Build Your Blueprint: Why a Marketing Budget is the Key to Growing Your Deck Business in 2025

This article was first published in Deck Specialist Magazine in the January/February 2025 Issue.

You’ve seen it—that deck builder with the sharp website, professional videos, and ads everywhere. They didn’t ‘see what happens’ with cheap SEO or Facebook boosts—they invested in marketing that grows their brand and brings in consistent leads.

I get it—marketing feels like a big unknown, especially if you’ve never invested before. Most deck builders start small, hoping a little spend will be a silver bullet or just seeing what sticks. But here’s the reality: a budget that’s too small won’t move the needle. You’ll spend the money and see nothing change.

If you’re going to start small, make it count. Put your money where it can actually move the needle. A smart, intentional budget—no matter the size—can deliver real results

Starting Small: What a 3% Budget Looks Like

A 3% budget lays the groundwork: building trust, generating leads, and creating visibility—based on your target revenue goal, not where you are now.

Example Budget for a $1M Business (3% = $30,000 annually):

  • Website Refresh ($3,000–$5,000): A clean, professional site that builds trust with project photos, reviews, and simple calls-to-action. It ensures you don’t lose leads and acts as your 24/7 digital business card.
  • Basic SEO ($12,000 annually): Focused on getting you on the map. Includes foundational SEO and content—like cost guides, project galleries, and blogs—to help you show up on Google and bring in leads.
  • Google Ads ($12,000 annually): Paid ads get you in front of homeowners now. Show up at the top of Google when someone searches for ‘custom deck builder [city].’ While even $1,500 a month can start landing 1–2 projects, spending less than that often won’t get you the results you need.
  • Social Media Marketing ($3,000 annually): Stay visible on platforms like Facebook and Instagram. Share project photos, testimonials, and updates to build trust and keep your brand top of mind.

Goals for a 3% Budget:

With this budget, you’re focused on steady, manageable growth:

  • Filling gaps in your schedule.
  • Keeping your crews busy.
  • Starting to build your reputation and visibility in your market.

It’s a solid first step. But here’s the reality: the bigger your goals—like landing higher-value projects, expanding into a new area, or growing your team—the more you may need to invest.

Thinking Bigger: What a 5% Budget Can Do

Many builders scale steadily with 2–3%. A 5% budget helps you grow faster—bringing in consistent leads, bigger projects, and opportunities to dominate your market

Example Budget for a $2M Business looking to Double their Business (5% = $100,000 annually):

  • High-Converting Website ($8,000–$10,000): More than a refresh. A high-converting site that works as your 24/7 salesperson. It includes case studies, stronger calls-to-action, and SEO to attract better-qualified leads, answer homeowner questions, and convert visitors into primed prospects to save you time.
  • Advanced SEO & Content Marketing ($20,000 annually): Focused on dominating search results. Adds ongoing, high-value, strategically written content and off-page strategies like backlinks, guest posts, and PR to build authority, drive more traffic, and attract higher-quality leads.
  • Comprehensive Online Advertising ($40,000 annually): Larger ad budgets allow you to dominate Google search and reach high-value homeowners on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Bing. Dip into brand awareness using advanced strategies like retargeting and geofencing to stay in front of the right audience across multiple channels
  • Email Marketing & Automation ($7,000 annually): Automated follow-ups nurture leads over time with valuable content like “What to Expect During Your Deck Build”. Stay top of mind until they’re ready to hire.
  • Video Marketing ($8,000 annually): Drone footage, time-lapse builds, and client testimonials highlight your work. Videos set you apart and can be used in ads, on your website, and on YouTube.
  • Community Sponsorships ($5,000 annually): Sponsor events, expos, or local sports teams to build goodwill and trust in your community.
  • Billboards ($10,000 annually): A strategically placed billboard builds visibility fast, especially when expanding into a new market.

Goals for a 5% Budget:

At this level, your marketing machine shifts from “filling the schedule” to owning your market:

  • Attracting higher-value projects and better clients.
  • Expanding into new neighborhoods or cities.
  • Building a scalable business you can pass down or sell when you’re ready to retire.

And here’s the beauty of it: if you invest early and build a well-oiled marketing system, your Cost of Marketing (COM) doesn’t have to go up as you grow. In fact, it often gets more efficient over time.

The Snowball Effect: Why Marketing Gets Better Over Time

At first, the results might feel small. But as you keep investing, the impact grows:

  • Your SEO climbs higher, bringing in free leads month after month.
  • Your ads get more efficient, attracting better clients for less.
  • Your content and videos build trust, so homeowners choose you before they even call.

Over time, your cost per lead drops, your pipeline stays full, and you’re no longer chasing jobs—you’re choosing the best ones. That’s how smart marketing compounds to grow your business.

Workbook: How Many Projects Do You Need to Break Even?

Let’s do the math:
Average Project Price: $30,000
Profit Per Project (10%): $3,000
Marketing Budget: $2,000 a month

You can see that one extra project covers your cost. A second project adds $3,000 in profit. Breaking even is just the start—marketing helps you grow beyond that.

Let’s make this real. Grab a pen and jot down these numbers for your business:

Average Project Price: $________
Profit Per Project: $________
Monthly Marketing Spend: $________
How Many Projects to Break Even?________

For smaller deck builders, adding just two projects a month might be life-changing. For larger businesses, it’s about scaling intentionally to hit bigger goals.

The Bottom Line: Start Smart, Then Build Big

Marketing feeds your business. Start where you’re comfortable—even 3% of revenue can lay a solid foundation with a website, SEO, and ads that bring in leads.

But if you’re ready to land bigger jobs, expand into new markets, or step back and let your team thrive, it’s time to invest intentionally. Marketing isn’t a gamble—it’s how you take control of your future, grow with confidence, and build the business you want.

Your future business is waiting. Go build it.

april-edwards

April Edwards

Owner & Lead Marketing Strategist
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