Why Spending Money to Get a Customer Is the Smartest Move You Can Make

June 25, 2025 | Read time: 3 mins

Welcome back, folks 👋
This week’s Business Builder Bulletin tackles a mindset shift that changed everything for me:

💷 Why paying to get a customer is not a gamble—it’s a strategy
🧠 The moment I realised free marketing was holding me back
🧮 The 7-step method to take control of your customer acquisition
📈 How to turn your marketing from a hope into a system

Let’s dive in…👇

The Day I Realised Free Marketing Was Costing Me More Than I Thought

When I first started out, I prided myself on “organic reach.”
I told myself I didn’t need to spend money on ads. I was posting daily, joining Facebook groups, handing out flyers—doing everything I could think of to get customers without spending a penny.

And it worked… sort of. I got a few leads here and there.
But here’s the truth: it was slow, unpredictable, and exhausting.

One day, I spent three hours creating and posting content across five platforms. Result? One enquiry. No booking.

That same week, I ran a small £100 Facebook ad that brought in four real leads and two paying clients.

That’s when it clicked: free wasn’t free if it was costing me time, energy, and consistency.

I stopped thinking of spending money on marketing as a risk—and started treating it like a system.

Here’s how to build yours:

Step 1: What’s a Customer Worth to You?

Start by asking: What’s the average customer worth to me over their lifetime?

This is your Customer Lifetime Value (CLV).

Example:
You run a service-based business and the average client pays £100/month and stays for a year.
That’s £1,200 per customer.

Knowing this number is powerful—it tells you how much it makes sense to spend to gain one.

Step 2: What Would You Spend to Get One?

This is your Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC)—and it’s a choice.

Would you be happy to spend £100 to get a £1,200 customer?
Maybe even £300?

There’s no right number—just a number that makes sense to you.

Step 3: How Many Leads Do You Need for One Customer?

Now check your current conversion rate. If you convert 1 out of every 5 enquiries into a sale, your lead-to-customer ratio is 5:1.

Knowing this tells you how well your sales process is working—and how many leads you need to hit your goals.

Step 4: What Can You Afford to Spend Per Lead?

Let’s do the maths.

If you're happy to spend £300 to get a customer, and it takes 5 leads to make one sale:
You can afford to spend £60 per lead.

This number helps you choose the right marketing channels. (For example, a £15 Google lead might be a bargain—but a £100 billboard might not.)

Step 5: How Many New Customers Do You Want Next Month?

Be specific. Don’t say “more.” Say, “I want 10 new customers.”

Now we can work backwards.

Step 6: How Many Leads Do You Need to Get There?

Using your conversion rate, work it out:

If you want 10 customers and need 5 leads per customer = 50 leads

Step 7: What’s Your Monthly Marketing Budget?

Multiply your required leads by how much you can afford to spend per lead:

50 leads × £60 = £3,000 marketing budget

Suddenly, the mystery is gone. It’s just maths—and you’re in charge.

Final Thought: You’re Not Guessing Anymore

Most small business owners either don’t market at all, or throw content out into the void and hope something sticks.

But you’re better than that.

Once you know the numbers, you stop seeing marketing as an expense—and start seeing it as a system. One that brings you customers predictably, month after month.

💬 Want help working out your numbers and building a marketing machine that makes sense?
That’s what we do at Business Coaching Manchester. Book your free strategy session and let’s put your growth on autopilot.