Don’t Expect Your £35k Marketing Manager Hire to Solve Your Marketing Problems

Let’s be blunt: hiring a £35k marketing manager and expecting them to “fix” all your marketing challenges is a bit like buying a second-hand hatchback and expecting it to win Formula 1. It’s not that the car is bad — it’s just not built for that job.

Yet this is exactly what many SME founders and leaders in the UK do. They’ve reached the point where they can’t juggle sales, product, and marketing anymore, so they hire their first marketing person. They want someone who can do it all: strategy, execution, digital campaigns, brand, copywriting, analytics, and challenge them in the boardroom too.

But here’s the problem: a £35k hire won’t (and can’t) do all that.

Why This Doesn’t Work

1. They Don’t Have the Experience Yet

To set strategy, push back on the founder, and direct the company’s growth engine, you need years of battle scars. A junior-to-mid-level marketer hasn’t had time to collect those. They’ll be smart, ambitious, and eager — but they won’t be able to tell you when your “great idea” is actually a terrible idea.

2. You’re Setting Them Up to Fail

Expecting one person to be strategist, copywriter, designer, and PPC specialist is a recipe for burnout. You’ll get a little bit of everything, but none of it at the level your business actually needs.

3. Power Dynamics Matter

If you’re the founder who has done the marketing up until now, chances are your new hire won’t challenge you. They’ll nod along, follow your direction, and quietly panic about not really knowing how to steer the ship.

Result? Frustration for you, burnout for them, and eventually another LinkedIn “I’m excited to announce…” post.

What You Actually Need

You don’t need a unicorn marketing hire. You need a structure:

• A Fractional CMO to set direction, craft strategy, and be the grown-up in the marketing conversation.

• A Marketing Manager (yes, your £35k–£45k hire) to run campaigns, keep the wheels turning, and learn under the guidance of someone more experienced.

• Specialist Support (agencies, freelancers) to plug gaps in execution like SEO, PPC, or design.

This way, your marketing manager gets set up for success, not failure. They can grow into the role, while your business benefits from senior-level thinking without paying a six-figure salary.

Related: Fractional CMO Services for UK SMEs

Straight Talk: Stop Looking for a Bargain CMO

If you want someone who can challenge you, set strategy, and lead your marketing function — they don’t come at £35k. Be realistic about what you’re hiring for.

It’s not that marketing managers are bad hires. They’re brilliant when placed in the right structure. But expecting them to play CMO, strategist, and doer all rolled into one? That’s how you end up disappointed, and how they end up dusting off their CV.

Final Thoughts

So before you post that job ad for a “Marketing Manager who can do everything,” take a breath. Ask yourself: Do I want execution or strategy? Because if you want both, you’re looking in the wrong salary bracket.

The smart move? Bring in a fractional CMO to chart the course, then hire a capable marketing manager to keep the engine running. That way, you’ll get the strategy you need, the execution you want, and — most importantly — a marketing function that doesn’t fall apart in six months.

I help UK SMEs avoid this exact trap. If you’re thinking of hiring your first marketing manager, let’s chat about how fractional CMO support could set them (and you) up for success.