How Much Should You Invest in Marketing as an Online Coach?

As an online life or fitness coach, deciding how much of your revenue to put towards marketing each year can make or break your business. The general advice is to allocate 5-10% just to maintain clients, but more may be needed to grow.

Since your clients are found primarily through online channels, devoting a sizable chunk of earnings to promotional activities is especially important. Marketing experts suggest coaches aim to spend 15-20% of annual revenue on tools like Facebook ads, influencer collaborations, online events and courses, or a membership community.

Many coaches shy away from these larger percentages out of fear of overspending. But digital marketing allows you to quickly test multiple strategies to see what generates the best results. A 15-20% budget gives the flexibility to find high-performing campaigns before scaling them.

It can be tempting to cut costs in order to increase profits early on. But without consistent marketing investments, your message and expertise won’t reach enough potential new clients to increase revenue long-term. Online visibility and authority must be maintained through ongoing promotions.

Spending on the higher end of 15-20% shows clients you are serious about growing your influence and helping even more people transform their lives. It demonstrates confidence that additional marketing exposures will bring sufficient return. For coaches focused on scaling rapidly, dedicating the full 20% or more each year is recommended.