Most permanent lighting installers think about marketing budget wrong. They pick a number based on what feels affordable (or what an agency quoted them) and then hope the channel returns it. The right way is to start from the unit economics and work backwards.
The short answer
Most established permanent lighting installers spend 8–15% of revenue on marketing. The wide range is because the right number depends on growth stage:
- Year 1 (zero base): 15–25% of revenue. You're paying to build the install base that fuels future referrals.
- Year 2–3 (growing): 10–15% of revenue. Referrals start to share the load.
- Year 4+ (established): 6–10% of revenue. Compounding referrals carry more of the customer acquisition.
Budget benchmarks by revenue tier
| Annual revenue | Total marketing budget | Suggested channel mix |
|---|---|---|
| $0–$200K (year 1) | $15K–$25K | 80% mailed design quotes · 20% retargeting + community |
| $200K–$500K | $25K–$60K | 65% mail · 15% retargeting · 10% bottom-funnel Google · 10% community/referral |
| $500K–$1M | $50K–$120K | 50% mail · 20% retargeting · 15% Google · 15% community + referral nurture |
| $1M+ | $80K–$200K+ | 40% mail · 25% retargeting · 15% Google · 10% YouTube · 10% community |
The unit economics that decide everything
Channel mix matters more than total budget because not all dollars produce the same return:
| Channel | Approx return per $1 spent |
|---|---|
| Mailed design quotes (Light Launch) | $32 |
| Door-knocking (cold, average rep) | $5–$15 |
| Google ads (bottom-of-funnel) | $4–$10 |
| Facebook ads (retargeting) | $8–$15 |
| Facebook ads (cold) | $3–$8 |
| Referrals (years 2+) | Effectively infinite (after acquisition cost is sunk) |
A 100% mailed-design-quote budget of $15K returns ~$480K in install revenue at the average. A 100% Facebook-ads budget of $15K returns $45K–$120K. Both are "spending $15K on marketing" but the result is dramatically different.
The first $1,000
If you're starting from zero and want to test the math: spend your first $1,000 on a single 1,000-postcard mailed design quote campaign. Light Launch's money-back guarantee says if your $1,000 campaign doesn't return at least $1,000 in install revenue, Dave refunds the platform fee personally.
Across installers running this exact campaign, the average return is ~$32,000 in install revenue. Worst-case outcome: you get your $1,000 back.
The math works on $200 too.
200 postcards, $200 spend, ~$6,400 average return. Free account, no subscription.
Start free →