Why Marketing Budgets Should Be 9% (or More) of Revenue in 2023

Marketing is an essential aspect of any business during any economic cycle. According to industry experts like Gartner, a good benchmark for marketing budget allocation is to invest at least 9% of annual revenue (or more) toward marketing efforts.

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Here are a few reasons why your business' marketing budget should be 9% of annual revenue or more in 2023:

Increased brand awareness

Marketing helps to increase brand awareness, which is essential for attracting new customers and retaining existing ones. By investing in marketing, you can reach a larger audience and make your business more visible to potential customers. Marketing can take many forms, including advertising, social media, content marketing, and public relations. Each of these tactics can be used to effectively promote your business and reach your target audience. Additionally, investing in marketing can help you to better understand your customers, their needs and preferences, and how to effectively communicate with them.

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Competition

In today's competitive business landscape, it is essential to stand out from the competition. By allocating a sizeable portion of your budget to marketing, you can differentiate your business from competitors and attract customers with compelling messaging and unique value propositions. Without a strong marketing effort, it can be difficult for businesses to differentiate themselves and capture the attention of potential customers

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Customer acquisition

Marketing is crucial for customer acquisition because it helps businesses to effectively reach and communicate with potential customers. Without a strong marketing effort, it can be challenging for a business to attract new customers and stand out in a crowded marketplace. It can also help to build trust and credibility with customers, which can lead to increased loyalty and repeat business. Additionally, marketing can help businesses to better understand their target audience and their needs and preferences, which can inform the development of marketing campaigns and messaging that is more likely to resonate with potential customers. Ultimately, marketing is an essential component of any business's growth strategy, and it is crucial for customer acquisition.

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Recession-proofing

Marketing is an essential tool for recession-proofing your business. During economic downturns, businesses that continue to market themselves are more likely to survive and even thrive. By allocating some budget to marketing, you can ensure that your business remains visible to potential customers, even in challenging economic conditions.

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Building resilience

Marketing helps to build resilience in your business. By investing in marketing, you can diversify your customer base and reduce reliance on a small group of customers. This will help to mitigate the impact of economic downturns and ensure that your business remains stable and sustainable.

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Marketing is crucial for long-term business growth, and it is essential to allocate sufficient resources to it. By investing in marketing, you can attract new customers, retain existing ones, and drive long-term growth, even in times of economic uncertainty. Marketing is not just about attracting new customers but also about retaining and growing existing ones. By investing in marketing in 2023, you can drive long-term growth and ensure the future success of your business.