Newsworthy Reasons to Write a Press Release: Part 1: Company Growth
Public relations professionals know the press release remains one of the most powerful vehicles for getting their story in front of a wide range of audiences. Our annual State of the Media survey consistently shows that the majority of journalists want to receive press releases from PR pros. And it's not just the media looking for press releases: millions of visitors go to PRNewswire.com specifically to view press releases.
Some organizations, however, don't always take advantage of the press release as a platform to announce newsworthy information to journalists, customers and other key stakeholders. Oftentimes, that obstacle lies in not realizing which information actually is newsworthy.
In our new blog post series, we’re uncovering all the newsworthy reasons to send a press release – and how to go about it – so you don’t miss an opportunity to promote your brand or engage current audiences while winning over new ones.
What Constitutes a Company Growth Press Release?
If your company is growing and progressing, you’ve got a story to tell. Why? Highlighting your growth through press releases shows consumers, potential investors and other stakeholders your company is one to watch and invites them to be a part of your success. Consider these opportunities to write a company growth-related press release:
Opening a new business. Starting a new business requires grit and fortitude, so when it's finally ready to launch, the announcement should be as splashy as a debutante ball. Creating a press release with multimedia elements showing how your business came together and what it will offer customers is an excellent way to demonstrate that you are open for business.
Need an example? Check out: KitchenPro™ Launches First Open Throat Pickleball Paddles
Celebrating a company milestone or anniversary. Facebook announces your birthday, and LinkedIn shouts out your job promotion (if you remember to update it!), so shouldn't you use a press release to do the same for your company's milestones or anniversaries? Of course, you should! Each year your company is in business and each milestone your company reaches is cause for celebration, and who likes to celebrate alone? Invite your stakeholders to share in your success with a press release announcement.
Need an example? Check out: Stonhard Proudly Celebrates its 100-Year Anniversary
Announcing an acquisition or merger. As they say, two heads are better than one. So, when two companies come together, you want your customers to know that you're now twice as powerful as before. If your company is public, this news is not only important to report to your shareholders, but also a required disclosure.
Need an example? Check out: IBM Acquires Envizi to Help Organizations Accelerate Sustainability Initiatives and Achieve Environmental Goals
Relocating or opening a new office. Cities love welcoming new companies, so don't pass up the opportunity to broadcast your move or expansion to local publications in your new city. Opening an office in a new location will demonstrate confidence that the local economy is a great place to conduct business, which is a news story a local journalist will likely not want to pass up.
Need an example? Check out: Leading Digital Agency Opens New Office in Nashville Area
Announcing a company expansion. Public companies are required to disclose an expansion to a new territory, as it is considered a "material event" that will have an impact on their stock prices. For private companies, announcing an expansion is a feather in the cap worth sharing (and, let's be honest, worthy of a not-so-humble brag).
Need an example? Check out: Safehold Announces Expansion Into Chicago Market
Do’s and Don’ts for Writing a Company Growth-Related Press Release
Do start with a compelling headline: As the first – and sometimes only – piece of the press release audiences will read, your headline is one of the most important elements to consider. The ideal headline should be around 70 characters long and concisely sum up the who, what and why of your story. (In other words, write your headline as if it was for a front-page news article).
Don’t use just your words: A little imagery goes a long way to increase brand awareness. At the very least you should include your logo, but adding a photo, video or other multimedia elements can boost engagement with your release further.
Don’t forget your boilerplate: It may not be the sexiest part of the press release, but your boilerplate is nothing to dismiss or neglect, as it provides readers who might not be familiar with your company much-needed information about who your company is and what it does, furthering brand awareness.
Do keep the story going: Create opportunities for readers to engage with your company beyond your press release. In addition to including a CTA, invite readers to learn more about the company by including links to your website (more specifically, your “About Us” page) or social media accounts, and always include a media contact with whom journalists can follow up.
Do include compelling quotes: For a company-growth press release, a quote from a senior executive, customer or industry expert can add a sense of authority to the news. Journalists also continue to pull quotes directly from press releases for use in their articles. Make sure your quotes sound natural and add to the story (they shouldn't just repeat the headline or sound like they were said by a robot).
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About the Author
Erin Payton is the Integrated Customer Marketing Manager for PR Newswire. In her role, she develops multichannel marketing campaigns, drives demand generation, fosters brand awareness and creates thought leadership. Away from the keyboard, she is an unabashedly enthusiastic cat mom to Mia.