How Much Does PR With An Agency Really Cost?
PR IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF YOUR BRAND STRATEGY; HOWEVER, IT CAN BE A COSTLY SERVICE WHEN OUTSOURCED. ONE OF THE MOST COMMON QUESTIONS WE GET ASKED BY BRANDS IS HOW MUCH PR AGENCIES CHARGE. PR AGENCIES ARE RARELY TRANSPARENT WITH THEIR PRICING AND THE COSTS VARY FROM AGENCY TO AGENCY. CHOOSING TO WORK WITH A PR AGENCY IS AN INVESTMENT AND SHOULD BE HEAVILY RESEARCHED IN ORDER TO GAIN THE MOST BENEFITS FOR YOUR BRAND. HOWEVER, IT IS POSSIBLE TO MANAGE YOUR OWN PR EFFECTIVELY AND SKIP THE HEFTY PRICE TAG.
Long term commitment
THERE IS NO ONE SIZE FITS ALL WHEN APPROACHING PR. THE COSTS WILL VARY DEPENDING ON THE SCOPE OF WORK: THE LOCATION OF THE AGENCY, THEIR SERVICES, WHETHER THEY HAVE A SHOWROOM, WHETHER THEY HOLD PRESS DAYS, HANDLE SAMPLES ETC. THESE ARE ALL FACTORS THAT WILL DETERMINE THE PRICE OF THEIR SERVICES.
GENERALLY SPEAKING, A PRODUCT PLACEMENT RETAINER WITH A PR AGENCY CAN COST ANYTHING FROM £1,500 PER MONTH UPWARDS. LARGER PR AGENCIES, OFTEN WITH SEVERAL OFFICES ACROSS THE WORLD AND REPRESENTING BIGGER CLIENTS, CAN OFFER BESPOKE SERVICES RANGING FROM CONTENT MARKETING TO WEBSITE DEVELOPMENT, AND WHILST THEIR EXPERTISE CAN BE WORTHWHILE, THEY CAN SET YOU BACK THOUSANDS OF POUNDS PER MONTH. THERE CAN ALSO SOMETIMES BE FURTHER HIDDEN COSTS SUCH AS EVENT PLANNING, COURIER COSTS AND OTHER EXPENSES.
The alternative route
HIRING A PR AGENCY ON A ONE-OFF BASIS ALLOWS BRANDS TO USE AN AGENCY’S EXPERTISE WHILST AVOIDING THE HIGH PRICE TAGS AND A LONG TERM COMMITMENT. THE COST FOR THIS TYPICALLY RANGE FROM £200 TO £400. WHILE IT IS A MORE AFFORDABLE OPTION, IT MIGHT NOT BE A FRUITFUL INVESTMENT AS RESULTS ARE FAR FROM GUARANTEED AND PR SHOULD BE DONE ON A LONG-TERM BASIS (WHETHER YOU HIRE AN AGENCY OR DO IT IN-HOUSE). WE ALWAYS SAY TO BRANDS THAT PR SHOULD BE A CONTINUOUS PROCESS.
PR ISN’T ROCKET SCIENCE. COVERAGE FOR YOUR BRAND CAN STILL BE ACHIEVED WHEN YOU DO YOUR OWN PR, PARTICULARLY AS YOU WILL KNOW YOUR BRAND BETTER THAN ANY AGENCY. AT PR DISPATCH, WE MADE IT OUR MISSION FOR BRANDS TO BE ABLE TO MANAGE THEIR OWN PR AT AN AFFORDABLE COST. USING A PR AGENCY CAN OF COURSE BE BENEFICIAL, BUT IT IS JUST AS EASY TO DO YOUR OWN PR. TAKING CONTROL OF YOUR OWN PR CAN REALLY CUT COSTS AND GREAT RESULTS CAN STILL BE ACHIEVED IF YOU PUT YOUR TIME AND EFFORTS INTO IT.
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