Are you juggling social media, email campaigns, and promotions—and wondering if it’s time to bring in help?
Should you hire a full-time marketing manager for your med spa—or would that be a costly mistake right now?
This article breaks down the real decision points that determine whether hiring in-house is the right move—or if you should wait and explore other options first.
We’ll walk through six key truths every med spa owner needs to know before posting a job listing, from costs and expectations to readiness and structure.
1. Don’t Hire a Unicorn—Get Real About the Role
Most med spas make the same mistake: trying to hire one person to do everything.
You’re probably hoping for someone who can:
- Run paid ads
- Manage your email and social
- Design graphics
- Write content
- Build funnels
- Analyze data
- Edit video
- Grow your audience organically
That person? Doesn’t exist—at least not at the level of skill and speed your business needs.
Break it down:
- Must-haves: Daily marketing tasks (email, content posting, promo scheduling)
- Nice-to-haves: Video editing, analytics, branding
- Outsourceables: Ads, SEO, website, high-level strategy
Trying to cram everything into one job will lead to burnout and mediocre execution. Build the role around what moves the needle most.
2. What It Really Costs to Hire a Med Spa Marketing Manager—And When You’re Ready
Here’s a rough breakdown of what you’ll spend:
- Entry-level: $45k–$60k/year
- Experienced: $65k–$90k+/year (plus benefits)
But salary isn’t the only cost. A $50k hire won’t come in with a strategy baked and ready. If you don’t have clear systems, structure, and content in place, even the best hires will struggle.
👉 Reality check: If your brand and strategy aren’t solid yet, start with a fractional CMO or an agency first. Let them build the plan—then hire someone to run it.
3. Avoid This Costly Hiring Mistake: Strategist vs. Doer
A common (and costly) trap: expecting someone to both set the marketing direction and do all the day-to-day tasks.
These are two different skill sets:
- Strategists decide what needs to happen
- Doers carry it out
If you don’t know which one you need, you’ll end up hiring the wrong person—or giving the right person the wrong job.
Here’s a better structure:
- Agency or strategist: Builds the plan, drives growth strategy
- In-house coordinator: Executes the plan, manages content, communicates with team
Let your business maturity—not just your bandwidth—determine your hire.
4. What to Measure in the First 90 Days
Don’t expect your new hire to “bring in leads” by next month. That’s vague and unrealistic.
Instead, measure what actually moves you toward long-term growth:
- X social posts per week
- X email campaigns per month
- Monthly promotions and events planned
- Local partnerships or outreach activity
- Website and content updates published
These build momentum—if they’re tied to a real strategy.
Looking to troubleshoot weak performance? Read Why Your Med Spa Marketing Isn’t Working
5. Hire for Attitude, Train for Skills
Yes, tools matter—Canva, Mailchimp, Instagram—but technical skills alone won’t move the needle if your hire lacks:
- A strong sense of ownership
- Creative problem-solving
- Clear communication
- Passion for aesthetics and med spa culture
- A growth mindset that can navigate change
This person won’t work in a vacuum. They’ll be collaborating with your staff, vendors, and maybe even clients. A cultural mismatch is more damaging than a technical gap.
Hire for mindset, train for skills.
6. Not Ready to Hire? That’s Not a Bad Thing
Here’s the truth: Hiring a full-time marketing manager too early is a common mistake.
You might be better off with an agency right now if:
- You don’t have a clear brand or message
- You don’t know which marketing channels are worth your time
- You need to move fast, not spend months onboarding
- You can’t afford to manage someone full-time
In these cases, an agency gives you:
- A full team of marketing specialists
- Strategy + systems built for growth
- Faster execution with less risk
- Flexibility to scale up or down
You can always hire in-house later—once you have a foundation worth handing off.
Take the Next Smart Step
Hiring a marketing manager can be the key to scaling your med spa—if the timing, structure, and support systems are right.
You came here because you’re feeling the weight of DIY marketing and wondering whether in-house help will relieve the pressure—or add to it.
If you’re not 100% confident in your brand, strategy, or execution plan, that’s exactly where we can help. Whether you need a growth roadmap, implementation support, or a partner to bridge the gap—we’ll meet you where you are.
At The Med Spa Agency, we help growing med spas build systems that support both strategy and scale.👉 Schedule a discovery call
Or call (231) 388-7727 and let’s talk through your next smart step.
