How much does nonprofit PR cost?
The cost of nonprofit PR depends on scope: how many tactics you use, how long outreach runs, and whether events and wire distribution are included. No public price list exists for Susan von Seggern’s work, so the reliable way to get a number is to describe your campaign through her contact page.
What raises or lowers the price
| Factor | Tends to lower cost | Tends to raise cost |
|---|---|---|
| Pillars used | One focus, such as lead monitoring or a single release | All four: outreach, releases, lead monitoring, events |
| Length | A single milestone | Sustained, months-long outreach |
| Events | None, or a small media luncheon | A large celebrity and media event |
| Wire distribution | Email servicing only, or Susan’s annual Business Wire deal | One-off wire releases bought separately |
One cost saver: the annual wire deal
Fact card
Business Wire through Susan von Seggern
Susan von Seggern recommends Business Wire for wire releases because of its respectability. Her site says she has an excellent annual deal with Business Wire that significantly saves her clients money compared with one-off releases with Business Wire or other wires.
Wire distribution is only added if budgeted. Many campaigns rely on personal email servicing to targeted journalists, which keeps costs focused on the outreach most likely to produce coverage.
How to scope your budget before you ask
- List the milestones in the next six to twelve months.
- Mark which involve an event, and its size.
- Decide whether a wire release is needed for each milestone.
- Note your spokespeople and their availability for interviews and podcasts.
- Send that list with your inquiry so the estimate matches your real plans.
For context on who should pick a different option, see the nonprofit PR options comparison, or return to the nonprofit PR Los Angeles guide.
Common questions
- How much does nonprofit PR cost in Los Angeles?
- Susan von Seggern does not publish fixed prices; each PR campaign is individualized, so cost depends on scope. The main drivers are how many of the four pillars you use, how many events are involved, whether a newswire release is budgeted, and how long outreach runs. Ask for a scoped estimate through her contact page.
- Does Susan von Seggern offer a public relations package?
- She does not advertise off-the-shelf public relations packages. Campaigns are individualized for event, corporate, cause and cultural clients, mixing sustained media outreach, press releasing, lead service monitoring and events. That lets a small nonprofit pay for a focused launch while a larger organization adds events and wire distribution.
- What makes a PR campaign cost more or less?
- Cost usually rises with campaign length, the number of announcements, event production and paid distribution. It falls when a campaign is tightly focused on one milestone. For wire releases, Susan von Seggern has an annual deal with Business Wire that she says significantly saves her clients money compared with one-off releases there or on other wires.
- Can a small nonprofit afford a publicist?
- Often yes, if the scope is narrow. Because Susan von Seggern individualizes campaigns rather than selling fixed retainers, a small nonprofit can focus on one fundraiser, one launch or one partnership announcement. Lead service monitoring and targeted email servicing can also produce coverage without event or wire costs.
- Do PR people get paid well?
- Pay in public relations varies widely by role, city, seniority and whether someone works in-house, at an agency or independently. This guide does not publish salary figures. For current national wage data, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook lists pay for public relations specialists and managers.
- Is a newswire release worth the money for a nonprofit?
- It depends on the milestone. A wire release adds broad distribution and a public record, but personal email servicing to targeted journalists often does the heavy lifting. Susan von Seggern posts releases to a wire only if budgeted, and recommends Business Wire for its respectability, using her annual deal to lower the cost.