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How Much Should You Spend on Marketing?

Why "5–10% of revenue" is the wrong starting point: a percent tells you what you're allowed to spend, not what it takes to book the work. Start from the other end — the revenue you want to add, the size of your average job, and what a booked job actually costs you.
$—
your monthly marketing budget
Spend it in order of return: profile and reviews first, then speed to lead, then your site, then paid — here's the order.

How to read it

The math is deliberately simple: revenue you want ÷ average job value gives the jobs you need, and jobs × cost per booked job gives the spend. Divide by twelve and you have a monthly number you can actually defend to yourself.

The line that matters most is the ceiling: average job value × gross margin. Pay more than that per booked job and the work loses money before you turn a wrench. Most contractors have never calculated it, which is how a channel at ~$542 per booked job (Angi) survives next to one at ~$168 (Google Local Service Ads). Run your own channel numbers in the cost per booked job calculator, and read the longer version in how much should a contractor spend on marketing.

One caveat worth more than the calculator: your cheapest jobs aren't bought at all. A complete Google Business Profile and steady reviews cost nothing per lead — and 91% of homeowners won't consider a shop under 4 stars (BrightLocal 2026). Max the free channels before this number means anything.

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Next step: More free tools + the honest math at booked-job.com/tools.