New clients often ask me to name a figure before we've discussed a single goal. I understand the instinct, but budget is an output of strategy, not an input. Here's the framework I actually use.

Start from a target, not a percentage

Forget "spend 7% of revenue" rules of thumb. Start with: how many new customers do you want this month, what is a customer worth to you, and what can you afford to pay to acquire one? Those three numbers set your budget.

The acquisition maths

  • Average customer value (including repeat business) — say ฿5,000.
  • Acceptable cost to acquire one — perhaps 20%, so ฿1,000.
  • Target new customers per month — say 20.
  • Indicative budget: 20 × ฿1,000 = ฿20,000/month to test.

Test small, then scale what works

Never bet your whole budget before you have data. Run a focused test for 4–6 weeks, find which channel and offer convert, then pour budget into the winner. Scaling a proven campaign is low-risk; guessing at a big launch is not.

The right budget is the one where every extra baht still comes back as more than a baht. Find that point, then keep feeding it.

Spend should follow evidence. Start at a level you can sustain for two to three months, measure ruthlessly, and let the results — not a generic percentage — tell you when to scale up.