Advertising sticker shock
Why focusing on the upfront cost of marketing can quietly sabotage your long-term growth.
As a business owner, you’ve likely felt that moment of sticker shock: chatting with a marketer, excited about promotion and growth, and then… boom—the price pops up. The mood shifts, ideas fade, and all of a sudden it’s easier to say, “Maybe later.”
Here’s the thing: marketing isn’t free—and that’s okay. What’s not okay is judging it purely by the price tag. Because when you do that, you’re missing what you’re really investing in.
What you’re really paying for
Marketing isn’t simply “design a graphic, post it, hope for leads.” It’s the time it takes to understand your business, your audience, where you sit in the market, and what your next move looks like.
It’s the expertise of someone who’s seen lots of different campaigns, knows what works (and what doesn’t), and can guide you through the clutter.
It’s someone helping you stay focused—so you don’t spray every message everywhere and hope something sticks.
Why cheap can be risky
When you pick the lowest cost option, you might end up with something that checks the boxes but doesn’t move the needle. You might get “a website,” but not one built to convert. “Graphics” might mean stock visuals thrown together. “Marketing” might mean a few posts that don’t connect.
The truth is: if marketing were easy, we’d all be doing it brilliantly on our own. Many business owners wear too many hats already—operations, customers, payroll, products. It’s easy for marketing to become “one more thing” you’re juggling, and as a result, it gets pushed to the back burner or handled on the cheap.
The smarter way: think investment, not expense
Here’s a practical view: a reasonable rule of thumb is to set aside about 7-10% of your annual revenue for marketing. It might feel like a lot, but if you approach it as an investment in business growth—not just an expense—you’ll shift your mindset. Big Opposable Blog
Let’s walk through an example: Suppose you pay $3,500 for a direct-mail campaign. You target 1,000 people, you get an average response rate (4%), you convert a few of those responses into customers, and suddenly you’re looking at $40,000 in revenue from that spend. The key isn’t the cost—it’s the return. Big Opposable Blog
How much should you spend on your marketing?
Choose the right partner
When you work with a marketer or an agency, you’re getting more than their hours. You’re getting their network—designers, copywriters, web folks, analysts. You’re getting someone focused on your success so you can focus on running your business.
Yes, there are folks out there charging $20/hr who might be “cheap.” There’s probably a reason why the rate is so low. The question you should ask is: Will this person advance my business, or simply fill a task?
In short: value > cost
Putting money into your marketing doesn’t guarantee success—but ignoring marketing when you’re already invisible? That’s almost a guarantee of missed opportunity.
So don’t treat marketing like a bill you dread. Treat it like the fuel for your next step. When you do, your mindset shifts—and so does your business.
