DIY Press Release Kit vs. Hiring a PR Copywriter

When your business hits a milestone — a new name, a new owner, a new address, a merger — you need a press release. The question is how to get it written: hire a PR copywriter, or use a DIY announcement kit? The price difference is dramatic (up to 86×), but price isn't the only factor. Turnaround, what's included, and how much of your own time each option demands all matter.

This page puts the two options side by side so you can decide in two minutes instead of two hours. We compare the Milestone Letters DIY Kit ($29, or $23.20 with code MILESTONE20) against hiring a PR copywriter ($300–$2,000+) across cost, turnaround, what you get, the revision process, and who each option is best for.

The short version

If your milestone is a standard small business announcement — a name change, a relocation, a grand opening, a merger — a DIY kit gives you a professional, ready-to-send press release plus social posts, a customer email, and signage copy, all for $23.20 and in minutes. If you're announcing a complex, high-stakes deal that needs a custom narrative, ongoing media strategy, and a writer who'll interview your leadership team, hiring a copywriter is worth the premium.

For the vast majority of small business milestones, the DIY kit is the faster, cheaper, and more complete option. Here's the full breakdown.

Side-by-side comparison

Press release writer cost: what you're actually paying for

The gap between $23.20 and $2,000 isn't just markup — it reflects fundamentally different services. Here's what drives a hired copywriter's price:

• Labor and availability. A freelance copywriter's hourly rate ($75–$200+) means even a "quick" 300-word press release bills out at $300–$600 once briefing, drafting, and revisions are included.
• Media strategy. PR agencies bundle writing with distribution planning, reporter outreach, and follow-up — work that justifies a higher price if you need it, but adds nothing if you just need a well-written release to email to your local paper.
• Custom narrative work. For a complex acquisition or a crisis announcement, a skilled writer who can interview your leadership and craft a nuanced story is genuinely worth the cost.
• Channel-by-channel billing. Many copywriters quote per deliverable. A press release is one quote; the customer email, social posts, and signage are each separate line items — so the "real" total for a full kit often lands at $800–$3,000.

The DIY kit collapses all of that into a single $23.20 price because it generates every channel from the same set of inputs in one pass — no per-deliverable billing, no hourly rate, no briefing calls.

What you get: one kit vs. one document

This is the comparison most business owners underestimate. A hired copywriter typically delivers a press release — a single document. To announce your milestone across every channel your customers actually use, you then need to separately write (or hire out):

• A customer email with a subject line that gets opened
• Social posts tuned to LinkedIn, X, and Facebook's different voices and lengths
• Signage copy short enough for a window or door poster

The Milestone Letters DIY Kit includes all four in every order — press release, three social posts, customer email, and signage — written from the same details so the story stays consistent across every channel. One input, every audience covered.

Revision process: instant vs. scheduled

Revisions are where the two options diverge most sharply in day-to-day experience:

• DIY kit: Don't like a line? Adjust your inputs and regenerate in seconds. Want a warmer tone or a punchier headline? Change one field and the whole kit updates. No waiting, no extra charge.
• Hired copywriter: You mark up the draft, send it back, and wait 1–3 days for the next version. Most contracts include 1–2 rounds; beyond that, you're billed hourly. If the writer misread the brief, a single revision cycle can eat half a week.

For a time-sensitive milestone, the ability to iterate instantly matters. News doesn't always wait for a copywriter's calendar.

Who each option is best for

Choose the DIY Kit if…

• You're a small business owner with a standard milestone (name change, relocation, merger, grand opening, leadership change, retirement, or rebrand).
• You want professional, ready-to-send copy without spending $300+.
• You need it fast — today, not next week.
• You want every channel covered in one purchase, not just the press release.
• You're comfortable answering a few questions about your business and reviewing the output.

Choose a hired PR copywriter if…

• Your announcement is complex, high-stakes, or requires a carefully crafted narrative (a contested acquisition, a crisis, a major corporate restructuring).
• You need a writer who can interview your leadership team and synthesize multiple perspectives.
• You want ongoing media strategy, reporter outreach, and follow-up — not just a document.
• You have a budget of $500+ and a timeline measured in weeks, not minutes.

The bottom-line math

Even in the most modest comparison — a single press release from the cheapest freelancer — the DIY kit is over 12× cheaper. Once you factor in the social posts, email, and signage a hired copywriter typically doesn't include, the gap widens to 35–86×.

When the DIY kit isn't the right call

We're not going to pretend one option fits every situation. A DIY kit is the wrong choice when:

• You need media outreach, not just writing. If your goal is to land coverage in specific outlets and you need someone to pitch reporters and follow up, hire a PR professional — a document alone won't get you there.
• Your story is genuinely complex. A multi-party acquisition with regulatory implications, a crisis response, or an announcement that needs to satisfy conflicting stakeholder concerns benefits from a human writer who can ask follow-up questions.
• You want a specific writer's voice. If you've worked with a copywriter whose style you trust, that relationship has value a kit can't replicate.

For everyone else — the bakery announcing a new owner, the law firm changing its name, the dental practice relocating, the gym merging with another — the DIY kit delivers the same professional result at a fraction of the cost, in a fraction of the time.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a PR copywriter cost to hire?

Hiring a freelance PR copywriter typically costs $300–$2,000+ for a single press release, depending on the writer's experience and the complexity of the announcement. PR agencies charge $1,000–$5,000+ when media outreach and distribution strategy are included. A DIY announcement kit like Milestone Letters costs $29 (or $23.20 with code MILESTONE20) and includes a press release plus social posts, a customer email, and signage copy.

Is a DIY press release kit as good as hiring a copywriter?

For most small business milestones — a name change, relocation, merger, or grand opening — a DIY kit produces professional, ready-to-send copy in the correct journalistic format, plus supporting copy for social, email, and signage that a hired copywriter often charges extra for or doesn't include at all. A hired copywriter is worth the premium when you need a custom narrative for a complex or high-stakes announcement, ongoing media strategy, or a writer who can handle back-and-forth interviews with stakeholders.

What do you get with a DIY announcement kit vs. a hired copywriter?

The Milestone Letters DIY Kit includes a press release, three social media posts (LinkedIn, X, Facebook), a customer email with subject line, and signage copy — all consistent and ready to send. Most hired copywriters deliver just the press release; social posts, email, and signage are either extra or left for you to write yourself.

How fast can I get a press release written?

A DIY announcement kit delivers a complete, ready-to-send press release in minutes after you answer a few questions. Hiring a freelance copywriter typically takes 3–7 days, and a PR agency can take 1–2 weeks including briefing, drafting, and revisions.

What is the MILESTONE20 promo code?

MILESTONE20 is a limited-time promo code that gives you 20% off the Milestone Letters DIY announcement kit, dropping the price from $29 to $23.20. Enter it at checkout after previewing your announcement for free.

Try the DIY kit — preview free, pay $23.20

The fastest way to decide is to see it for yourself. Answer a few questions about your milestone and we'll generate a free preview of your announcement copy instantly — no credit card, no commitment. If you like what you see, enter code MILESTONE20 at checkout and get the complete kit — press release, social posts, customer email, and signage — for $23.20.

Write my announcement now →

Still weighing your options? Email us at [email protected] — we'll help you figure out whether the DIY kit or a hired copywriter is the right fit for your milestone.

Already have a draft? Try our free press release grader →