About This Episode

As 2025 approaches, many business owners feel the pressure of managing their marketing budgets effectively. Often, budgeting is seen as a restrictive exercise—just numbers on a spreadsheet—but if that’s how you’re approaching it, you’re missing the point.

In the latest Endless Customers episode, Alex Winter sits down with Tom DiScipio, one of IMPACT’s co-owners and client advisors, to explore how businesses should rethink budgeting as a key investment strategy. Rather than getting bogged down by the numbers, Tom emphasizes shifting your mindset toward leveraging your budget to accelerate long-term growth.

Mindset Is Everything

One of the core messages of the episode is that none of this works without the right mindset. As a leader, your perspective needs to shift towards viewing your budget as a growth model.  “If you’re thinking of a budget as just numbers,” Tom says, “you’re not going to maximize its potential.” Your budget is a blueprint for growth—an investment in your company’s future.

Tom advises businesses to move beyond the transactional thinking of traditional budgeting and focus instead on building a strategy that enhances the company’s value over time. This includes flexibility within the budget to seize new opportunities when they arise.

Are You Seeing Your Budget as an Investment?

“Most people are looking at spreadsheets and thinking of it as just numbers,” Tom says, “but if that’s the way you’re doing it, you’re missing out on the bigger picture.” The real power in budgeting comes when you treat it as an investment into building something greater: an asset that contributes to your company’s overall growth.

Many companies make the mistake of sticking with what’s worked in the past, allocating the same amount each year without adjusting for the future. But what happens when your current strategies stop working? That’s where reevaluating and setting new, intentional goals comes into play.

Where Should You Start?

Tom suggests that businesses first need to take a hard look at what is working—and more importantly, what isn’t. “You can’t just keep doing what you’ve done before,” he notes. “You need to set targets, establish goals, and work backward into a budget that gets you there.” For example, if your marketing efforts aren’t yielding results or you’re not leveraging new tools like AI, it’s time to rethink your allocations.

In-House vs. Outsourcing: A Strategic Shift

A key topic in the discussion is the trend toward bringing marketing in-house rather than relying solely on external agencies. Tom points out that many large corporations are moving away from outsourced agencies and investing in internal marketing teams. IMPACT has long been an advocate of this shift through its They Ask, You Answer philosophy, encouraging businesses to build their content and marketing engines internally.

While it might seem daunting at first, the long-term benefits far outweigh the costs. Building a capable team allows you to maintain control over your brand, ensures long-term consistency, and maximizes ROI.

Where to Allocate Your 2025 Marketing Budget

Tom breaks down four key areas where businesses should focus their marketing budgets:

People: Invest in talent like a content manager and videographer to build an in-house content marketing machine. Salaries range from $40,000 to $60,000 annually, but the payoff is having control over your messaging and content production.
Technology: A good CRM is essential for tracking your customer journey. HubSpot is often IMPACT’s go-to tool, and Tom recommends exploring AI tools to streamline and personalize your marketing efforts.
Services: There are still areas, like web design or paid ad management, where external specialists are helpful. Tom suggests budgeting around $5,000 a month for such services.
Training: This is one of the most overlooked areas in a budget. Hiring the right people is crucial, but giving them the tools to succeed is equally important. Companies should allocate $5,000 to $10,000 monthly for ongoing training, ensuring that your team stays sharp and up-to-date with the latest marketing trends.

The One Thing To Remember

As you plan your 2025 budget, think long-term and treat every dollar as an investment in the future of your business. Rather than simply crunching numbers, ask yourself how your budget can create growth, support your in-house talent, and push your company to new heights.

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