Category: Strategy

“How much should I spend on marketing?” is one of the most common questions we hear from esthetics business owners. The honest answer: it depends on your goals, your market and your numbers. But you don’t have to guess. Here is how to build a budget that makes sense for your business.

Start with what a client is worth

Before setting a budget, know your client lifetime value: your average ticket × visits per year × years a typical client stays. A waxing client who comes in monthly for three years is worth far more than her first $60 appointment suggests. That number tells you how much you can afford to spend to acquire a client.

Then work backward from your goal

• How many new clients do you need each month to hit your revenue goal?
• What does it realistically cost to acquire one in your market? (Your ad data or a free audit can tell you.)
• Multiply the two. That is your starting acquisition budget.

A healthy business keeps lifetime value at three times or more the cost to acquire a client. If acquisition costs more than that, fix your offer, landing page or retention before spending more.

Separate the budget into its parts

• Ad spend: what you pay Google or Meta directly
• Management: what you pay an agency, consultant or team member to run it
• Foundations: your website, Google Business Profile, photography and tracking

Many esthetics businesses start ads with $500–$1,500 a month in ad spend. Med spas in competitive markets often need more. What matters most is that every dollar is tracked to bookings.

Don’t forget the free channels

A strong Google Business Profile, a steady review system and a rebooking script at checkout cost little or nothing and make every paid dollar work harder. Paid ads amplify good foundations. They can’t replace them.

Review it every month

Your marketing budget isn’t a one-time decision. Look at cost per booking, return on ad spend and new-client revenue every month. Scale what is working and cut what isn’t.