Realistic cost for a decent PR + influencer campaign? Series A, trying to budget without getting fleeced
We just closed our Series A and need to make some noise. We're looking for a combined PR and influencer push – top-tier media placements, a steady drumbeat of creator content, maybe a small launch event. No celebrity (yet), just credible, earned-first awareness.
Agencies we've talked to range from $5k/month boutiques that feel too scrappy to $30k+ retainers from big name firms that seem built for post-Series C. What's a realistic monthly retainer range for solid, integrated work at our stage? And is it smarter to bundle PR and influencer under one retainer or keep them separate? I'm worried about paying two retainers that don't talk to each other, but also worried a bundled shop might be a jack-of-all-trades, master of none.
Would appreciate any real numbers or recent experiences.