1. The $1M Excavation Plateau — Why Marketing Feels Risky in Fall

If you’re running an excavation company doing around $750K to $1M a year in revenue, you already know the hustle. You’ve got multiple crews, heavy equipment payments, insurance premiums, and payroll every Friday. Word-of-mouth got you here, maybe a few referrals and a handful of repeat clients. But now you’re asking yourself:

“Is this as big as we’re going to get? Or are we missing something?”

That thought can feel heavy. Fall is crunch time. Crews are rushing to finish jobs before winter slows everything down, but calls aren’t coming in like they did in spring. You’re looking at your books and thinking:

• “If we spend too much on marketing, will it eat into profits?”
  
  

• “If we don’t spend enough, will we lose jobs to competitors?”
  
  

• “What if this is the season we stall out?”
  
  

At Excavation Marketing Pros, we hear this all the time. And we get it—because we’ve worked with contractors exactly where you are. You’re not a startup anymore, but you’re not a $5M outfit either. You’re in the messy middle where smart decisions either push you to the next level—or keep you stuck in neutral.

This article is here to help you figure out how much to spend on marketing this fall, without wasting money or guessing.

2. What Makes Fall Different for Excavation Marketing

Fall isn’t like spring or summer. Homeowners and businesses are in “wrap-up mode.” They’re thinking about:

• Prepping land or septic before the ground freezes.
  
  

• Fixing drainage problems before heavy rains and snow.
  
  

• Clearing lots before winter projects or spring builds.
  
  

This means leads don’t vanish in fall—they just shift. If your business isn’t visible online when those calls come in, they’ll go to your competitor who is.

Plus, ad costs often drop a bit in fall as retail companies start hogging budgets for the holidays. That can make fall one of the most efficient times to advertise—if you spend wisely.

3. The Real Cost of Standing Still at $1M in Revenue

Here’s the hard truth: doing nothing costs more than marketing.

If you’ve hit $1M in annual revenue, you’re probably spending $80K–$120K a month on labor, fuel, insurance, and debt. If leads slow down and just one crew sits idle for a week, that’s thousands of dollars lost—far more than the cost of running ads.

We’ve seen it: contractors who pause marketing in fall often enter winter with a half-empty pipeline. They’re left scrambling, slashing prices, or laying off workers. Meanwhile, competitors who invested in fall marketing are already booked through March.

The cost of standing still isn’t just lost revenue—it’s lost momentum.

4. How Much Excavation Companies Should Budget for Marketing This Fall

Here’s a simple rule most $1M contractors don’t know:

👉 Excavation companies should plan to invest 5–10% of annual revenue into marketing.

That means if you’re at $1M:

• $50,000–$100,000 a year in marketing
  
  

• Which breaks down to $4,000–$8,500 a month
  
  

In fall, it often makes sense to lean toward the higher side. Why? Because every lead you close now carries you into winter, when work naturally slows down.

Think of marketing spend like diesel in your machines: too little, and the engine stalls. The right amount keeps your crews busy and your books healthy.

5. Where to Spend: Breaking Down Marketing Channels That Actually Work

Not all marketing is equal. Here’s where $1M+ excavation businesses should focus this fall:

Google Ads (PPC for Excavators)

• High-intent leads: homeowners and builders actively searching for “excavation near me.”
  
  

• Fast results: can start producing calls within days.
  
  

• Budget tip: Start with $2K–$4K/month.
  
  

SEO and Local Rankings (Google Business Profile)

• Long-term play: builds steady organic leads over time.
  
  

• Crucial for local search: if you’re not in the top 3, you’re invisible.
  
  

• Budget tip: $1.5K–$3K/month in SEO work pays off 10x over time.
  
  

Facebook & Instagram Ads for Excavators

• Great for building brand awareness in your service area.
  
  

• Works well for retargeting homeowners who visited your website but didn’t call.
  
  

• Budget tip: $1K–$2K/month to stay visible.
  
  

Review & Reputation Management

• At $1M in revenue, reputation is everything. One bad review can cost a $20K job.
  
  

• Automated follow-ups get more 5-star reviews.
  
  

• Budget tip: $300–$500/month for tools & systems.
  
  

Website Upgrades and Conversion Tools

• A slow, outdated website can kill leads—even if your ads are great.
  
  

• Adding call tracking, forms, and click-to-call buttons boosts conversions.
  
  

• Budget tip: Invest $5K–$10K once, then maintain it yearly.
  
  

6. Scaling Smarter: Marketing Benchmarks for $1M–$3M Excavators

We’ve noticed patterns across clients:

• $750K–$1M Excavators: Marketing spend usually $4K–$6K/month.
  
  

• $1.5M–$2M Excavators: Marketing spend usually $7K–$12K/month.
  
  

• $3M Excavators and up: Often spending $15K+ a month but seeing huge ROI.
  
  

The key isn’t just spending more—it’s spending smarter. Don’t spread money across every platform. Double down on what drives calls and booked jobs in your market.

7. Case Example: What Happens When a $1M Excavation Business Invests $10K in Fall Marketing

Last fall, a contractor we worked with in the Midwest invested about $10K over three months. Here’s what happened:

• Google Ads: 180 leads at $55 per lead
  
  

• Facebook Retargeting: 38 “second chance” jobs booked
  
  

• SEO: Ranked in the local map pack for “septic installation” and “pond excavation”
  
  

• Pipeline impact: Crews booked solid until February
  
  

That $10K returned $140K in jobs closed before Christmas.

The math is simple: when the right systems are in place, marketing isn’t a gamble—it’s a machine.

8. Common Mistakes Excavators Make When Setting a Marketing Budget

• Spending randomly. Throwing $500 here, $1,000 there, with no plan.
  
  

• Pausing when it’s busy. Fall leads fill your winter—don’t stop when crews are working.
  
  

• Chasing vanity metrics. Clicks don’t pay bills. Jobs do.
  
  

• Relying only on referrals. Referrals are great, but they won’t scale you past $1M.
  
  

9. How to Measure ROI and Know If You’re Spending Enough

If you’re not tracking, you’re guessing. A $1M excavation business should have:

• Call tracking on every ad campaign.
  
  

• Lead source reporting inside a CRM.
  
  

• Job revenue tied back to marketing spend.
  
  

The simple test:
👉 If every $1 in marketing returns at least $3 in booked jobs—you’re not spending too much, you’re spending too little.

10. Final Word: A Smarter Way to Plan Marketing Budgets This Fall

At Excavation Marketing Pros, we’re not here to push cookie-cutter solutions. Every excavation business has its own challenges. But here’s the bottom line:

• If you’re doing $1M in revenue, marketing isn’t optional—it’s fuel.
  
  

• Fall is the season to invest, because every job you close now carries you through winter.
  
  

• The right spend—$4K to $8K/month or more—isn’t a cost. It’s the growth plan that keeps you ahead of competitors.
  
  

If you’re asking yourself “How much should I really spend?”—the better question is: “What’s the cost of not showing up where your best jobs are looking this fall?”