Med Spa Success Strategies Podcast

Host: Ricky Shockley
Episode: How to Choose a Med Spa Marketing Agency
Date: September 15, 2025

Episode Overview

Ricky Shockley delivers a comprehensive and candid breakdown of how med spa and aesthetic practice owners can confidently select or audit a marketing agency. With an insider’s perspective and a promise of transparency, Ricky guides listeners through the essential qualities, questions, and red flags to watch for when entrusting an agency with their growth — all aimed at ensuring marketing investments drive genuine ROI rather than becoming just another business expense.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Evaluating Real Results: Attribution, Data, and Honesty

• Attribution Over Correlation:
  • Ask for case studies with clear, direct links between agency efforts and results — not just piggybacking off a practice that was already growing.
  • “I want to be sure that my marketing provider is not just piggybacking off of a successful business.” (00:03)
• Ask for Best, Worst, and Average Results:
  • Don’t let agencies only show “best ever” stories. Dig into what didn’t work and set realistic expectations.
  • “Push for what type of numbers and what stats do we expect to see as a reasonable average and really push them. Get a gauge… are they giving you a realistic perspective?” (00:08)
• Key Metrics to Demand:
  • For direct-response campaigns:
    • Lead cost
    • Conversion rate
    • Cost of customer acquisition (CAC)
    • Lifetime value and retention
  • “If they don’t have good data on CAC, retention, lifetime value… it’s just hard to trust.” (00:13)
• Don’t Accept Anecdotes Alone:
  • Modern agencies should show actionable, tracked data, particularly for direct-response.

2. Assessing Experience and Niche Knowledge

• Industry experience matters, but isn’t everything.
  • “More experience is generally better, but not if they’re not getting good results… sometimes people are just good salespeople.” (00:15)
• Direct niche experience ensures smarter ad spend — for example, knowing which services (like injectables) typically perform best.

3. Reviews: Read for Substance, Not Just Praise

• Seek Impact-Focused Testimonials:
  • “You want people that are sharing a results-focused review more so than just a ‘We like these people’.” (00:19)
• Look beyond generic positive reviews for detailed stories about patient growth, ROI, or directly attributed success.
• Weigh negative reviews by their seriousness and specificity; not all are deal-breakers, but patterns matter.

4. Understanding Delivery, Management, and Communication

• White Label vs. In-House:
  • Get clarity who actually works on your account — is it the agency’s team or outsourced/white-labeled?
  • “Are they white labeling? …I would at least want to know that and I would want an explanation of why.” (00:23)
• Ask About Processes and Oversight:
  • Who manages your account day-to-day?
  • What systems ensure consistency and results?
  • Who’s responsible for strategy and quality control?
• Expectations for Communication:
  • Agencies differ: some are hands-off, others are proactive.
  • “If you want someone that’s got 24-hour attention on your account… probably a lot of agencies aren’t going to be a fit.” (00:29)

5. Reviewing Pricing and Scope — Focus on ROI, Not Price

• Avoid Apples-to-Apples Price Shopping:
  • Don’t just compare fees; dig into what service is actually included.
  • “Please, I would implore you, do not look at price alone.” (00:34)
• Scope of Deliverables:
  • Define what’s included (e.g., number of services or campaigns).
  • “Do the deliverables match what you’re in need of?” (00:39)
• ROI is King:
  • Example: “Would you put $10,000 into a machine if it gave you $30,000 instead of $5,000 for $10,000 back? … Absolutely.” (00:40)
  • Analyze the potential for money-in, money-out, NOT just lowest cost.

6. Agency Values, Principles & Conflict of Interest

• Philosophy Matters:
  • Ask about guiding principles, core values, and strategy frameworks.
  • “Do they have specific tenants that guide their strategy?” (00:45)
  • Example: Ricky’s pro-discount new patient acquisition philosophy is grounded in data and psychology.
• Consultant vs. Salesperson:
  • Look for an advisor, not someone just maximizing their cut.
  • “You want someone who’s got a consultative approach…” (00:50)
• Ask About Potential Conflicts:
  • Are account managers incentivized to recommend certain channels or spend more than necessary? Know all compensation structures.

7. Strategic Depth and Expertise

• True Expertise Is Essential:
  • The agency’s leader should function as your “CMO” — deeply thoughtful, data-driven and fully immersed in med spa marketing.
  • “Are they truly experts in the field of marketing and aesthetics? I think you need that one-two punch.” (00:56)
  • Look for “students of the game,” not just salespeople or generalists.
• Feel Confident in Their Direction:
  • Do you trust they’re steering your ship to the best possible ROI?

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “You have to use your BS meter a little bit. Are they giving you a realistic perspective of what the reasonable average result looks like?” (00:08)
• “Marketing is a data-driven initiative if you’re doing it correctly.” (01:03)
• “Marketing is a money-making initiative. It should not be an expense. It should be an investment.” (01:06)
• “Remember in your final analysis you’re trying to figure out what’s going to create the biggest gap between money in and money out. You don’t want to make that purchase decision just based on the analysis of the money in.” (01:04)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:03 – Concerns about agency attribution: “Piggybacking off a successful business”
• 00:08–00:14 – Asking for “worst case studies” and pushing for numbers
• 00:15 – Niche experience and the importance of specialization
• 00:19 – How to read and interpret reviews
• 00:23–00:29 – Delivery systems, white labeling, account management, and communication expectations
• 00:34–00:41 – Pricing pitfalls, apples-to-apples mistakes, scope, and the centrality of ROI
• 00:45–00:54 – Agency guiding principles, consultative approaches, and identifying conflicts of interest
• 00:56–01:01 – The necessity of deep, ongoing expertise (“students of the game”)
• 01:03–01:06 – Final reminders on data, ROI, and why marketing is an investment, not an expense

Summary Takeaway

Whether you’re shopping for a new agency or simply ensuring your current provider is a fit, Ricky’s advice is clear:
Demand real data, prioritize ROI, scrutinize both the numbers and the narrative, and expect strategic depth with transparent motives.

If you thoughtfully probe each of these areas, you’ll gain confidence that your marketing relationship is an investment delivering tangible, sustainable growth — not just another line item on the expense sheet.