Any meaningful connection is going to be too expensive for someone like GP, I am afraid.
This is a false generalization. You don't have to choose a big-name New York PR agency. There are thousands of other shops that are quite affordable. Some are just one or two people, and can be surprisingly effective if you pick the right one.
The PR firm is not what I said is expensive, but whatever deal you reach with the contacts they provide you.
In other words, even if the PR firm is small and one of the best and cheap, they cannot really influence much whatever their contacts offer. They may have some leverage, but the price is the price...
