Part 2 of 3: The Media Relations Playbook Series
Stage-by-Stage PR Strategy for Startups: Pre-Seed to Series A (2026)
PR STRATEGY
Start Me Up PR Inc.
March 2026
- Average PR agency retainer: $5,458/month — wrong spend for most startups
- Pre-seed: build the foundation, not the press list
- Seed: precision pitching — 3 to 5 journalists, not 31
- Series A: PR becomes a strategic function, not a one-off effort
- Ask any agency: how many actual hours am I getting?
This is Part 2 of the Media Relations Playbook. Part 1 covers what media relations is and why it matters for fundraising. Part 3 covers building relationships beyond pitching and measuring ROI.
The Framework
The Right Strategy for Your Stage
A pre-seed founder spending $5,458/month on PR before product-market fit is burning runway. A Series A company doing zero media outreach is leaving credibility on the table. The answer is not the same strategy for everyone.
Section 01
Pre-Seed — Build the Foundation
These three terms get used interchangeably. They should not.
Pre-Seed
$0 – $500 / month
Pure DIY
Your goal is not press coverage. It is building the foundation so that when you do pitch, you are ready.
Define your narrative: what problem do you solve, why now, why you
Build a basic media kit: founder bio, company boilerplate, one high-res headshot
Identify 10–15 journalists who cover your space — follow them, read their work
Start engaging publicly: comment on industry news, share insights, build a digital footprint
Most common mistake at this stage: pitching before you have anything worth covering.
Stage 02
Seed — Start Pitching
Seed
$500 – $2,000 / month
Precision Pitching
Write your first press release — keep it under 500 words
Pitch 3–5 targeted journalists, not 31
Offer an exclusive on your seed round to one reporter
Follow up once, politely, after 3–5 business days
Track what works and what does not
Budget covers tools, a freelance editor, maybe a PR consultant for a few hours. This stage is about learning the mechanics.
The Math
PR professionals pitch an average of 31 journalists per campaign to get one meaningful response. You do not have the volume for spray-and-pray. You need precision. — PRLab, 2026
Stage 03
Series A — Scale with Strategy
Series A
$2,000 – $5,000 / month
Strategic Function
Media relations becomes a strategic function. You have milestones worth covering regularly — product launches, partnerships, growth metrics, hiring.
Hire a boutique PR consultant or experienced freelancer
Develop a quarterly media calendar tied to business milestones
Pitch original research or industry data
Build a systematic thought leadership plan for your CEO
Target industry publications your customers and investors actually read
Boutique startup PR retainers run $3,500–$5,000/month. At this stage, that investment makes sense — if you pick the right partner. — AMW Group / Avaans Media, 2025
The Full Breakdown
What PR Actually Costs
Pure DIY
$0 – $500 (Monthly Cost)
Best for Pre-seed founders
Freelancer
$2,000 – $4,200 (Monthly Cost)
Best for Seed to Series A
Boutique Agency
$3,500 – $5,000
Series A+
Mid-Tier Agent
$5,000 – $10,000 (monthly Cost)
Series B+
Top-Tier Agency
$15,000 – $50,000+
Growth-stage
Here is the hourly economics nobody talks about.
Agency at $5,000/mo
20 hrs
Freelancer at $4,200/mo
30 hrs
Same work. Very different math. Ask any potential partner: how many hours of actual work am I getting?
Continue Reading: The Media Relations Playbook Series
part 2
Stage-by-Stage Strategy: Pre-seed to Series A ← you are here
START ME UP PR INC.
Founded in 2021 by Theresa Tayler, the agency breaks away from traditional PR conventions by championing raw, unfiltered storytelling that helps brands own their voice unapologetically. With a three-tiered service structure — from self-service digital tools to full-scale PR strategy — Start Me Up PR meets you where you are and grows with you.
The firm blends time-tested media relations with cutting-edge, AI-driven tools, because good PR isn’t about fitting a mold. It’s about breaking it. Whether you’re launching, scaling, or disrupting, Start Me Up PR crafts multifaceted storytelling strategies that build real brand presence across paid, owned, and earned media.