Is more advertising really the answer to growing your business—or could it be masking deeper issues? In this thought-provoking article, Hunt Demarest challenges the idea that benchmarks alone can guide smarter spending decisions. This article was originally published on Ratchet+Wrench.com and takes a deeper look at how shop owners should approach advertising, growth, and performance.

Demarest explains why relying on fixed percentages—like allocating a certain portion of sales to advertising—can lead to costly missteps. Instead, he emphasizes aligning your marketing spend with your actual growth goals and, more importantly, understanding whether new customers are truly the problem. From missed appointments to internal inefficiencies, many issues can look like a lack of demand when they’re really operational gaps.

He also highlights the importance of measuring return on investment and tracking where customers come from, ensuring every dollar spent is tied to real value—not just cost. In some cases, improving customer experience and retention can outperform any marketing campaign.

If you’re questioning whether your advertising dollars are working as hard as they should, this is a must-read.

👉 Read more on Ratchet+Wrench to rethink how you invest in growth and uncover what’s really driving your results.