One of the most common questions we get is: “How much should I be spending on marketing?”

And like any good lawyer, we say: “It depends.”

Not a cop-out. Just the truth.

The right marketing budget for your firm depends on where you are, where you’re going, and what systems you already have in place.

In this blog, we’ll walk you through:

Why percentage-of-revenue is a useful starting point (but not the full picture)
A breakdown of budget ranges by growth stage
The most common mistakes firms make with their marketing spend
How to get the most ROI regardless of your budget

Let’s dive in.

Your Marketing Budget Should Match Your Goals

Your budget should reflect your business objectives and not someone else’s. Ask yourself: Are you trying to...

Get more clients fast?
Build long-term brand visibility?
Launch a new service or expand to new markets?
Reduce your hours and build a systemised lead engine?

Each of these goals requires a different marketing approach and a different level of investment. As a general rule, here’s a percentage-of-revenue guide to get you started (note: this is based on gross revenue, not profit).

Marketing Budget by Growth Stage

Start-Up or ‘Visibility’ Stage: 5–10% of Revenue

You’re establishing yourself or shifting from referral-only growth to proactive visibility.

Your priorities:

Website + brand clarity
Lead magnet creation
SEO and foundational content
Social media basics
Email list-building

Spend focus: Website updates, copywriting, SEO setup, lead magnet, basic design work

Goal: Build credibility and get seen consistently without overspending.

Growth Mode: 10–15% of Revenue

You’re booking clients but know you’re not marketing as effectively as you could be.

Your priorities:

Stronger brand positioning
Higher-performing content and campaigns
Conversion-focused lead gen systems

Spend focus: Campaign planning, content creation, SEO, email nurture, basic ads, analytics setup

Goal: Move from scattered tactics to strategy that scales.

Scale Stage: 15–25% of Revenue

You’ve found your lane and are ready to expand your reach or free up your time.

Your priorities:

Funnel and automation buildout
Team or agency partnership
Strategic paid amplification

Spend focus: Paid traffic, advanced SEO, repurposed content, CRM tools, dashboards, fractional CMO support

Goal: Build a well-oiled machine that multiplies what’s already working.

Common Budgeting Mistakes We See (and How to Avoid Them)

(1) Underinvesting for Too Long

Relying solely on referrals? That pipeline will eventually dry up.
You can’t outsource your growth to chance.

(2) Overspending Without a Strategy

Splashing out on social ads or flashy content won’t deliver if your message is unclear or your website leaks leads. Start with strategy. Then choose tactics.

(3) Not Tracking ROI

If you’re not measuring cost per lead, conversion rate, or client lifetime value, you’re flying blind. You don’t need to be a numbers whiz but you do need to know what’s working (and what’s not).

What If You’re Working with a Lean Budget?

Good marketing isn’t about spending more but it’s about spending smarter. Start by:

Doubling down on what’s already working (even a little)
Fixing conversion bottlenecks (like unclear messaging or slow websites)
Automating your follow-up process
Getting laser-focused on your niche and value proposition

A smart, focused $2,000 can beat a scattered $10,000 every time. It’s about alignment, not just activity.

What Should Be Included in Your Marketing Budget?

Here’s what typically falls within a professional services firm’s marketing budget:

Brand positioning + strategy sessions
Website design, copy, or refresh
Lead magnet + funnel build
SEO + blog writing
Email marketing + automation tools
Paid ads (Google, Meta, LinkedIn)
Social media content + scheduling
CRM + analytics
Design assets
Fractional CMO or agency partnership

Think of this as building your marketing engine and not just “doing some marketing.”

Budgeting = Clarity, Not Chaos

When your budget aligns with your goals and growth stage, everything becomes simpler:

You stop guessing what to do next
You know what kind of ROI to expect
You gain strategic momentum instead of jumping between tactics

It’s not about how much you spend. It’s about why and how you spend it.

Case Study
High ROI, Low Spend

A new law firm approached us with a lean team, strong ambitions and no marketing infrastructure.

Instead of jumping into ads or branding campaigns, we started by clarifying their message and creating a simple lead magnet: a “Small Business Start-Up Checklist.”

Within two weeks, they had over 50 email subscribers without spending a cent on ads. From there, we built a nurture sequence, repurposed their content, and prepped them to launch their first paid campaign with a proven funnel already working in the background.

Final Thoughts: Be the CEO, Not the Marketer

As a law firm owner, real estate principal or service provider, your job isn’t to manage Instagram or tweak email automations. Your job is to make smart, strategic decisions that drive growth. That starts with understanding where you are, where you want to go and how your marketing budget can get you there.

And if you’re not sure? We’ll help you figure it out.

Wondering how much to spend or how to spend it wisely?
Let’s map out your strategy together.
Book your FREE 15-minute call with the Zenovate team today.

BOOK YOUR FREE CALL

Written By Kristen Porter

Kristen Porter is an award-winning lawyer, marketing and legal strategist, licensed real estate agent, and the founder of Zenovate Marketing and highly niched law firm O*NO Legal – The Real Estate Agent’s Lawyer. With degrees in both Law and Commerce (majoring in Marketing), Kristen brings a rare combination of over 20 years legal expertise and business acumen to her work with professional service firms.

Kristen has built and scaled multiple businesses at a national level and developed a marketing framework that she now uses to help other law firm owners, accountants, real estate agents and other professional service business owners grow profitably - without relying on cold outreach or tactics that don’t feel aligned. Her approach blends strategic positioning, lead generation, and sustainable marketing systems to create brands that stand out, attract the right clients, and grow effortlessly.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s)

It depends on your growth stage. Most firms invest between 5–25% of their gross revenue—lower at early stages and higher as they scale. The key is alignment: spend based on your goals, not guesswork.
Typical items include strategy sessions, website work, lead magnets, SEO, content creation, email automation, paid ads, reporting tools, and even fractional CMO support. Think of it as funding a system and not just random activities.
Yes, if you focus on the right things. Doubling down on what’s working, fixing leaky funnels, and automating follow-ups can often drive growth faster than bigger, unfocused budgets.
The top mistake is investing without a strategy. Ads or content won’t convert if your message is unclear or your offer doesn’t resonate. Strategy first. Spend second.
Review your current ROI. Are your leads consistent? Do you have conversion tracking in place? Are you solving the right problems, or simply adding more tactics? If in doubt, book a strategy call with us to get clarity.

DISCLAIMER: This article is general information only and cannot be regarded as legal, financial or accounting advice as it does not take into account your personal circumstances. For tailored advice, please contact us. PS - congratulations if you have read this far, you must love legal disclaimers or are a sucker for punishment.