By the time you think about hiring a marketing director, you’re usually in one of two camps:

• You have a specific marketing problem you want to solve
• You want to take a more serious approach to marketing

Most Florida business owners don’t have time to build an entire marketing campaign from the ground up. Besides, marketing is now so complex and effort-intensive that it only makes sense to have experts in your corner. A dedicated marketing team provides that, whether it’s in-house or outsourced.

But, although you’re filling the same function one way or another, you don’t necessarily get the same results.

One of the biggest questions that goes into the calculation is how much a marketing director actually costs. The total includes not only a salary but plenty of other incidentals – all of which can be avoided by deciding to use a marketing agency instead. And those “hidden costs” can really add up fast!

Hiring a Marketing Director in Florida Costs More Than You Might Think

When you’re making a bigger purchase like a car or a home, you have to factor in all the costs that go into it – not just the sticker price. To make a sound strategic decision for your business, any major hire should bring a similar level of consideration. It’s much easier to trade in your car than to hire (or fire!) top-tier talent.

After all, continuity is one of the most important parts of making a hiring selection. When you decide to take the plunge, you want to be sure the person you choose will last at least three years – ideally even more – so institutional wisdom can build around best practices. Thus, you need accurate data on your long-term costs.

Let’s take a closer look at them.

Hiring and Training

If you need to fill an influential role, it’s only natural to hope the ideal candidate arrives on the scene with most of the skills they need. But when it comes to marketing, that’s not always the case. There will always be something more a prospective marketing director has to learn about your business specifically.

On top of that, remember that a marketing director isn’t like the rest of your team. He or she might have skills in areas like social media or website development but could be sorely lacking in all the rest. Ultimately, you’ll still need to invest in a training budget for the rest of your group, even with the “perfect” marketing director.

Florida Marketing Director Salary – “How Much Does a Marketing Director Make in Florida?”

Go on a website like Indeed or Glassdoor and you’ll see stats showing the average marketing director salary estimated at around $160,000. The pay range runs anywhere from $120,000 all the way to an eye-popping $218,000. Even candidates with just a few years of experience can command around $100,000 per year.

Now, aggregator websites don’t always have the most accurate data. In our experience, it’s possible for a small or mid-sized business to hire a marketing director in Florida for around $65,000 in direct compensation annually. But that person may not have the experience or the skills to bring in the results you want.

Unfortunately, if you choose someone early in their career, it means they get an opportunity to use you as a “learning experience” and move on after their resume is a little more impressive. By contrast, those at mid-career join you because they see you as a step up – or a contracted marketing agency sees you as a good fit.

Equipment

What kind of equipment could you need for a marketing director? Of course, you’ll have to invest in the right computer hardware. That probably includes a high-powered desktop computer for the office and dedicated mobile devices for working on the go. But when it comes to marketing, that’s only the start.

Much of the cost of modern digital marketing comes in the form of recurring subscriptions you’ll pay monthly for software your marketing team simply can’t do without. To give just one example among many, subscribing to Pitchbox, a popular search engine optimization program for link building, costs around $16,000 per year.

Payroll Taxes

Under 2024 rules, payroll taxes amount to 7.65% for businesses and 7.65% for employees. That adds more than $9,000 in direct costs to your business for the “average” marketing director in Florida and around $18,000 if you opt for premium talent with a wealth of experience.

Every business owner knows payroll taxes are among the most expensive parts of crafting any in-house team, so there’s no need to dwell on it. But remember, each staff member creates compliance and auditing burdens. If a new team member puts you over 50 full-time employees, for instance, you must offer healthcare coverage.

Benefits (Especially Health Insurance)

“I already have more than 50 employees. What’s the harm in one more?”

Even if you’ve got a thriving business with a larger team, great onboarding practices, and superior retention, a new hire still confers plenty of short- and long-term risk. The cost of benefits is only going up. At the same time, benefits like health insurance have never been a larger part of employees’ calculations than they are today.

In Florida, employees pay more for health insurance than in any other state. Many of them are painfully aware of the fact, and they’ll be scrutinizing your benefits to find ways to save money. Recent statistics show Florida employers can expect their insurance contributions to amount to more than $13,000 per employee annually.

Outsourcing Costs

“Marketing director” is a leadership role. Without a team behind them, they won’t add much value.

When you invest in a marketing director, you’re not getting:

• A graphic designer
• A website developer
• A social media manager
• An email marketer
• A blog writer
• A search engine optimist
• A marketing photographer
• A marketing videographer

… and the list goes on.

Generally, a marketing director’s first move is to hire at least one, and usually two or three, contributors with the execution expertise to implement the director’s vision for your marketing campaigns. With every step toward the complete complement of marketing professionals, you end up with more sunk costs.

There’s also an opportunity cost since all this takes months (or even years.)

The Bottom Line: What It Costs to Hire a Marketing Director in Florida

At today’s rates, a business in Florida can easily be looking at $120,000 a year for the marketing director and all the ancillary costs that come along with them. For each member of the marketing team they hire in turn, you’ll have tens of thousands of dollars in additional, ongoing expenses.

For most businesses, the choice is clear: Hiring a marketing agency may be a similar investment on paper, but it comes with a lot less liability and a lot more productivity – because you get direction and production all in one.

Contact New York Ave today to find out more or get started.