Marketing Budget Cuts? Good. Here’s Where to Swing the Axe (and Where Not To).
If you’ve ever stared at your P&L and thought, “Where the hell is all the money going?”—you’re not alone.
The market’s tightening up, tariffs are pushing up costs, competition’s growing teeth, and everyone from truck outfitters to foam slingers is feeling the pinch.
But here’s the thing: trimming the fat doesn’t mean starving your business. It means cutting the crap that’s not working and doubling down on what is.
There's lots of "advice" going around on YouTube, podcasts, etc. and yeah, some have some solid points. But let’s get real: most of it was written for marketing teams with interns and budget line items for “brand storytelling.” I hate to tell you this but if you’ve got a shop, a spray gun, and a CRM that kinda-sorta works, you really need some advice that's more practical.
So let’s break this down Route Cause style.
1. Cut What’s Not Converting
Most of you are leaking leads like a rusty roof on a warehouse. If you’re throwing money at Google Ads, a random “ I'll do your social media posts Facebook expert,” or some overpriced agency that just regurgitates ChatGPT copy… STOP.
Action step: Look at every marketing expense and ask: Did this bring me leads that closed? If the answer is “meh,” you either need to adjust it or cut it. You don’t need more reach—you need more revenue.
2. Fix the Follow-Up (This Is Where Your Money’s Hiding)
We’ve audited dozens of coating and spray foam businesses, and here’s what we found: 80% of leads never get followed up with properly. That’s not a marketing problem. That’s a system problem.
Use automation. Use templates. Use tools like RCApp. But whatever you do—follow the hell up.
3. Get Laser Focused on WHO You Want
If your ad says “We spray everything for everyone,” congrats—you’re marketing to no one. You need a customer avatar that’s so dialed in, you know what brand of work boots they wear.
Pro tip: Build marketing for your best (and favorite) customer. Not the cheap tire-kickers.
4. Turn Customers Into Salespeople
If your past clients aren't sending you referrals, that's a red flag. Happy customers should be your free marketing team. But only if you make it easy (and maybe throw in a little thank-you surprise).
Build the “Create Fans” system. Upsells. Reviews. Loyalty perks. It’s all cheaper and easier than chasing cold leads.
5. Automate or Die (Ok, Not Die, But Definitely Struggle)
You don't need a marketing degree to run smart systems. You need the right tool (cough…RCApp…cough) and the right process. Automate lead capture, nurture, and follow-up. Then sit back and look like a genius.
Final Word:
If you’re still treating marketing like a flyer on a windshield, it’s time to upgrade. Small businesses don’t need more marketing—they need better systems.
And the good news? You don’t need a big team. You just need a smart plan and the balls to cut what’s not working.
Let’s get it done.
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