/ Marketing
How much should a small business spend on marketing?
5–10% of revenue for steady businesses, 12–20% if you're growing or launching. Start with what you can lose for 90 days.
/ 01
The short version
Percentages are a sanity check, not a plan. What matters is cost per enquiry and what a customer is worth.
/ 02
What actually matters
- • Work out lifetime value before setting a budget.
- • Allocate 70% to what already works, 30% to testing.
- • Give any channel 90 days before judging it.
- • Track cost per enquiry, not cost per click.
- • Reinvest from what's profitable rather than guessing a figure.
/ 03
The bit most people get wrong
Spreading £300 a month across five channels teaches you nothing about any of them. Concentration beats coverage at small budgets.
/ 04
What to do next
Work out what one new customer is worth to you over a year. That number sets your acceptable cost per lead.
/ 05
Where RIOT fits in
We're a small Colchester studio helping UK SMBs get marketing budgets right without agency waste or freelancer flake. If you've read this far and you want a second opinion on your specific setup, book a 20-minute call and we'll tell you honestly whether it's worth doing anything at all.
We work with clients across Essex, Suffolk, London and the wider UK — and remotely with brands abroad. No lock-in, no monthly retainer minimums, no pretending your problem is bigger than it is.
/ FAQs
Common questions
Where should I start?
Google Business Profile and Google Ads for local service businesses.
Is £200/month enough?
For one focused local channel, yes.
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