How to Right Size Your PR Needs: Option #3 High‑Touch Retainer PR
This month we are tackling “What kind of PR is right for my business?” knowing that PR is a must‑have and not a would‑like for businesses looking to scale.
If DIY is the starter kit, and done‑with‑you is teaching you how to fish, a high‑touch retainer is having an experienced guide in the boat with you through a busy season on the water. Metaphors aside, retainer level PR partnerships are built for leaders who are ready for PR to stop being an experiment and start being a real success lever in the business.
Who is High‑Touch Retainer PR actually right for?
Retainer PR is the “right size” when the stakes are high and the timeline is important. You are heading into a defining moment in the next 6 to 12 months. A raise, a launch, a major rebrand, a new market, a big partnership. You know that visibility during that time could materially change your business.
Retainer models are also ideal for established professional service firms, growth‑stage brands, mission‑driven organizations and leadership teams who have a clear story, real traction and no interest in piecing PR together on nights and weekends. You want a partner who thinks about your visibility every day so you don’t have to.
What you get (and what you don't)
Our retainer approach is the opposite of spray‑and‑pray. We do not blast the same pitch to 300 reporters and hope for the best. We use a three‑pronged strategy that stays grounded in your business goals.
Thought leadership and expertise: We build your founder and leadership story, then plug it into the right conversations. That might be interviews, op‑eds, bylines, podcast guest spots, or expert commentary that shows you know your stuff and gives people a reason to trust you and your business.
Brand and product mentions in relevant articles: This is the work of getting you into the places your buyers already read. Gift guides, roundups, industry pieces, look‑ahead trend stories and other seasonal coverage. Not random mentions, but placements that support how and where you want to grow.
Smart “newsjacking”: Whenever there is a timely moment or “why now” in your space, we move. We look for opportunities where your product, service or expertise can help make sense of what is happening in the world and we bring you into that story with first mover advantage and through the long-term relationships we’ve built with the media on your behalf.
What you get is a fully custom strategy, day‑to‑day pitching and follow‑up, media monitoring, relationship‑building and a partner who will tell you which ideas are actually worth pursuing. You also get counsel on what not to do so our campaigns are not chasing every shiny object and storyline.
What you do not get, even at this level, is a set‑it‑and‑forget‑it arrangement. For maximum success, we still need clients to show up for input, interviews and strategy sessions.
Timeline + dollars
Retainer PR is a momentum game. In the first couple of months we are learning how the press reacts to your story, testing angles and building initial trust with reporters on your behalf. Around the three‑month mark is when we usually see the dam break and coverage starts to roll in more consistently. From there, the work shifts to building toward specific business goals and keeping that drumbeat going.
This is why we treat six months as the minimum commitment and see the best results in the 9‑ to 12‑month range. It takes time to move from “Who are you?” to “You are our go‑to source on this topic.”
In terms of investment, if PR in A Box is the cost of one month of retainer condensed into an intense sprint, our retainer-level clients experience that same level of strategic support and execution every month. This model is for businesses that are ready to budget for ongoing PR as part of their growth plan, not as a one‑off line item.
What to consider
While your day-to-day time spent on PR does go down at the retainer level, your responsiveness matters more. Most leaders spend 3-5 hours a month on PR once a retainer is up and running, but those hours are important. Quick feedback, availability for interviews and alignment on priorities all make the work stronger.
Retainer PR makes the most sense when there is enough happening in and around the business to sustain a steady story: launches, hiring, partnerships, product updates, category shifts, thought leadership ideas. If you only have one announcement and nothing behind it, you may be better served by LBR/PR In A Box or a targeted project.
You also want to be sure your marketing and sales engines are ready to catch the attention. When people see or hear about you, they should be able to find you, understand what you do and know what to do next.
Gut check: Are you built for Retainer PR?
Ask yourself and your team:
Are we heading into a 6‑ to 12‑month window where visibility could materially change our business, and do we know what success would look like?
Do we have the budget to support a sustained PR program, not just a single splash, and are we comfortable treating it as part of our growth plan?
Are our founders or leaders willing to be visible and responsive so a partner can truly act as an extension of our team?
If your answers lean toward yes, high‑touch retainer PR may be the right‑sized next step after DIY or a done‑with‑you option like LBR/PR In A Box. If you are not sure which level fits, we can talk it through and be honest if your best move is to wait, to start with DIY, or to jump straight into retainer.