So I've been doing some research because I'm in the early stages of putting together service packages for a small PR/comms agency and I'm trying to nail down realistic budget ranges to present to B2B tech clients. Found this article from Intelligent Relations that breaks it down and wanted to get some real-world input from people who've actually been on either side of this.
What the article says about budget:
They lay out three tiers for monthly earned media investment:
$5K–$10K/month — Focused outreach + media intelligence (basically getting your foot in the door)
$10K–$15K/month — Thought leadership + regular placements
$15K–$25K+/month — Full earned media ecosystem (narrative development, executive visibility, ongoing journalist relationships, reporting, the works)
Their argument is that you shouldn't think of this as campaign spend but as an ongoing investment — like, the value compounds over time as journalist relationships build and your client's executives become recognized sources.
Honestly the ranges feel... plausible? But I'm not sure if they reflect agency fees, tool costs, content production, or all of the above bundled together. For a client spending $8K/month, am I expected to be doing media intelligence, pitching, AND writing bylines? That math gets tight fast.
I'm also wondering how realistic the $5K–$10K tier actually is for getting meaningful Tier 1 coverage vs. just some trade press mentions. The article doesn't really distinguish between those outcomes at the lower end.
For those of you who've hired a PR agency or run earned media programs — do these ranges match what you've seen in the market? Did the lower tiers actually deliver or did you feel like you needed to be at $15K+ before anything meaningful happened?
And for anyone agency-side — how do you structure these packages without underselling your time, especially in the early months when you're doing a ton of strategy work before coverage even starts rolling in?
Trying to get this right before I start having real conversations with prospects. Any input appreciated.