The following post comes to us from James Buesing, a content writer for Momentum Life, a New Zealand-based life insurance company. You can learn more about James at the end of this article.
A press release can be a key communication tool for businesses. It can help you communicate important information about your brand to the general public or potential business partners. But knowing when to write and publish a press release is still a mystery for a lot of business owners.
Below we look at some of the reasons why businesses write press releases and why they are so effective.
- Launching a new business
Established businesses may struggle to find specific reasons to write a press release, but for new businesses it’s often much simpler. Letting the public know that you’re open for business is often enough. This announcement should coincide with your product or service being available online, so the public can start buying as soon as they finish reading.
Example: When New Zealand’s zero-waste beauty brand Ethique launched in the UK, they wanted to let customers there know they were ready for business.
- Launching new products or services
Announcing a new product or service into the market is a huge deal for any company. A press release could be essential to ensuring that your offering is seen by the right audience at the right time. It also allows you to control the message through your announcement by giving details that matter to your intended customer base and hopefully start moving them through the sales funnel.
Example: The Vatican’s press release for their new Click to Pray eRosary provided details about the product and how it could be used by worshipers.
- New staff or significant promotions
While this might seem like information that’s only relevant to your staff, others may be interested to know when a new hire or promotion to your senior roles happens. It’s an opportunity to highlight your staff’s expertise and celebrate their success beyond the confines of your business. This type of press release could also be effective in changing the perception of your business by showing advancement and diversity in your workforce.
- Receiving an award
Getting an award is a time of celebration for any company and can communicate important information to the general public. While it might just seem like shameless self-promotion, letting the public know that you have won an award can be highly relevant. Awards are an independent endorsement of your business, often highlighting something you’re doing better than the competition. It can show that your business is ahead of the curve or going above and beyond when it comes to providing customer service or great products.
- Changing your business model
When certain fundamentals of your business change, it may be time for a press release. While not on the same scale as a merger or acquisition, changing your business model can mean big changes for your business and customers. Communicating what these changes will mean for the public could be a helpful message to share.
Example: Momentum Life, who sell life insurance in NZ, used a press release to announce receipt of their life insurance licence in New Zealand and how that would affect future customers.
- New partnerships
Entering an agreement with another organisation is often the time for secrecy, though once these plans are finalized it’s time to let everyone in on the secret. Using a press release to announce a partnership, expansion or merger helps communicate how the two businesses are coming together with a single purpose.
Example: Creative agency EightyOne is auctioning items to support the Movember Foundation, a men’s mental health charity, and shared this message with the public via press release.
- Special events
Special one-off events are an often-overlooked opportunity to inform the public about your brand and give them the ability to engage with your business directly. Not all events warrant a press release, but if the event is of significant scale or to celebrate a big milestone then it may be worth issuing a press release for. Some examples include the retirement of long-standing staff, reaching a substantial business record, celebrating years in service or relaunching your brand.
No matter what your business does, there is always an opportunity to use a press release. While some of the reasons above might seem insignificant to you, think about it from the public’s perspective. If you were your customers, would this information assist you in making a decision? The answer might be yes more often than you realize—a great reason to start writing a press release!
Share your experience using press releases to promote your business or organization. Leave a comment below!
About the Author: James Buesing is a content writer for Momentum Life, a New Zealand-based life insurance company, dedicated to providing easy to get, value for money insurance solutions. He specializes in finance writing, including life insurance, superannuation and money saving tips.
