In 2015 social media marketing and social commerce drove 30% of all website traffic to websites-did you know that? With Millennials (Customers born around 2000), social media is their number one used search method to find goods and services. Gen X(1960-1980) and Gen Y(1980-2000) use social media as their 2nd preferred search option for goods and services behind Google, which is number one. Everyone says social media is the next big thing but I haven’t had a single sale from Social Media!

There are many reasons that you might not have success with Social Media Marketing. I, would not allow a Dr’s receptionist to operate on a broken bone should that emergency arise. I cannot figure out for the life of me why so many of you think you are the best person to manage marketing and social media for your business? As the florist, plumber, electrician, counselor, dentist or doctor wouldn’t your time be better spent utilizing your skills as the subject matter expert in your field?

In order to realize success with social media marketing, you must first understand social media(based on your age demographics really define that knowledge level), the concepts surrounding success with each social media channel and the how best those principles will support your company. You must ensure that you have picked the right social media channels for your business, and you must communicate with your customers or potential customers in a way that supports them, not necessarily yourself if you’re not even your own target customer. Additionally, understand what realistic expectations should be surrounding social media success. If you’re constantly plugging your product or service three times per day, seven days per week, you’re drowning your audience, turning people off, and irritating people. Did you know that social media serves as a branding tool for your business first? Did you know that social media also serves as a customer facing or customer service segment of your business? Be meaningful and purposeful with your social media strategy and posting. Are you consistently branding your social media messages? We have seen many small business owners using the same social media accounts for business and their personal lives. That decision is disastrous for the business for many reasons.

Give us a call and we would be delighted to audit your social media marketing performance as well as develop a comprehensive pathway to success in your branding and long term marketing performance.

E: info@theadleaf.com | P: 321.255.0900 | Skype: Chris.Delarue

The typical progression with marketing and the life of a small business owner takes a few twists and turns. Typically, a North American based small business owner will start their business without the appropriate level of business acumen to effectively start and run a business. Forbes Magazine and Bloomberg reported that 8 out of 10 small business owners will fail in business within 18 months. (Published September 2013)

Due to this lack of knowledge, many small business owners in order to save costs (in their minds) will attempt to conduct and manage the marketing themselves. In most instances, this action quite honestly has lasting negative sales impact, profitability impact, customer service impact, and overall business branding impact. In some cases, that negative impact is difficult to realize (at least in the beginning) short term. Once you have realized that the marketing side of the business is taking significant amount of time away from you actually doing what you love(the very thing you decided to do when you opened your business), you realize that you need to hire some type of marketing support.

The next step in business owner life progression brings many of you to a crossroads. Should I hire an in house marketing person( I have read the Craigslist Ads that you have written looking for a marketing coordinator, customer service representative, sales person, personal assistant, and support person *all in one* for the bargain price of $10.00 per hour  ), or should I entertain those “spam” emails and phone calls I receive about marketing?

Once you have realized at this point in your business life progression either: Hire the $1600.00 minimum, per month cost to employ a $10.00 per hour Jack or Jane of all trades to manage Marketing, or hire one of the agencies that have been emailing you (multiple times per day) and calling you regularly. No matter which direction you have chosen, what you should establish are reasonable expectations with respects to how you manage those relationships and how much you should be involved.

Keep in mind that a marketing staffer “might be” but the marketing agency “will be” the subject matter experts in marketing and advertising. You as the business owner are the subject matter expert around your business model or widget(s) that you create and sell. If you truly wish to realize sales and profitability success with the marketing you are paying for, you must be involved in the process. It is critical that you help your employee or agency create content, images, videos, sound bites, and specials or promotions. You must provide feedback and approvals. If you are paying an employee or paying for a service why would you not show direct involvement in something you are paying for? How much time do you need to be involved? That is a great question. The answer is really contingent upon how “bad” your marketing, sales, and profitability performance historically has been. If your sales are down or flat, if your profitability is down or flat, or if your marketing program is dismal-you should plan to invest the time necessary to ensure that your employee or agency is steered in the right direction in support of success for your business. If you hire an employee or an agency and then drop off your mess in their laps, your ultimate success could be improved but most likely would only show limited improvement.

You must be collaborative: If you approach your employee or agency with a jaded eye and an “ah ha I gotcha” mentality, your employee and agency are not going to be able to function in a creative, forward looking, and proactive manner in support of your marketing success. If you spend all of your interaction time looking for items that the employee didn’t complete or the agency didn’t complete instead of looking for creative ways to execute each segment of your campaigns, you are wasting valuable time and resources. It is human nature for “people” to work hard in support of doing a great job. Work to solve the root cause of problems and then focus on moving forward. If your employee or agency missed the mark with marketing did you fail to send in content? Did you fail to create content? Did you fail to direct them with specials, promotions, giveaways? Did you take weeks to provide feedback or an approval on a priority they were waiting for? Did you NOT take the work they sent you over for approval seriously? Did you not even review it? At the end of the day, as a business owner, the only person you are accountable to is the person you see in the mirror. Be sure to be purposeful, honest, and involved with what you are paying for in business. The CEO’s of major U.S. Fortune 50 organizations do not run their day to day operations on vacation 365 days per year, why do you think that you do not have to be: Supportive, hands on, helpful, proactive, and respectful with vendor and employee relationships, while still expecting great success?

How Much Money Should My Business Spend On Marketing & Advertising-How Much Should I Budget For Marketing

If you’re a small or medium-sized business owner, you’ve probably wondered:

“How much should I actually spend on marketing and advertising?”

It’s a smart and necessary question. Spend too little, and you risk fading into the background. Spend too much without a strategy, and you might drain precious resources. Getting the right balance is vital. And when that answer exists, you won’t guess—you’ll know.

At The AD Leaf, we take the mystery out of marketing budgets. Our team will help you determine precisely where and how to invest your marketing dollars for the biggest return. From crafting a clear strategy to executing campaigns that convert, we’re your partner in smarter, more profitable growth.

Create a marketing plan that works as hard as you do with The AD Leaf!

A Misplaced Marketing Budget Can Stagnate Growth

Many business owners face these common challenges:

• Unclear budgeting benchmarks – Without data-driven guidance, you may underinvest or overspend on initiatives that don’t move the needle.
• Fragmented strategy – Random posts, uncoordinated ads, or scattered SEO efforts often deliver a lackluster ROI.
• Scope creep without accountability – Spending across multiple channels without tracking performance means you can’t tie dollars to results.

Essentially, a poorly allocated marketing budget is like trying to row a boat with a broken oar. You put in effort, but can’t steer toward growth.

Smart Marketing Investment = Predictable Business Growth

With a clear, strategic marketing plan, you’ll gain:

• Consistent and sustainable lead generation – A steady stream of prospects without the feast-or-famine cycle.
• Better efficiency with ad spend – Every dollar works harder: Google Ads, Facebook Ads, SEO, and more are aligned to your goals.
• Scalable marketing engine – Know what works, refine it, and confidently scale as your revenue grows.

Most small to mid-sized businesses find success when they dedicate roughly 7–12% of annual revenue to marketing, coupled with strategic planning tailored to their industry and audience.

Partner with The AD Leaf for a Data‑Driven Marketing Plan

At The AD Leaf, we help business owners stop guessing and start growing. Here’s how our full suite of services supports your investment:

Audit & Strategic Planning

We begin by analyzing your current marketing—what’s working, what’s not—and recommend industry-appropriate benchmarks. Through deep discovery, we craft a customized marketing roadmap aligned with your unique goals.

Digital Marketing Execution

Our executed services include:

• Search Engine Optimization (SEO) to lift your site in search results using researched keywords and an ongoing content strategy.
• Pay-per-click (PPC) campaigns via Google Ads and Bing Ads to target high-intent leads. Efficient bidding and continuous optimization ensure strong ROI.
• Social Media Advertising & Management, including Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, and Pinterest. We combine creative content with audience targeting to build brand visibility and engagement.
• Email & SMS Marketing, including AI-driven automation to deliver timely, personalized messages that boost open rates and engagement.
• Content Marketing & Brand Development, from blog writing and campaign copy to strategic storytelling—everything crafted to engage and convert.

Traditional & Experiential Media

We also offer time-tested traditional channels when they fit your audience:

• Direct Mail, Radio, Television, Public Relations, and Media Buying—all deployed strategically in a multi-channel campaign that delivers broader reach when needed.

Creative Services & Web Development

• Website design and development, including e-commerce shops (Shopify, Zen Cart) and custom React, PHP, Angular, or Node applications. We also provide React JavaScript, site hosting, and general networking support.
• Graphic design, branding, corporate literature, and video production, including scriptwriting and corporate video packages tailored to your message.

Reputation & Geo‑Targeted Campaigns

• Reputation management for review monitoring and improvement.
• Geofencing & marketplace marketing, local-targeted campaigns that connect directly with customers in your area.

Why Choose The AD Leaf?

With over a decade of proven experience, The AD Leaf brings the power of Fortune 500-level marketing expertise to businesses of all sizes. Since 2012, our team, boasting over 100 years of combined leadership, has helped companies transform their marketing into measurable growth. Headquartered in Central Florida, we combine national reach with local care, serving more than 200 active clients across the U.S., from ambitious small businesses to enterprise brands like AMC Theatres, Polaroid, and BK Technologies.

When you partner with us, you gain complete visibility into your investment. Our transparent monthly reporting and ongoing optimization ensure every dollar is working to grow your business.

Putting It All Together: Budget + Results with The AD Leaf

• Set your budget within the typical 7–12% revenue range.
• Engage with The AD Leaf for a full audit and custom marketing strategy.
• We recommend a balanced mix: Digital channels like SEO, PPC, email, and social + traditional channels only when needed.
• Track performance continuously: We analyze ROI, adjust campaigns, and report real results.

Ready to Make Your Marketing Budget Work Harder?

If you’re tired of marketing dollars disappearing with no clear impact, fix the problem once and for all.

Let The AD Leaf be your strategic partner. With our full-service expertise, from SEO and PPC to social media, content, web development, and traditional media, you’ll get a cohesive, high-performing marketing plan tailored to your goals and budget.

Secure your complimentary marketing audit and custom strategy from The AD Leaf. Spend smarter, grow stronger.

If you make it a habit to “solve the wrong problem” in business and cut expenses within the wrong line items of your businesses P & L you could very well negatively affect your top line revenue, customer experience, profitability and you could start the downward spiral of death for your business.   Lastly you might be saying to me “We’ll I don’t have the money that McDonald’s, Starbucks, Walmart, and Walgreen’s does” you’re probably right.  The key differences though between them and YOU is, is that when they were a small business like you are today, they executed their business plan correctly.  They budgeted marketing at 4-6% when times were good and when times were lean.  In large part, those decisions when they were small, allowed those companies to be who they are today.  Please send us a message if you’d like to discuss this topic: E: info@theadleaf.com | P: 321.255.0900