Not sure what you should be spending? Here's the honest math — benchmarks, priorities, and the traps that eat budgets alive.
Most small businesses either spend almost nothing on marketing (and stay invisible) or spend erratically (and can't tell what worked). Both problems have the same fix: a small, consistent budget aimed at the right things.
A common rule of thumb is 5–10% of revenue for established businesses, more if you're new and building awareness. But percentages matter less than consistency — $500 every month beats $3,000 once a year, because marketing compounds and algorithms reward steadiness.
In order: a website that converts (it's the hub everything else depends on), your Google Business Profile and reviews (free, high impact), local SEO and content (compounds over time), then paid ads (fast, but only once the foundation can convert the clicks you're buying).
Boosting random social posts with no offer. Running ads to a slow homepage. Paying for impressions instead of leads. Quitting SEO after two months, right before it pays. Buying every shiny tool instead of doing the boring fundamentals.
Cost per customer. If you spend $300 a month and get six new customers, that's $50 each — now you can decide rationally whether to spend more. If you can't calculate that number, fix your tracking before you raise your budget.
Spend consistently, build the foundation first, and measure cost per customer. Or skip the math: the Jobaki Growth Plan covers the whole engine for $150 CAD a month.
Book a free call and we'll tell you exactly where your first marketing dollars should go.
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