Figuring out when to do PR as a startup is challenging enough - but when it comes down to it, figuring out HOW to do it is even trickier - not to mention time consuming. To help our startup network understand what they can expect in terms of resources vs costs when it comes to PR, we've gathered some key information our team has garnered over a collective 30 years in the PR industry working for a combination of large and small agencies - where we worked across 100+ clients - freelancing, and in-house roles.

Here's a breakdown of the typical team, experience, contract length and fee range you'd get for the main PR support options available today, based on what we know:

Large PR Agencies: There, a typical client should expect 5-person teams, with a combined average of 40 years of experience. These teams will charge between $120k to $400k annually depending on the size of your business and how many hours you want them to work each month. While their expertise can be genuinely impressive and useful, their structure is layered with seniority levels not always fit for startups or scaleups. You’ll be billed based on the hourly rates of everyone in the team, which means you’re paying premium prices even for senior members who might not be needed given the lack of highly strategic/crisis issues, while it's the juniors who execute the baseline media work.

Boutique PR Agencies: A slightly scaled-down version with account teams usually comprising around 3 people, the best teams in these smaller agencies will offer up to 30 years of experience in PR at a rate of $60k to $120k per year. But the structure is similar. The layers of seniority still exist, and you might find yourself paying for high-level strategic insights that aren’t always aligned with your startup’s immediate needs for ROI.

Freelancers: Going with a freelancer can give you anywhere between 10-30 years of experience, usually priced between $30k to $50k annually, depending on the contract you have with them (a few days a week or project-based). While they offer flexibility and a more tailored approach, your success rate will depend largely on their personal connections with media. So be wary of that and do your due diligence.

In-House: Building your own PR team might seem ambitious, but it's often a smart move for startups who get the value of it. At a cost of $36k to $60k annually, you’re investing in someone who lives and breathes your brand - we'd usually advise on hiring a really good mid-level person from a PR agency - they are the people most well connected to media because they're the ones pitching journalists day in day out, when more senior people focus on business development and strategy. They can up-skill themselves based on the needs of the business as you grow - there are actually lots of PR courses available for little money - and they can also use software and tools to help them day-to-day.

PR Software: For the tech-inclined, there are a range of PR tools backed by teams coming from the PR world - our team, for instance, has 40+ combined years of PR and content experience, which has allowed us to create a platform that easily scales up and down to match the needs of both startups and large companies. With subscription costs ranging from $3k to $25k yearly, these tools can be an economical choice if you've got a basic grasp of PR essentials and or/someone in-house to make the most of them.

We've summarised all this in a table here:

In short, while agencies offer a buffet of services, startups often don’t need the full spread. With multiple layers of seniority in play, costs escalate quickly. Many startups find that a lean, tailored, in-house PR approach or a mix of freelancing and software is more efficient and cost-effective.