As 2025 approaches, those of us in the marketing realm are strategizing and allocating budgets. If PR is part of your marketing mix, you may wonder what it costs and which route is best—hiring a PR Manager, a freelance publicist, or working with a PR agency. Each option has unique advantages, disadvantages, and budget implications.
1. PR Manager (In-House)
Budget: $80,000 to $120,000 annually, plus benefits
Pros:
Integrated Strategy: A full-time, in-house PR Manager becomes deeply familiar with your brand, offering consistency and a long-term approach. They can align PR efforts directly with other marketing and business goals.
Dedicated Attention: This person works solely for your company, offering flexibility and responsiveness in managing crises, media relations, and storytelling.
Cons:
Cost: Salaries and benefits can be expensive. In addition to salary, factor in health insurance, 401(k) matching, and other employee costs.
Narrow Expertise: While an in-house manager may excel in your industry, they may not have the broad media relationships or varied expertise that agencies and freelancers offer. If you have a product or service that has crossover appeal into many different industries, it can be a drawback.
2. Freelance Publicist
Budget: $3,000 to $10,000 per month, depending on experience and scope
Pros:
Cost-Effective: Freelancers typically offer a more affordable option than agencies or full-time staff. They often work on retainer, which allows for flexibility in the level of service.
Specialized Expertise: Many freelancers come with niche experience or established media contacts in specific sectors, such as health, fashion, or tech, which can bring highly targeted results.
Flexible Commitment: You can hire a freelance publicist on a project basis or for a shorter contract, which is ideal if your PR needs fluctuate throughout the year.
Cons:
Limited Bandwidth: Freelancers juggle multiple clients, so you may not receive the same level of attention or responsiveness as you would with a full-time manager.
Scaled-down Results: When faced with a limited budget, it's important to adjust your expectations for the outcomes accordingly. Similar to a part-time employee, the results may be proportionate to the investment made.
Resource Limitations: Freelancers may lack the support team or resources that agencies bring to the table, such as access to media databases or a design team.
3. PR Agency
Budget: $10,000 to $30,000 per month, depending on the agency's size, reputation, and the scope of the campaign
Pros:
Comprehensive Services: Agencies provide a full spectrum of services, including media relations, event planning, crisis management, and digital PR. They have teams of specialists in areas like content creation, strategy, and analytics.
Established Media Relationships: PR agencies often have stronger media connections and a greater capacity for outreach due to their size and experience.
Scalability: Whether you're a startup or a Fortune 500 company, agencies can scale their services to meet your evolving needs.
Cons:
Higher Cost: Agencies are the most expensive option, especially if you're working with a top-tier firm. Their fees can strain smaller marketing budgets.
Less Personalization: While agencies bring many resources to the table, you may not get the same personal touch or deep brand knowledge that an in-house manager or dedicated freelancer offers.
Varying Experience Levels: Equally crucial is determining who on the team will assume responsibility for day-to-day media outreach. This task is sometimes delegated to junior staff members at lower billing rates.
Key Takeaways:
PR Manager: Best for companies that need ongoing, integrated PR efforts and have the budget for a full-time employee.
Freelance Publicist: Ideal for those needing flexibility and specialized expertise, without the commitment or cost of a full-time hire or agency.
PR Agency: Suited for companies seeking comprehensive PR services with robust media outreach and the ability to scale efforts as needed.
When budgeting for PR in 2025, understanding your business needs and the level of expertise required is essential. A well-thought-out PR strategy, whether in-house, freelance, or through an agency, can significantly elevate your brand's visibility and reputation.
Bonus Tip: While PR is considered “Earned Media”, there are out-of-pocket expenses to evaluate as part of the overall budget. I will do a separate blog post on this, but in the meantime, it’s best to ask your potential PR partner to assess these costs during the evaluation process.
Happy budgeting!