How Much Should a Small Business Spend on Marketing?

There's no magic percentage. The better question is: what is a new customer worth, and what can you afford to pay to win one?

Start with customer value

If an average job earns you R5,000 profit and customers come back twice, a new customer could be worth R10,000+. Spending a portion of that to win them is an investment, not a cost.

Separate the two costs

Most paid marketing has two parts: the advertising budget (what platforms charge) and management (the people running it). Make sure you know which is which when comparing quotes.

Give it time

The first months are about learning. Judge results over a sensible period rather than week to week.