Insights from a Proven Marketing Specialist Who Knows What Works:
Marketing is the lifeline of your business, but it often feels like an overwhelming expense—especially for small business owners. The truth is, not investing in marketing can cost you far more in the long run. Missed opportunities, stagnant growth, and inconsistent branding can hold you back from reaching your business’s full potential.
Setting a clear marketing budget isn’t about throwing money at ads or campaigns; it’s about prioritizing your business’s growth strategically. Let’s break down how you can create a marketing budget that works for you and makes hiring help, like a marketing assistant, a reality.
I’m Emily Reagan, a marketing strategist and the founder of the Digital Marketer’s Workgroup and Unicorn Digital Marketing Assistant School. With years of experience helping small business owners and freelancers succeed in the digital marketing world, I’ve connected hundreds of business owners with skilled marketing assistants who drive real results. I’m also a
My mission is to empower both businesses and marketing professionals to work smarter, not harder.
What Percentage of Revenue Do Most Businesses Spend on Marketing?
Most businesses allocate 5-10% of their revenue toward marketing, depending on their industry, growth goals, and business stage. Here’s a breakdown:
General Guidelines:
- 5% of Revenue: Maintains current business levels and supports steady growth for established businesses.
- 7-10% of Revenue: Recommended for businesses aiming to scale or increase market share.
- 10-15% or More: Common for startups or companies launching new products, entering new markets, or pursuing aggressive growth.
Industry-Specific Benchmarks:
- B2C Companies: Tend to spend more on marketing, often 10-15% of revenue, due to the need for direct engagement with a large audience.
- B2B Companies: Typically allocate 5-8% of revenue, focusing on lead generation, account-based marketing, and relationship building.
- Service-Based Businesses: Usually fall within the 7-10% range, as they often rely on digital marketing strategies to generate leads and build trust.
- Small Businesses: May start on the lower end (5%) and increase as they see results, especially if they’re bootstrapped or prioritizing profitability.
Key Factors Influencing Marketing Budgets:
- Business Stage: Startups and businesses in growth phases often invest more heavily in marketing to build brand awareness and capture market share.
- Industry Competition: In highly competitive markets, businesses may spend more to stand out.
- Customer Acquisition Costs (CAC): If acquiring new customers is expensive, a larger budget may be needed to achieve ROI.
- Goals: Aggressive goals like scaling quickly or launching a new product often require higher marketing investments.
Why Small Businesses Think They Can’t Afford Help
Many small business owners share the same concerns:
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“I can’t afford a VA or marketing assistant.”
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“Marketing is too expensive for my business.”
But these beliefs often stem from a short-term mindset. Hiring help isn’t an expense—it’s an investment. By freeing up your time, generating leads, and driving revenue, a skilled marketing assistant can pay for themselves (and more).
Unless your a trained marketer or marketing is your main output of your business, it makes sense to augment with teammates, employees and contractors instead of trying to do it all. That will just keep you stuck.
Shifting your perspective is the first step to building a budget that works.
It it critical that you invest in the right kind of help that frees up your time and allows you to make sales. That’s why many small business owners add a marketing assistant to their team roster early on.
The Real Cost of DIY Marketing
Trying to handle all your marketing yourself might feel like the cheapest option, but here’s what it really costs:
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Lost Time: Every hour you spend on marketing is an hour you’re not spending on high-level business strategy or serving your clients.
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Inconsistent Marketing: Without a clear strategy, your efforts may lack consistency, causing your brand to fade in your audience’s minds.
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Mistakes: Without expertise, it’s easy to make costly errors or miss opportunities to optimize campaigns.
By hiring a skilled marketing assistant, you gain back time and ensure your marketing efforts deliver results—all while reducing the stress of doing it all yourself.
“I just can’t afford help right now”
But here’s the thing: you can’t afford not to. Think of your time in terms of $10 tasks versus $100 tasks vs $1,000 tasks.
$10 tasks are repetitive, low-value activities like data entry, scheduling, or file sorting.
$100 tasks require specialist and extra time. (but aren’t the bread and butter of your business, and not what you’re selling)
$1,000 tasks, on the other hand, are revenue-generating activities like closing sales, building partnerships, or developing new offers. Things that are the most important in your business that will bring in money.
The secret to making it work? Outsource the $10 -$100 tasks so you can focus your time and energy on the $10o0 tasks that drive growth and bring in more revenue. By hiring help strategically, you’re creating the space for your business to scale.
But this only works if you grow in your capacity to take on $1,000 tasks that you couldn’t get to before.
Fueling a business takes three essential resources: time, people, and money. While time and people keep the engine running, money is the accelerator that speeds things up.
It’s perfectly okay to explore options like a small business loan, or to close a few key sales to create the funds you need to hire help.
Growth often requires temporary sacrifices—like paying yourself a little less while reinvesting in your business—but these investments pave the way for faster scaling and long-term success.
When you are making consistent money, have a vetted offer that is selling, it’s time to set aside a portion of your revenue to budgets.
When to Set a Marketing Budget:
Setting a marketing budget isn’t something you do on day one of starting your business. It’s a step you take when you’ve established consistent revenue, refined your offer, and identified what’s working for your business.
If you’re already making steady sales, have a product or service that’s resonating with your audience, and are looking to scale, that’s when it’s time to allocate a portion of your revenue to more marketing.
Your budget should reflect your growth goals—whether that’s increasing brand visibility, driving more leads, or freeing up your time by outsourcing repetitive tasks.
Remember, your budget isn’t just a number; it’s a reflection of your priorities and a strategic tool to help you grow your business sustainably.
Especially think about your sales cycles when you get incoming cash and can start planning ahead. For example, many course creators set aside a portion of their launch revenue for their next ad spend, ensuring they can maintain momentum and think ahead strategically for future growth.
How to Set a Marketing Budget That Works
Creating a realistic marketing budget doesn’t have to be complicated. Here’s how to get started:
Step 1: Calculate Your Revenue Goals
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Determine your monthly revenue target.
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Allocate 5-10% of your revenue toward marketing, depending on your industry and growth goals.
Step 2: Identify Marketing Priorities
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Ask yourself: Where do you need the most help?
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Social media management?
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Email marketing?
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SEO or paid ads?
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Focus on tasks that directly generate leads and sales.
Step 3: Research Costs
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Understand typical rates for marketing help:
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Freelancers: $25-$50/hour.
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Marketing assistants: $1,500-$4,000/month on retainer.
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Project-based hires for specific needs.
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Step 4: Start Small, Scale Up
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Begin with part-time help or specific projects to fit your budget.
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As your revenue grows, increase your marketing investment.
How Hiring a Marketing Assistant Fits Into Your Budget
A marketing assistant can focus on high-ROI activities that directly impact your bottom line, such as:
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Building and optimizing lead funnels.
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Managing social media to boost engagement and traffic.
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Running email campaigns to nurture and convert leads.
Unlike hiring a full-time employee, a contractor or part-time marketing assistant provides flexibility and scalability, allowing you to get the help you need without overcommitting your budget.
Creative Ways to Afford Marketing Help
If you’re worried about the cost of hiring, here are some ways to make it work:
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Cut Non-Essential Expenses: Reallocate funds from lower-priority areas to marketing.
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Focus on High-Value Strategies: Swap low-ROI activities (like daily social media posting) for tactics that drive leads and sales.
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Start with Project-Based Hires: Hire for specific tasks or campaigns to manage costs while getting impactful results.
Is Your Marketing Budget is Effective?
To determine if your marketing budget is working, you need to track key performance indicators (KPIs) that align with your business goals. These metrics help you measure the impact of your spending and make data-driven decisions to optimize your marketing efforts.
Key KPIs to Track for Marketing Budget Effectiveness:
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Revenue Growth
- Are your marketing efforts directly contributing to increased sales and revenue?
- Track total revenue, average order value (AOV), and customer lifetime value (CLV).
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Return on Investment (ROI)
- Calculate the ROI of your marketing campaigns to determine if the revenue generated exceeds your spending.
- Formula: (Revenue−MarketingCosts)/MarketingCosts(Revenue – Marketing Costs) / Marketing Costs x 100
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Cost Per Lead (CPL)
- How much are you spending to acquire each lead?
- Lower CPL typically indicates more efficient campaigns.
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Conversion Rates
- Track how well your campaigns convert leads into customers.
- Monitor landing page conversions, email open and click-through rates, and ad campaign conversion rates.
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Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC)
- How much does it cost to acquire a new customer?
- CAC = Total Marketing Spend / Number of New Customers Acquired.
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Lead Generation Metrics
- Evaluate the number of leads generated through campaigns, segmented by source (social media, email, ads, etc.).
- Look for consistency and growth over time.
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Engagement Metrics
- Are your efforts creating meaningful interactions with your audience?
- Monitor likes, shares, comments, and saves for social media, as well as email engagement metrics like open and click-through rates.
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Website Traffic and Behavior
- Analyze metrics like total traffic, bounce rate, average session duration, and pages per session.
- High-quality traffic should lead to increased conversions.
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Ad Performance Metrics
- Track metrics like click-through rate (CTR), impressions, and cost-per-click (CPC) to evaluate the effectiveness of paid ad campaigns.
- Ensure your ads are reaching the right audience and driving desired actions.
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Retention Metrics
- Track repeat purchases, subscription renewals, and churn rates to assess how well your marketing efforts keep customers engaged.
How to Evaluate Marketing Budget Effectiveness:
- Regularly review KPIs in monthly or quarterly intervals.
- Compare your current data against past performance and industry benchmarks.
- Adjust your strategies and budget allocation based on what’s delivering the best ROI.
By tracking these KPIs and staying focused on your goals, you can ensure that your marketing budget is being spent effectively and driving measurable growth.
Good news, your marketing assistant can you help you track!
How to Plan for Marketing Costs & Projections
Marketing isn’t just an expense—it’s a revenue driver. But to invest wisely, you need to understand both operating costs and growth projections to avoid overspending or underinvesting.
Understanding Your Marketing Operating Costs
Marketing expenses typically fall into three categories:
1. Fixed Costs: Essential, ongoing costs that support consistent marketing efforts.
- Website hosting & tools (e.g., domain, email service provider, CRM)
- Software subscriptions (e.g., Canva, Adobe, scheduling tools)
- Retainer-based hires (e.g., marketing assistants, copywriters)
2. Variable Costs: Costs that fluctuate based on campaigns or growth goals.
- Paid advertising (Google Ads, Facebook/Instagram Ads)
- Freelancers for specific projects (graphic design, SEO, PR)
- Event marketing, sponsorships, or promotions
3. Scalable Investments: Costs that increase as you scale but contribute directly to revenue.
- Additional marketing hires or agencies
- Expanded ad budgets for launches or scaling
- Automation tools to streamline lead generation and sales
Projecting Marketing Costs Based on Revenue
A general rule of thumb is to allocate 5-10% of your revenue to marketing. But how you allocate that budget depends on your business stage:
- Early-Stage Businesses (Startups & Growth Phase): 10-15%
- Steady-State Businesses: 5-7%
- Scaling or Aggressive Growth Plans: 12-20%
Example Projection:
If your business generates $200,000/year, a 7% budget means allocating $14,000/year (or $1,166/month) toward marketing.
When to Increase Your Marketing Budget
If you notice:
- Your marketing efforts are generating a positive ROI
- You’re consistently maxing out your bandwidth with new leads
- You need more visibility to hit your next revenue goal
…then it’s time to scale your marketing investment strategically.
Why Hire a Marketing Assistant?
Consistency is one of the biggest challenges small businesses face in marketing. Without regular posting, cohesive messaging, or actionable strategies, it’s easy for businesses to fall off their audience’s radar. A marketing assistant solves this problem by keeping your marketing efforts consistent, strategic, and effective.
Hiring a marketing assistant allows business owners to:
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Focus on big-picture goals instead of getting bogged down by daily tasks.
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Maintain a consistent presence on social media and other platforms.
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Execute campaigns that drive measurable results without having to micromanage.
For many small businesses, hiring a marketing assistant is a cost-effective alternative to bringing on a full-time employee or expensive agency.
Where to Find a Marketing Assistant
If you’re ready to hire a marketing assistant, you need a reliable source of skilled professionals. The Digital Marketer’s Workgroup is a curated community of trained marketing assistants who are ready to support small businesses. These professionals bring the expertise and dedication needed to help your business grow without the headache of micromanagement.
Avoid the pitfalls of cheap, untrained freelancers and connect with marketing assistants who are proactive, resourceful, and results-driven.
Click here to explore our directory and find your next marketing assistant today
Or just submit your job opening here straight into our Workgroup with this easy form.
The Long-Term Value of Marketing Help
Investing in marketing professionals isn’t just about short-term gains. The ROI includes:
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Time Freedom: Focus on growth while someone else handles the day-to-day marketing.
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Consistent Branding: Build trust and recognition with your audience.
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Expertise: Get better results by leveraging the skills of a trained marketing assistant.
Even a small investment in marketing help can yield significant returns, positioning your business for sustainable growth.
The Takeaway: Start Small, but Start Now
You don’t need a massive budget to start hiring marketing help. With a clear plan and strategic investments, you can free up your time, improve your results, and focus on what you do best. Even small steps today can lead to big growth tomorrow.
Ready to find skilled marketing assistants who fit your budget and needs? The Digital Marketer’s Workgroup connects you with trained professionals who deliver results without the hassle of hiring full-time employees. It’s time to prioritize your business’s growth and get the help you deserve.
All-in-One Marketing Assistant Training
Looking to break into the online space and build a thriving marketing assistant business? My Unicorn Digital Marketing Assistant School is the ultimate foundational training program for online business to help you learn in-demand marketing skills and set up your business for success. Whether you’re a general admin VA ready to specialize, a professional woman with experience in fields like teaching or nursing, or simply someone tech-savvy and eager to pivot into the digital world, this program is perfect for you.
Gain the tools, confidence, and knowledge to attract high-paying clients and become the go-to marketing assistant businesses are looking for. It’s time to take your skills to the next level and create a business on your terms! Check out our ongoing, self-paced program here.
The Value of a Marketing Assistant
A marketing assistant is more than just a task-doer—they’re a critical part of your marketing department who ensures your marketing stays consistent, strategic, and effective. Whether you’re a small business owner looking to hire or someone aspiring to break into the role, the opportunities are endless because there is so much marketing work to be done in this well-connected, noisy digital business space!
Don’t make the mistake of trying to make a generalist do marketing well.
Marketing is too important to leave on the back burner or in untrained hands.
If your efforts feel scattered, your results aren’t delivering, or you’re ready to scale, a marketing assistant can be the game-changer your business needs. Stop trying to do it all yourself—hire someone who knows what they’re doing and can help you grow.
I’ll share your marketing assistant position with my community job board for free, just click here to fill out the easy hiring form.
I’ll have 5-10, English-speaking marketing assistants and/or specialists reach out to you with their services and pricing guides and you can take it from there.
-Emily, Digital Marketing Consultant and Implementer
Emily Reagan is a mom of four, milspouse, freelance digital marketer and Virtual Assistant coach who has helped 400 go-getters, including military spouses, stay-at-home moms, and professional women learn in-demand skills and find flexible remote work as digital marketing assistants and specialists. She’s shared 2,000+ job leads with her freelance marketers & VA community.
Ask her any questions over on Insta @emilyreaganpr
“I help smart women learn the in-demand digital marketing strategies and profitable tech skills to get meaningful, challenging well-paid work as a unicorn digital marketing assistant.”
Need to bring in a unicorn digital marketing assistant of your own?
If you’re ready to take that step in your business and pull out of marketing or admin task, just fill out my form at hireaunicorn.com and I’ll share your job description with my exclusive network of top-notch unicorn digital marketing assistants.
>>> Then download my free VA Hiring Guide here.
This will help you hire a teammate with the growth mindset and wright work ethic.
Still have questions?
Head over and start a discussion or connect with virtual assistants and freelancers!
Further Reading:
Related Podcast Alert: The first three tasks to hand off to your new unicorn virtual assistant
Take a break from all the reading and listen to these tips on audio on my recent podcast episode!
Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Blog
