There is a hard truth many owners need to hear, even if it is not always comfortable.
If you are not willing to invest in your own company, do you genuinely believe in what you are offering?
That may sound direct, but it comes from a practical place. Most people say they want growth, more leads, stronger sales and better opportunities. However, wanting growth and committing to growth are two very different things.
Many firms are happy to invest in the obvious areas. They will spend on stock, vehicles, premises, recruitment, software or operations without too much hesitation. Yet when it comes to marketing, which is often the activity that creates future demand and keeps revenue moving, it gets pushed down the list.
It becomes something to revisit when things calm down, when cash flow feels stronger, or when there is more time. That moment rarely arrives.
Referrals are helpful, but momentum wins
Plenty of companies have grown through referrals, repeat custom and reputation, and there is nothing wrong with that. In fact, those things are signs that you are doing good work.
If new opportunities rely entirely on someone mentioning your name at the right moment, too much is being left to chance.
Organisations that grow consistently usually create their own momentum:
- They stay visible in the market
- They share useful insight
- They keep their message clear
- They improve their website
- They nurture prospects properly
- They remain front of mind so that when buying intent appears, they are already in the conversation.
Marketing is different from most other investments
This is where many people misunderstand marketing.
When you buy equipment, vehicles or stock, the value is often clear and immediate. You can see what has been purchased and understand the direct operational benefit.
Marketing can work differently. Some activities, such as paid advertising or targeted campaigns, will quickly generate direct leads and enquiries.
Other areas can be less immediate but equally valuable over time; for example:
- Branding can improve trust and recognition
- A stronger proposition helps prospects understand why they should choose you
- Better sales collateral can increase conversion rates
- Improved content can shorten decision-making cycles
- A more professional online presence can help justify stronger pricing.
- These are not vanity projects when done properly
They are commercial assets that should pay for themselves through increased opportunities, stronger conversion rates and better quality enquiries over the long term.
How much should you be investing?
One of the most common questions owners ask is how much they should commit to marketing.
The best way to think about it is as a percentage of turnover rather than an arbitrary monthly figure. That keeps investment aligned to the size of the company and allows it to scale sensibly.
Steady, sustainable growth
For those looking to maintain momentum, strengthen visibility and generate a reliable flow of enquiries, around 5% of annual turnover is often a sensible starting point.
This can support consistent activity such as content, email marketing, social media, website improvements and focused lead generation.
Stronger, faster growth
If the goal is to win market share, enter new sectors, launch new services or accelerate growth, the figure often needs to move closer to 7% to 10% of turnover.
That usually allows for stronger campaigns, paid media, SEO, CRM automation, content production and a broader presence across multiple channels.
Rapid expansion
For firms with aggressive growth plans, multiple locations, ambitious targets or a clear exit strategy, it can be appropriate to invest 10% to 15%+ of turnover for a defined period.
At that point, marketing becomes a genuine growth engine rather than a maintenance function.
In-house or outsourced?
The right answer often depends on how your company is set up today.
If you currently have no internal marketing resource, many assume the next step is to hire one person. In reality, growth marketing usually requires multiple disciplines.
You may need search specialists, designers, web developers, content writers, social media expertise, paid advertising knowledge and CRM capability.
That rarely comes in one individual.
Hiring a full in-house team can quickly become expensive once you factor in salaries, PAYE, pensions, National Insurance, training, software, management time and recruitment costs.
For many firms, outsourcing gives access to a broader skill set for a lower overall cost. You get specialists when you need them, without carrying the fixed overhead of multiple hires.
If you already have someone in-house, the next question is not whether they are good at their job. It is whether they have the capacity and specialist skill sets needed to deliver your growth plans.
For example, you may have a strong marketing manager who can coordinate activity brilliantly, but still need external SEO support, paid media expertise, design resource or CRM automation help.
You may not need a full-time search expert, developer or paid media manager, but you may absolutely need access to one.
Consistency beats occasional bursts
The percentage of investment matters less than the discipline behind it.
Too many teams spend reactively. They do something for a month, stop for two months, then rush back into activity when enquiries dip.
That pattern rarely works because momentum never has chance to build.
A sensible monthly investment, applied consistently and reviewed properly, almost always outperforms occasional bursts of panic spending.
The real cost of doing nothing
Doing nothing can feel cheaper in the short term because there is no invoice attached to inactivity.
The real cost often appears elsewhere.
Quieter inboxes, fewer quality opportunities, longer sales cycles, greater pressure on price, competitors becoming the obvious choice.
Those costs build quietly over time.
One honest question
If growth matters this year, ask yourself this.
Are you investing at a level that matches your ambition, or are you expecting ambitious results from minimal commitment?
The answer usually tells you everything you need to know.
