If you've never written a press release, or an oped -- or organized a press conference -- then you're probably wondering how long it might take to do yourself.
If you're going to hire it out, or hire staffers to handle public relations, the natural question is "How much should it cost?"
The answers aren't easy, or hard-and-fast. There will be differences in what PR firms in Manhattan or Los Angeles charge per hour versus a firm in Wyoming or Alaska.
The time it takes to write something varies even more, depending on the skill and experience of the writer -- and more importantly, how many people have to sign off on the product before it's released into the wild.
Rough word counts
- Statement - 100 to 300 words
- Fact sheet - 200 words / one page with bullets
- Letter to the editor - 200 to 250 words
- Press release or news story - 400 to 800 words
- Profile or magazine article - 1,000 to 3,000 words
- Oped (opinion piece) - 600 to 800 words
- Printed newsletter - 800 to 3,000 words
- Speech - 100 words per minute; 500 words for a 5 minute speech; 3,000 words for a 30 minute keynote
How long does it take, and how much does it cost?
Press releases and other products meant to inform are straightforward and easier to write. It takes longer -- and costs more -- to do harder, persuasive work, like letters to the editor, opeds and speeches.
How long is completely subjective. Public relations firms charge anywhere from $75 an hour to $750 an hour or more. Some require retainers for large projects, or for ongoing work.
Writing a press release might take an hour. It's the meetings ahead of time to gather facts, and after it's written to get input and do a new draft, that can take up more time.
Organizing media events, such as a press conference, can take days of preparation and rehearsal, along with a host of products to go along with the event: handouts, photos, posters. It's a big production.
But none of these things are impossible to learn. If you're doing it all yourself -- or are new to dealing with the press -- read the opinion pages of major newspapers like The Washington Post and The New York Times, and fire up youtube to watch press conferences that went great and ones that bombed. You'll get a feeling for what works, and what doesn't.