Car Dealership Marketing Budget Estimator

If you own a car dealership, marketing is essential. However, determining the right budget can be tricky—you might worry about spending too much or too little. To help you make informed decisions, we’ve created this free tool. By answering a few simple questions, you’ll receive a precise estimate of your ideal monthly marketing budget. We hope you find it useful and enjoy using it!

Good news for you, we have a lot of marketing resources for car dealership owners

1. What is your car dealership’s market area?

Small-town or suburban area Large city or highly competitive market

Highly competitive metropolitan areas often require more aggressive marketing and higher budgets to stand out.

2. Do you offer online vehicle sales functionality?

No Yes

Operating an online sales system typically requires more tech support, SEO work, and online advertising.

3. What type of content do you plan to prioritize?

High-quality vehicle showcase videos Customer testimonials Behind-the-scenes dealership insights Virtual test drives Promotional offers

More complex or polished content (like high-quality videos or virtual test drives) typically requires higher production costs.

4. On how many social networks do you want to post?

2

Popular platforms for car dealerships include Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube. The more platforms you manage, the more resources you’ll need.

5. Are you planning to hire a dedicated social media manager?

Yes No

Running a busy dealership leaves little time for marketing. A dedicated manager increases costs but ensures a consistent online presence.

6. What is your car dealership’s market positioning?

Luxury / premium (new, exclusive models) Mid-range (reliable and affordable) Budget-friendly / used car specialist Specialized (custom builds, performance vehicles)

Premium dealerships often require more polished branding and marketing, whereas budget-focused dealerships can spend less on high-end visuals.

7. How intensively do you plan to invest in paid advertising?

5

A higher level means more spending on digital advertising such as Facebook Ads, Google Ads, etc.

8. Do you offer fleet sales or sell to corporate clients (B2B)?

No Yes

B2B marketing often requires additional outreach, networking, and targeted advertising.

9. How frequently do you launch promotions or limited-time offers?

Occasionally Regularly

Dealerships with frequent promotions often invest more in advertising to promote their offers.

10. Do you plan to work with local automotive influencers or car review experts?

No Yes

Collaborations with influencers or car experts can boost brand visibility but require a dedicated budget.

11. What is your approximate monthly revenue? ($) Many businesses budget 1%–3% of revenue for marketing. We'll use 1.5% as a baseline and adjust based on your other answers.

12. Have you checked our marketing pack for car dealerships?

No Yes

Our marketing pack helps you allocate your budget precisely, save money, avoid mistakes, and spend only on profitable strategies for the automotive industry and your target audience.

Calculate My Budget