Resources · Benchmarks

What should you actually be spending?

Australian benchmarks on marketing and leadership spend, by business stage — and which of our tiers usually fits. Sourced, not guessed.

Reference only, not a rule — skim the stage that matches you, then the tier card below it. Full sourcing at the bottom. Or use our Marketing & Leadership Budget Calculator → to work out your own number.

Start-up / high growth12–30%of revenue for fast-growing Australian startups capturing market share early.
Growth-focused brands10–14%of revenue for Australian brands actively scaling, not just maintaining.
Steady / established5–10%of revenue for most Australian SMEs in steady growth, prioritising efficiency.
Why this matters in a downturnHarvard Business Review's analysis of 4,700 companies across multiple recessions found that businesses which maintained or increased marketing investment grew up to 17% faster post-recession — and continued investment was a defining trait of the 9% of companies that emerged stronger than they went in.
Who actually pulls aheadMcKinsey's "Stronger for Longer" study found resilient companies built a 25-point higher EBITDA than their peers by the depth of the Great Recession. In its more recent study of 61 growth leaders through COVID and inflation (2019–2024), only about a third of companies maintained investment through the cycle — but those that did beat peers on revenue growth and profitability. As McKinsey put it: "What distinguishes business growth leaders is not better foresight, but greater conviction."

Which tier usually fits

Founder's Partner · From $1,500/mo

Best fit: founders and early-stage start-ups who need senior commercial direction on a start-up budget — a day a month to begin, scaling as they grow.

Advisory Retainer · $4,500/mo

Best fit: established businesses already spending steadily (roughly 5–10% of revenue) who mainly need sharper senior direction over an existing team or agency — not more hands.

Growth Partner · From $8,500/mo

Best fit: businesses stepping up toward a proper programme — moving into the 10–14% growth range, wanting direction and delivery together.

Embedded Partner · From $12,500/mo

Best fit: businesses in active expansion, investing at the higher end of the growth range (12–30%), needing deeper embedded leadership across sales, marketing and ops — not just one channel.

Delivery Partner · From $18,000/mo

Best fit: businesses effectively replacing a whole in-house commercial team — high-growth B2B or B2C, needing full leadership plus a dedicated delivery team executing end to end.

Enterprise Partner · Custom

Best fit: scale-ups chasing serious growth and enterprise clients — 12 to 30 days a month of senior leadership, fully customised across teams, entities or locations.

Sources: Australian Bureau of Statistics small business expenditure data (median marketing spend) · Vanguard 86's 2026 SME report, via Marketing Movement (actual Australian & NZ SME spend) · Harvard Business Review's cross-recession analysis of 4,700 companies · McKinsey's "Stronger for Longer" and "Inspired for Business Growth" studies (recession and downturn resilience) · APQC Open Standards Benchmarking (marketing budget as % of revenue) · SEEK, Glassdoor and SalaryExpert (Australian Digital Marketing Manager salary data, 2026). Ranges are industry benchmarks, not a promise — the right tier depends on your specific goals, margin and capacity, which is exactly what a Business Needs Analysis is for.

See the full pricing ladder

Six tiers, what's included, and what's quoted separately.

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