Let’s talk about something a lot of business owners don’t say out loud: they’ve been burned before by large public relations agencies and are scared to throw their marketing/PR budgets down the drain again. Does this sound familiar to you? There’s a solution. What you’re really looking for and need are the services of a boutique PR firm.
So What Went Wrong?
Maybe it was a huge PR agency with a well-known name, a long roster of flashy clients, and an on-boarding process that felt more like a sales pitch than a strategy session. Everything sounded great in the beginning. You were promised media buzz, strategic exposure, and someone who “really got your brand.”
And then?
The person who sold you the dream disappeared after the contract was signed. You were handed off to someone junior. Or worse, someone who didn’t understand your industry at all. Months went by with not much to show. The pitches were generic. The press coverage was underwhelming. Endless meetings were held, but nothing moved forward.
You tried to trust the process and were told PR takes time. Which is true. There is no instant gratification in public relations. With PR you are playing the long-game. But deep down, you knew: this wasn’t what you were looking for when you signed up with that major PR firm with the famous name and the fancy offices in the expensive part of town. You know you need to do something to raise awareness and get that earned media, but are hesitant to take the plunge and sign with yet another agency.
If that sounds like you, you’re not alone. A lot of businesses, especially small to midsize ones, have walked that same path. And by now, many have started to ask a different question:
Is there a better way to do this public relations thing?
Turns out, yes. And for many businesses, that better way is a boutique PR firm that works virtually.
Why the Big PR Agency Model Doesn’t Work for Everyone
Big agencies aren’t all bad. They have resources, reach, and name recognition. But those things don’t always translate into the kind of experience or results that smaller businesses or medium-sized brands need.
Here’s what we hear most often from clients who’ve been through the big agency cycle:
- “We felt like a small fish in a very large pond.”
- “No one really understood our voice.”
- “Every pitch sounded like it could’ve been written for five other clients.”
- “We got stuck in their process, not ours.”
- “They talked a lot about strategy but didn’t actually do the work.”
In short, they were paying premium rates to feel like an afterthought. That’s not a great place to be, especially when you’re growing a business and trying to make smart investments.
Why A Boutique PR Firm Is Different
Now let’s flip the script.
What happens when you work with a smaller team that actually sees you, hears you, and puts in the work?
You get a partner, not just a vendor. Brainfyre PR works with a team who cares enough to learn the ins and outs of your business. You get original ideas that actually match your voice and goals. And when something’s not working, you can talk to someone directly and fix it, fast.
That’s the magic of a boutique PR firm. It’s built around actual relationships, not processes for the sake of processes.
Here’s what that looks like in practice:
- You’re speaking with the same people who are doing the work.
- Your story isn’t getting watered down because it has to pass through five layers of approval.
- If something’s urgent, someone picks up the phone or replies to your email that same day.
- The strategy isn’t static. It shifts with you.
And because a boutique PR firm don’t have dozens of clients competing for attention, you’re not just another name in a spreadsheet. You matter.
Smaller Can Mean Smarter
Let’s get practical. Big PR firms often charge high retainers because they have big teams and big overhead. That doesn’t always mean you’re getting more work. It usually just means you’re paying for the whole machine. In fact, a 2019 report from Communications Match found that “satisfaction with larger agencies with budgets in excess of $1 million tended to be lower overall than with agencies where the budget was between $500,000 and $1 million.” Not only that, the study notes the highest level of client satisfaction in regards to PR agency budgets was in the $250,000 to $500,000 range. Thankfully, for SMBs and larger brands in certain industries needing a specific scope of work, boutique PR firm pricing tends to reside in that sweet spot of the lower budget range.
A boutique PR firm tends to be leaner. That means every dollar you spend goes directly to people doing the work. And those people are often more experienced than the junior staff at larger firms. You’re not paying for fancy offices or a bloated hierarchy. You’re paying for experience, focus, and follow-through. That alone makes a huge difference in how fast things get done and how right they feel the first time around.
In plain English: if you’re a small fish in a large pond, spending more to work with a larger PR agency with a famous name doesn’t mean that you will be happier with what you get in return. Wait until you have a McDonald’s, Disney, Coca-Cola, or Nike-level marketing/PR budget first.
You Don’t Need Bigger. You Need Better.
There’s a myth out there that bigger PR firms or agencies are automatically better. But ask yourself: better at what?
Are they better at pitching your niche service to the right outlets? Better at writing content in your voice? How about better at showing up when you need them?
Usually not.
A boutique PR firm is often built by a person or a small group of people who left big public relations agencies because they wanted to do more meaningful work. They’ve seen how clients get lost in the shuffle, and they decided they didn’t want to be part of that anymore.
That’s the kind of experience you want on your side. Someone who knows the ropes, but chooses to work differently.
Brainfyre: Built for the Clients Who Want More Involvement
At Brainfyre we’ve heard the stories. We’ve had clients come to us after spending a year (and a big, huge chunk of their budget) with a big-name public relations agency that barely moved the needle. They come to us wanting something more grounded, more responsive, and frankly more human.
They want:
- A partner who will challenge their ideas, not just nod along.
- Someone who will write like a real person, not a press release robot.
- Real strategy tied to real goals, not just “awareness.”
- People who understand their industry and don’t need a month to get up to speed.
That’s what we do. We keep our client roster small on purpose. We work virtually so we can stay nimble and focused. And we spend more time listening than talking, because that’s how the best ideas happen.
Real Clients. Real Wins. No Fluff.
We’re not about hype. We’re about results. That might look like:
- A health clinic landing coverage in their local business journal during Diabetes Awareness Month.
- A real estate team becoming regular contributors to an industry publication.
- A life coach being booked for three podcasts in one quarter, all with audiences aligned to her niche.
- An individual therapist featured in an article regarding self-care during BIPOC Mental Health Awareness Month.
We don’t over-complicate things. We build real relationships with the media, create strong content, and help our clients show up where it counts. That’s it. No buzzwords. No filler. Just work that moves the needle.
What You Really Want from a PR Team
We’ve worked with enough businesses to know what they’re looking for even if they don’t say it outright. Here’s what most clients actually want:
- To feel like someone’s in their corner.
- To stop guessing if their message is landing.
- To trust that if they spend money on public relations, something real will come of it.
- To be able to ask questions without being brushed off or talked down to.
- To not have to explain their business ten times because the team keeps changing.
These are basic expectations. But a lot of big agencies struggle to meet them because they’re built to scale, not to care. A boutique PR firm, on the other hand, is built to care first…and that makes all the difference.
Signs It’s Time to Switch to a Boutique PR Firm
Still not sure if working with a team at a boutique PR firm is right for you? Here are a few signs:
- You haven’t seen results from your current public relations efforts and you’re tired of excuses.
- Your business is growing, but your messaging hasn’t kept up.
- You want media coverage, but you don’t know what kind.
- You keep hearing that PR is important, but no one’s made it feel actionable.
- You’ve had better conversations with freelancers on LinkedIn than with your current agency.
If you nodded along to any of those, it might be time to stop doing things the big-agency way.
Here’s What Happens When You Work With Brainfyre
When you work with us, there’s no smoke and mirrors. You’ll talk to the people doing the work and they’ll talk back in plain language.
You’ll know exactly what we’re doing, why we’re doing it, and what it’s meant to achieve. We’ll check in often enough to stay on track, but not so often that we distract you from running your business.
You’ll get ideas that fit you and if something’s not working, we won’t pretend it is. We’ll fix it. We’re here to help you show up with purpose, get seen by the right people, and build momentum without all the fluff.
Ready for a Virtual PR Team That Feels Like a Real Partner?
Let’s be honest: public relations is a relationship business. And relationships work best when both sides are clear, committed, and on the same page. If you’re tired of big promises and small results, or if you’ve been managing PR on your own and want a partner who can help you level up without losing your voice, we’d love to talk.
Brainfyre Public Relations works with small to midsize businesses who care about doing things well, not just flashy. Our firm specializes in industries we’re familiar with. We stay curious and stay responsive. With Brainfyre you can be sure we’re not afraid to challenge old ways of thinking if they’re getting in the way of your success.
Reach out to us at info@brainfyre.com or visit brainfyre.com to start a conversation.
We don’t do cookie-cutter or buzzwords. We do public relations that feels like it fits and actually works. Let’s build something real.