{
  "_readme": "Marketing-budget benchmarks (Phase 3). The classic 'SBA recommends 7-8%' page is GONE from sba.gov (verified 404, 2026-09) — so the citable anchor is the live sba.gov 2019 blog stating the AVERAGE small-business marketing spend (7.9% of revenue, 2018 data), plus a 2026 home-services-specific maintain/growth split. The tool must present the goal bands as the home-services benchmark and the SBA figure as the cross-industry average — never as an 'SBA recommendation'.",
  "average": {
    "pct": {
      "value": 7.9,
      "source": "U.S. Small Business Administration blog — How to Get the Most From Your Marketing Budget (average small-business marketing spend, 2018 data)",
      "source_url": "https://www.sba.gov/blog/2019/2019-07/how-get-most-your-marketing-budget/",
      "as_of": "2019-07"
    },
    "b2c_services_pct": {
      "value": 11.8,
      "source": "Same SBA blog — B2C services average",
      "source_url": "https://www.sba.gov/blog/2019/2019-07/how-get-most-your-marketing-budget/",
      "as_of": "2019-07"
    }
  },
  "goals": {
    "source": "HSM Pro — Home Services Marketing Budget Benchmarks",
    "source_url": "https://hsmpro.com/resources/home-services-marketing-budget-benchmarks",
    "as_of": "2026-06",
    "bands_pct": {
      "maintain": [4, 6],
      "grow": [6, 12],
      "aggressive": [10, 15]
    },
    "labels": {
      "maintain": "Maintain — strong repeat and referral flow",
      "grow": "Grow — the healthy home-services range",
      "aggressive": "Aggressive — buying market share"
    }
  }
}