How much should I budget for marketing, sales and customer experience?
Tools & Resources
Key learnings
- Your budget should reflect your business’s size, stage, goals and industry – there’s no one-size-fits-all approach.
- B2B businesses typically spend less on marketing than B2C due to different sales models.
- Start-ups and fast-growth companies often invest a higher percentage of revenue to build awareness and momentum.
- AI tools and smart planning can reduce production costs, freeing budget for higher-impact activities.
Marketing, sales and customer experience are vital areas of investment – but knowing how much to budget for them can be tricky, especially when funds are tight. Whether you're just starting out or planning for growth, this article will help you understand what factors to consider and how to set a realistic, flexible budget that matches your goals.
Setting budgets for any part of your business depends on your aspirations, industry, size and stage. Marketing, sales and customer experience are pivotal to your success – but it’s also common to feel like you need to be doing well before you can afford to spend on them.
Investing time in planning and monitoring will help your budget go further, avoiding waste and ensuring you get a good return on investment.
Gartner’s 2024 global survey found that on average, marketing budgets were 7.7% of company revenue – a reduction from previous years. But this figure is just a benchmark and may not be right for your business.
Here are some key considerations to help you find a realistic figure that fits your growth plans.
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