Let’s get one thing straight:
Marketing isn’t a cost. It’s an investment.

But somewhere along the way, small business owners started treating it like paying their water bill — a begrudging monthly expense they “have to” do when things get quiet. That mindset? It’s exactly why your marketing isn’t working.

Let’s break this down like a straight-talking mate who wants you to win — not waste another penny.

First: Stop Thinking of Marketing as a Fix

Marketing isn’t a rescue boat. It’s the engine that keeps the ship moving before the storm hits.

Too many businesses only invest in marketing when sales dip, then expect an overnight turnaround. That’s like going to the gym once and wondering why you’re not ripped.

Instead, you need to build a flywheel:

• Good marketing brings in sales
• Those sales give you stories, reviews, referrals
• Those give you more content
• Which fuels more trust
• Which brings more sales

Momentum is the magic. And that takes consistency — not desperation.

What Marketing Really Costs (Without the BS)

Let’s talk tiers — not tears.
Here’s a real-world breakdown of what you can expect to get (and miss) at different budgets when it comes to Social Media Marketing and Facebook Ads.

1. Social Media Marketing

£0–£250/month
✅ DIY posting, Canva graphics, basic schedulers
🔻 Hidden Costs: Your time, phone storage, burnout

£250–£500/month
✅ Freelancer help, content batching, basic planning
🔻 Hidden Costs: Content creation time, strategy calls, writing that actually sells

£500–£1,000/month
✅ A social media manager, consistent branding, community building
🔻 Hidden Costs: Feedback loops, deeper strategy, aligning with your brand tone

£1,000+/month
✅ Full content team, analytics, clear KPIs, actual growth
🔻 Hidden Costs: Reporting, A/B testing, premium tools

Reality Check:
Posting random memes and “Happy Monday!” graphics isn’t a strategy.
If your social media doesn’t support your sales process, you’re just keeping people mildly entertained — not making money.

2. Facebook & Instagram Ads

£300–£500/month
✅ Entry-level campaigns, simple copy and creatives
🔻 Hidden Costs: Wasted spend, poor targeting, zero testing data

£500–£1,000/month
✅ Optimised targeting, creative testing, basic funnel support
🔻 Hidden Costs: Copywriting time, tracking setup, low-converting offers

£1,000–£2,000/month
✅ Split testing, retargeting, full-funnel strategy
🔻 Hidden Costs: Landing pages, lead magnets, follow-up systems

£2,000+/month
✅ High-level strategy, AI integration, real ROI focus
🔻 Hidden Costs: Content machine, backend automations, scaling infrastructure

Reality Check:
Most people don’t lose money on ads because Facebook doesn’t work — they lose because they’re winging it.
If you wouldn’t trust a plumber without tools, don’t trust a marketer who “just boosts posts.”

Posting random memes and “Happy Monday!” graphics isn’t a strategy. If your social media doesn’t tie into your sales process, you’re just entertaining people… not converting them.

Hidden Costs Most People Forget

Here’s what doesn’t show up on invoices — but still drains your time and wallet:

• Your time filming, editing, emailing
• Your team spending 4 hours to “figure out Mailchimp”
• That ring light and backdrop you bought
• Endless Canva templates
• Your cousin who promised to “do your website” and ghosted

All of these are costs. Just not line items.

The Truth About Budgeting for Marketing

Here’s the tough love:

If your marketing doesn’t pay for itself after 6 months, something’s broken.

By month 12, it should double what you put in — whether that’s through new customers, better conversion rates, or fewer time-wasting leads.

So what should you spend?
Roughly 8% of your gross revenue. Or, if that’s too much, spend what you can — because even if it doesn’t work, you walk away with valuable data.

Where I’d Spend £500/month

Realistically? This combo:

• £300 on Facebook Ads — build traffic, grow awareness, test messaging
• £100 on influencer marketing — local faces get trust faster
• £100 on a physical mail drop — yes, offline works when online is noisy

It’s not magic. But it’s a start — and way more strategic than guessing your way through Instagram posts.

Final Thoughts: Marketing Shouldn’t Be a Gamble

You wouldn’t hire someone without a role for them.
So why spend money on marketing if you don’t know what it’s supposed to do?

Great marketing is the system that brings in leads, qualifies them, and makes sales easier. It’s not the flashy video or the pretty logo — it’s the strategy underneath.

Get that right, and marketing becomes the best investment you make.

Want to learn more?
Download our guides, check your own marketing strategy, get us to audit your strategy, or just screenshot this blog and send it to someone who needs to stop winging it.

Ben