Many small business owners wear a lot of hats. You're the CEO, CFO, and head of HR all rolled into one. And while you may be a marketing expert, it's easy to get bogged down in the day-to-day and lose sight of your company's big-picture marketing goals. That's why it's important to periodically step back and assess your marketing spend. If you're asking yourself whether you're spending too much on marketing, chances are you probably are. But don't worry, we're here to help. Keep reading to learn how to tell if you're spending too much on marketing, and what you can do about it.
If you don't have a branding strategy, chances are you're spending too much on marketing. A branding strategy is critical for small businesses because it helps you focus your limited resources on the most effective channels and tactics. Without a branding strategy, you'll likely end up wasting money on ineffective marketing campaigns that don't move the needle for your business. Not sure where to start? Check out our post on developing a small business branding strategy.
If you're not tracking your results, you'll never know if your marketing spend is paying off. Make sure you're tracking key performance indicators (KPIs) like website traffic, leads generated, and ROI for every campaign or project. This will ensure that you always know which marketing activities are producing results and which ones aren't worth your time or money. Not sure which KPIs to track? Check out our post on setting SMART marketing goals for more information.
While paid advertising can be an effective way to reach new customers, it should only be one piece of your overall marketing strategy—and it shouldn't be your primary focus. Relying too heavily on paid advertising can lead to significant waste if you're not careful. That's because paid ads only work if they're well-targeted and properly tracked (see points 1 and 2 above). In other words, unless you have a clear understanding of your target customer and are using the right tools to track your results, chances are good that you're wasting money on paid advertising campaigns that produce little to no ROI. Pay attention to your analytics and make sure that any money you spend on paid ads is leading to an increase in sales or another desired outcome for your business. Then adjust accordingly.
There's no single answer to the question of how much businesses should spend on marketing. The amount will vary depending on factors like industry, size, budget, growth stage, etc. However, there are some general guidelines you can use to assess whether your current marketing spend is too high or too low relative to other businesses in your industry or similar sized businesses.. If any of the three scenarios above sound familiar, chances are good that you're spending too much on marketing—and not getting the results you want or need as a result. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to fix the problem by developing a clear brand identity, setting SMART goals, and adjusting your paid advertising spend accordingly.. By taking these steps, you can get your marketing spend under control and start seeing real results for your business in no time!