Expert answer / 14
How do we grow without a bigger budget?
Short answer
A fixed budget can work harder when spending is focused on the activities that create the most useful outcomes.
More detail
Questions behind the answer
Whatis happening
How much should we spend on marketing?
There is no single right marketing budget. Base it on growth goals, margins, capacity, customer economics and how long results take to appear.
Whyit happens
Why isn't our budget keeping up?
A budget can feel behind when growth ambitions rise, costs change or prior commitments leave little room to test new opportunities.
Howto fix it
How do we find wasted spend?
- List spend, owners, renewal dates and the result each investment is meant to support.
- Compare channel and campaign performance with qualified pipeline and sales outcomes.
- Move budget in measured steps toward work with stronger evidence; check dependencies before cutting.
Sources: Gartner 2025 CMO Spend Survey Reveals Marketing Budgets Have Flatlined · Performance Marketing Agency Australia (2026) — ROI.com.au