How to Budget Marketing in 2026 (Without Wasting Cash)
Owned and Operated - A Plumbing, Electrical, and HVAC Business Growth Podcast
Outro
Hosts wrap up, preview the next episode on hiring a marketing manager, and ask for likes, subscribes, and reviews.
In this episode of Owned and Operated, John Wilson is joined by Sam Preston (CEO of Service Scalers) to break down how smart home service operators should budget for marketing in 2026. They explain why one-size-fits-all marketing budgets don’t work, how to reverse-engineer spend from the number of leads you actually need, and why most companies don’t have a lead problem—they have an execution problem.
This conversation goes deep on gross profit–based budgeting, flexible marketing spend, and the exact frameworks operators use to decide what to scale, cut, test, or deploy in emergencies.
What you’ll learn in this episode:
- Why marketing budgets should be based on gross profit, not revenue
- How to calculate marketing spend by backing into daily lead requirements
- The difference between budgeting for a new business vs. a 10-year-old company
- The 4 (plus 1) marketing budget buckets every operator should use
- A simple kill vs. scale framework to test marketing channels without guesswork
💼 Extra Special Thanks to Service Scalers!
We’ve been partnering with Service Scalers to maximize our Local Service Ads (LSAs) and optimize our Google My Business profiles, and the results have been incredible. With hundreds of thousands in sales and 900+ calls in a single week, GMBs are now our top-performing organic lead channel.
Want to learn how Service Scalers can do the same for you?
🔗Check Them Out Here
If you’re trying to grow profitably in HVAC, plumbing, electrical, or any home service trade in 2026, this episode will help you stop guessing—and start budgeting with intention.
💼 Big Reputation — Stop chasing reviews and watching competitors outrank you. Big Reputation is the AI-powered review + SEO platform built for home service pros. Automate review generation, respond with AI, track local SEO, and integrate with your CRM. Setup is free, and your first month’s on the house.
💼Shoutout to Avoca AI!
Looking to train your call center and improve technician performance? Avoca AI helps teams identify issues, improve call quality, and drive results from start to finish.
🔗 Connect
John Wilson: https://x.com/WilsonCompanies
Sam Preston: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sampreston/
More Ways To Connect with O&O
John Wilson, CEO of Wilson Companies
Jack Carr, CEO of Rapid HVAC
📌 Disclaimer: Some links may include UTM parameters or affiliate relationships, meaning we may earn a commission if you make a purchase. Episodes may feature sponsors, but all opinions expressed are our own.
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