A practical advisor marketing budget planning guide for the year ahead

Most wealth advisors know they should be investing in marketing. Fewer know how much to spend, or where to spend it. The result is usually one of two patterns: spending nothing and relying entirely on referrals, or spending sporadically on whatever a vendor pitches that month. Neither approach builds the kind of consistent presence that actually generates leads. In a future post, we'll talk about the metrics you can watch to gauge success and balance your marketing investments.

The good news: you don't need a massive budget to start building marketing momentum. What you need is a clear advisor marketing budget planning guide that matches your spending to tactics that'll actually move the needle for your practice. Here's how to think about it at three levels.

Before you set a number: get the foundations right

Regardless of your budget, two things need to be in place before any marketing spend will be effective. First, you need a clear value proposition. If you can't articulate who you serve and why you're the right fit, no amount of advertising will fix that.

Second, you need a professional digital presence. That means a current bio, a functional website or profile page, and a LinkedIn profile that reflects your actual practice. We've written about strengthening your digital presence before, and those foundations are the prerequisite for everything below.

The $1,000 (or less) advisor marketing budget

This is where most advisors should start, especially if you've never had a formal marketing plan. At this level, the focus is on maximizing free and low-cost channels, and you should consider where AI can help you with your heavy lifting.

Update your online profiles: Cost: $0 to $200 for a professional headshot

Your LinkedIn profile, firm bio, and any directory listings should be current, consistent, and written to speak to your ideal client. This alone can improve how prospects perceive you when they search your name before a meeting.

Start a simple content routine: Cost: $0 (your time)

Post on LinkedIn once or twice a week. Share an article you found useful and add your perspective. Comment on posts from people in your network. The goal is visibility and consistency, not viral content. Even fifteen minutes a day adds up.

Send a quarterly email: Cost: $0 to $300/year for a basic email platform

Tools like Mailchimp offer free tiers for small lists. A quarterly email to your clients and CASL-compliant prospects keeps you top of mind. Keep it short: one useful insight, one personal note, one call to action.

Benefits: Low risk, builds the habit of consistent outreach, and starts generating data about what your audience engages with.

Tradeoffs: Progress is slow. You're doing the work yourself, which means competing for time with client-facing activities.

The $5,000 advisor marketing budget

At this level, you can start outsourcing the pieces that take the most time and investing in channels with broader reach.

Professional website or landing page: Cost: $750 to $3,000/year

If your firm doesn't provide a strong advisor profile page, consider a simple standalone site with your bio, services overview, and a booking link. It doesn't need to be complex; it needs to be professional, mobile-friendly, and easy to find.

Monthly content creation: Cost: $1,200 to $2,400/year

Hire a writer (or use a service like ours) to produce one blog post or article per month. Good content improves your search visibility over time and gives you material to share on social media and in emails.

Targeted digital advertising: Cost: $1,000 to $2,000/year

A small Google Ads or LinkedIn advertising budget can drive traffic to your website or landing page. The key is targeting: focus on your local market and specific search terms related to your niche. Even $100 to $150/month in well-targeted ads can generate measurable traffic.

Benefits: Professional quality, search engine visibility begins to build, and you start reaching prospects beyond your existing network.

Tradeoffs: You need to manage vendors or service providers. Results from content and SEO take months to materialize. Advertising costs are ongoing.

The $10,000+ advisor marketing budget

At this level, you're building a marketing system, not just running individual tactics. The focus shifts from doing things to having things work for you.

Comprehensive website with SEO: Cost: $3,000 to $5,000 upfront, plus ongoing

A fully built website with multiple pages, optimized for search engines, and integrated with a booking system. Include a blog, a resources section, and clear calls to action throughout.

Email nurture sequences: Cost: $500 to $1,500 for setup

Beyond the quarterly newsletter, build automated sequences that nurture new contacts over time. A five-email series that introduces your approach, shares a case study, and offers a meeting can convert prospects who aren't ready to talk today but will be in six months.

Event marketing: Cost: $2,000 to $4,000/year

Host small client appreciation events or educational seminars (in-person or virtual). Events deepen relationships with existing clients (your best source of referrals) and position you as a thought leader in your community.

Video content: Cost: $1,500 to $3,000

Short, professional videos introducing yourself, explaining a concept, or answering common questions can be repurposed across your website, social media, and email. Video builds trust faster than text because prospects can see and hear you before they meet you.

Benefits: Compounding returns from SEO and content, automated lead nurturing, and a professional presence that builds credibility at every touchpoint. 

Tradeoffs: Requires more coordination. You may need to work with multiple providers (web developer, writer, ad manager). Without a clear strategy tying these pieces together, the investment can feel scattered.

How to choose the right advisor marketing budget planning guide level

The right budget depends on where your practice is today and where you want it to be.

• If you're early in your career and building your book, the $1,000 plan gets you started without financial risk.

• If you've got a stable practice and want to grow, the $5,000 plan adds professional quality that reflects the calibre of service you provide.

• If you're ready to accelerate and have the capacity to take on new clients, the $10,000+ plan builds a system that generates opportunities while you focus on existing relationships.

The one thing all three levels share: consistency beats intensity. A small, sustained effort over twelve months will always outperform a large, one-time campaign followed by silence.

Need help deciding where to invest? We work with advisors at every stage to build marketing plans that match their goals and budget.

Book a consultation to get started.