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Introduction: The Checkbox Mentality That’s Holding Businesses Back
Most companies think they’re doing marketing.
They’ve got a website. A few social media posts. Maybe a press release about their latest company milestone.
But if your marketing strategy is just a series of checkboxes, you’re missing the entire point. Marketing isn’t just about looking the part—it’s about engineering demand, shaping perception, and driving business growth.
When we begin working with new clients, we don’t just ask, “What have you been doing?” We ask, “Why does every company in your industry post the same generic, forgettable content?” Nine times out of ten, the answer isn’t about regulatory restrictions or customer sensitivities—it’s because:
They don’t see their competitors doing anything different.
They assume playing it safe is the right move.
They mistake brand awareness for actual demand generation.
But fortunes favor the bold. And in marketing, if you’re only doing what’s “safe,” you’re already behind.
1. If You’re Waiting to See Competitors Do It First, You’re Already Losing
Many companies look at their industry and think, “Well, our biggest competitors aren’t doing this, so why should we?”
Here’s why:
If they’re NOT doing it, that’s your competitive edge.
If they ARE doing it, they’re already years ahead of you.
Marketing isn’t just about maintaining your current position—it’s about winning the next wave of attention before your competitors even realize it’s there.
Example? The companies that ignored digital ads because their competitors weren’t running them got left in the dust. The brands that saw short-form video coming years before it took over now dominate their markets.
It’s not about playing catch-up. It’s about making your competitors scramble to catch up with you.
2. The Real Role of Marketing: Influence, Not Just Awareness
Most companies think marketing is just:
Branding
A website
Social media posts about company updates
Yes, those things matter—but if that’s all you’re doing, you’re not actually driving demand.
Great marketing should do at least one of these:
Educate your audience (so they think of your brand first)
Intrigue them (so they feel compelled to engage)
Inspire them (so they see your brand as a leader)
Make them laugh (so they share your content and build brand affinity)
If your content isn’t doing at least one of these, it’s just noise.
This is where most brands miss the mark: They assume playing it safe will keep them relevant. In reality, it makes them forgettable.
3. How Much Should You Invest in Marketing? The Real Formula
Once a company understands that marketing isn’t a luxury but a core function of business growth, the next question is:
How much of our revenue should go into marketing?
The general rule? 6-20% of revenue. But that’s just a starting point. Here’s what actually influences that number:
Industry Type
- High-growth industries (like tech, e-commerce, and direct-to-consumer brands) often spend more to capture market share fast.
- Mature industries (like manufacturing or finance) might spend less because growth is more stable.
- B2C brands need more marketing to build consumer relationships, typically allocating 8-15% of revenue.
- B2B companies focus more on direct relationships and typically allocate 2-5% of revenue.
Business Stage & Size
- Startups & early-stage companies: Spend 10-20%+ of revenue on marketing to build awareness and acquire customers fast.
- Growing companies: Spend 6-12% to sustain momentum while optimizing ROI.
- Established brands: Spend 5-10%, using marketing for strategic plays rather than survival.
- Aggressive growth companies: Push the upper range (15-20%) to fuel rapid expansion.
Business Goals
- Expanding into new markets? You’ll need higher marketing spend to introduce yourself.
- Maintaining steady revenue? You can optimize spend rather than increase it.
- Launching new products/services? Expect to allocate more budget upfront to build traction fast.
Competitive Landscape
- Highly competitive industries (real estate, finance, tech, fitness) require higher ad spend to break through the noise.
- Companies with low brand awareness need more upfront investment in marketing just to get noticed.
Economic Conditions
- In a booming economy, companies invest more in marketing to capitalize on growth opportunities.
- In an economic downturn, companies that maintain or increase marketing often gain market share as competitors pull back.
Key Metrics to Consider
- Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC): If it costs $500 to acquire a customer, you need marketing spend to match.
- Lifetime Customer Value (LTV): If a customer is worth $10,000 over their lifetime, marketing becomes a long-term investment.
- Marketing ROI: If $1 in marketing spend brings in $5, you know where to allocate more.
This isn’t about blindly following a percentage—it’s about aligning spend with business outcomes.
4. The Hidden Cost of Not Investing in Marketing
What happens if you don’t prioritize marketing as a core function?
Your competitors outpace you. By the time you notice, they’ve taken years’ worth of market share.
Your brand becomes forgettable. You blend in instead of standing out.
Customer acquisition costs skyrocket. Because you haven’t built organic demand.
Revenue stalls. Because your pipeline dries up without consistent marketing.
And here’s the biggest irony: Many companies hesitate to invest in marketing because they’re “doing fine” without it.
But “fine” doesn’t last. Market shifts happen. Competitors evolve. Attention moves. If you’re not staying ahead, you’re already falling behind.
5. The Takeaway: Marketing Is The Growth Engine—Not a Side Project
If you want to stay relevant, scale faster, and outpace competitors, you need to stop treating marketing like a nice-to-have and start treating it like a business-critical function.
It’s not just branding—it’s shaping how customers see you.
It’s not just a website—it’s your 24/7 salesperson.
It’s not just social media—it’s how you own conversations in your industry.
The best companies—whether they’re startups or billion-dollar giants—don’t wait for proof that marketing works. They know it’s the reason they grow.
So the question isn’t should you invest in marketing—it’s how much you’re willing to invest in owning your market before someone else does.
Ready to Stop Playing Small? Let’s Talk.
