R Public Relations Firm
External PR Agency Vs. In-house PR Manager? Our Pick
Research has shown that the global public relations (PR) market will be worth approximately $133 billion in 2023, with a projected compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.7% yearly. As more businesses adopt PR, choosing between an in-house PR manager or outsourcing to an external PR agency can be tricky. While many experts suggest hiring an external RR agency, others recommend going for an in-house PR manager. Regardless of your choice, you must consider certain factors before making a decision. In this article, we break down everything you need to know about external PR versus hiring an in-house PR manager and also provide our expert verdict.
The Role of an In-house PR Manager
An in-house public relations manager is an individual that oversees all PR activities in an organization. They are typically part of the marketing or communications team creating content, tracking PR campaign performance, and leading brand reputation management strategies.
The Role of an External PR Agency
In contrast, a PR agency is a firm that works with different organizations as an independent body. They help build a relationship between your brand and the public through developing, distributing, and monitoring PR campaigns and crisis management plans.
What to Consider When Choosing a PR Agency or In-House PR
Whether to hire an external PR agency or an in-house manager isn’t absolute. Rather, there are different factors to consider which will guide your final decision.
1. Cost / Budget
The cost of hiring an in-house PR manager encompasses three main areas: recruitment, monthly salary and benefits, and training.
The average yearly salary of a PR manager in the United States ranges from $66,000 to $99,000, which equals approximately $5,500 to $8,000 monthly. This amount doesn't include recruitment and training costs, which might amount to another $4,000 & $1,252, respectively.
In contrast, the average cost of hiring a PR agency with competencies like SEO, copywriting, PR tools, outreach, and reporting is between $1,500 and $10,000 monthly, typically. At first glance, it seems to cost less to hire an in-house team. However, considering the lack of full-service expertise, you might have to employ other employees to support the PR manager. This will increase the total cost making it more expensive than outsourcing your PR to an external agency.
2. Continuity and Consistency
Many sectors have experienced a significant increase in employee resignations, causing a loss of skilled professionals and hindering productivity. Employing a public relations manager can expose your organization to potential workforce transition challenges. In case of a resignation, you must initiate a recruitment process, onboard a replacement, train them, and allow time to acclimate to the company culture. This inconsistency can make maintaining effective PR strategies difficult.
In contrast, an external PR agency has a team of experts including publicists, project managers, copywriters, link-building experts, and more. When you hire a full-service agency, you don't have to worry about resignation or other employee issues. Even if a team member resigns, another member will be assigned to your account immediately, which supports continuity and consistency.
3. Accessibility and Control
An external PR agency works with many clients making it harder to jump on a quick call or quickly run quickly get something published by tomorrow. This limitation creates an opportunity gap because taking advantage of certain information quickly can be challenging at times. However, working with an in-house manager gives you more access and control over PR activities. You can walk down to the hall and share your big idea or adjust a campaign based on new information without waiting in line.
4. Access to an Extensive Library of PR Tools
In-house PR teams may not have access to all the tools available to deliver effective results. This might be due to budget constraints or limited expertise. In contrast, an external PR agency will have a full suite of PR tools like analytics, tracking, outreach, and reporting to facilitate data-driven strategy implementation. When creating a winning strategy, you don't want to leave any stones unturned; an agency armed with the right tools ensures that all areas are covered for maximum results.
5. Access to PR Opportunities
Since most PR agencies work with clients in different industries, they have access to possible partners or collaborators. This cuts the time invested in outreach and other activities. For example, you need to implement an influencer marketing strategy, and your PR agency happens to manage an influencer on your list. That connection can save you time and costs on research, outreach, and meetings and just enable you to get in the door, to begin with. On the other hand, an individual PR manager may have more limited access and connections.
6. Expertise and Experience
PR agencies work with many companies in different industries, which gives them a broad spectrum of experience. Also, agencies understand that the stakes are high; therefore, they invest in hiring the best talent, most of whom are experts in the industry. With their unique skills and experience, they can create solutions and collaborate to solve complex issues. In contrast, a PR manager working alone might only have limited experience with certain tools and strategies from one industry.
In-house PR Manager vs. External PR Agency: Our Pick
We believe hiring an external PR agency is the best option for most situations. These include when you need expertise, want to generate fast and effective results, require more creative strategies, and lots more. In contrast, if you want someone more fully invested in company culture, to have total control over PR activities, and cannot afford an agency, it might be best to invest in an in-house PR manager.
Regardless of what you decide, you always have the option to engage a PR agency for specialized projects beyond your team's primary area of expertise or creativity level. At RPR Firm, we have over a decade of experience managing PR campaigns for businesses in different industries. Schedule a free consultation with us today to see how our professional PR services can help you improve your brand's growth.
