsible. It’s usually the most expensive mistake of the year.
Because when you go quiet, your phone doesn’t ring less right away. It rings less three months later, right when you need it most. Then you spend twice as much trying to restart what you shut off.
The businesses that keep showing up during slow seasons are the ones that own the busy ones.
Your Homework
Block an hour this month to look back at this year and plan for the next. Start with three questions:
- What was your best month this year, and what contributed to it?
- What do you want next year to look like, in real numbers?
- How much did you spend on marketing this year, and what did it actually generate?
If you don’t have a clear answer to that last question, you’re not alone. It’s a good place to start. Knowing what you’re spending now, and what’s working, gives you a much better foundation for deciding where to invest next year.
Want a Second Set of Eyes?
That’s what we’re here for. We’ll help you turn your goals into a real plan for next year.
