Start spreading the news.
You’ve got big plans:
- You’re launching a business
- You’re hiring a senior executive
- You’re opening a new office or moving to a new location
- You’re offering a new service or product
When it’s time to share the news, should you issue a press release?
Before you start composing your draft, take a moment to imagine the outcome.
Which media outlet would definitely cover this news, because similar stories were published in the past?
For example, the launch of a new law firm, the new location of a law firm or the hire of a partner is regularly announced in The New York Law Journal. The publication bundles a few similar items together, which are published on a rolling basis. The individual mentions are usually two or three sentences long.
William Stock has opened his solo practice with appellate focus. Previously, he was an appellate attorney at Cheven, Keely & Hatzis. (NYLJ, June 25, 2018)
On the other hand, a few years ago, a press release announcing a senior hire was picked up by The Wall Street Journal in its Executive Changes column. In a two-sentence paragraph, the article said that a major international bank had hired a managing director for its private equity group.
That column no longer exists in the newspaper, sadly, so a new hire press release is unlikely to generate a similar mention. However, when the company is a household name, the press release will probably generate a stand-alone article of some depth.
Accordingly, only send a press release if the publications you have in mind have regularly covered news like yours in the past.
If not, you might be better served by distributing an announcement to your existing contacts.
This Month’s Tip
Consider these ways to share the news about your company, instead of issuing a press release:
- Send an email announcement to your clients and referral sources, plus your many contacts
- Add a pop-up window or prominent mention on your website
- Insert attention-grabbing text in your email signature
- Post the news on your individual and company social media accounts
- Mention the update to members of your networking groups
Of course, you should also take these steps to support the press release you’re issuing.
Contact
What’s the big news at your company? Whether it’s press release-worthy or something a bit less newsy, you can make a splash. Contact me at Janet@JanetLFalk.com, set an appointment here or call me at 212.677.5770. Together let’s brainstorm ways to spark a newsflash about your company.
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