Press releases are essential for generating excitement and awareness around your company’s most significant accomplishments and milestones. Whether you’re announcing a major product launch, securing new investors, or announcing a significant sale or installation, a well-executed press release can help generate buzz across your target audience.
Yet, many companies make the mistake of treating press releases as something that is only distributed over the newswire. If you’ve invested time developing a strong announcement, ensure you get the most out of this short-form content. You can leverage press releases to build credibility, develop story ideas, generate leads, and keep your company top of mind. That is, if you know how to use them in a strategic way.
In an earlier blog, we explored the role of press releases in healthcare IT product marketing. In this blog, we delve deeper into strategies that can ensure your press release does more than hit the wire.
Step 1: Consider Your Content
Before distributing your press release, ensure its content is valuable to your target audience. After all, a press release isn’t only an announcement intended to make company leadership feel good. It’s strategic content that should be important to your target audience and crafted with searchability, readability, and relevance in mind.
One of the most common mistakes companies make is issuing press releases that lack compelling, industry-relevant news. This is often because of pressure to release something around trade shows or key fiscal periods. But, forcing an announcement without substance can dilute credibility and result in the release not having any value to the business. Focus on news that your target audience will find interesting and valuable, such as the following.
- A new product launch
- A new strategic partnership or customer collaboration
- A significant investment, acquisition, or expansion that demonstrates growth
Additionally, consider how your target audience will find your press release. Healthcare IT professionals often use Google Alerts, news websites, newsletters, and other industry blogs or podcasts to stay informed. By incorporating relevant keywords that your audience uses throughout your press release, you increase the chances that it will appear in search results.
Also, press releases with compelling imagery get much more engagement. At the least, it should include a logo to drive brand recognition. A product screenshot, or a photo that reinforces the primary news copy in the release is optimal. Adding visuals makes your press release more shareable and attractive to journalists and readers.
Step 2: Target Distribution
Most news services provide a broad distribution that can land your press release on general news platforms like TV stations and newspapers. This might seem “exciting.” But, asking whether their audience aligns with your target buyer personas is essential. Consider choosing targeted distribution options that cost less and are more likely to get your release in the hands of your target audience. Such as:
- Industry-Specific Distribution. If you focus your news on Healthcare IT, seek a wire service that can focus your distribution accordingly. Many wire services offer influencer targeting and even allow you to upload a list of people and publications you already know.
- Financially Focused Channels. If your announcement concerns a funding round, you want visibility in outlets—often followed by venture capitalists, PE firms, market analysts, and related industry consultants.
Step 3: Engage with Trade Publications
Getting your press release in front of the right audience is only half the battle. Engaging with targeted trade publications to develop earned content can maximize its impact by amplifying your story and putting it into context.
Editors are always looking for compelling, industry-relevant content. Yet, don’t assume they’re subscribed to the newswires or that they’ll find your release relevant. To catch their attention, share your press release and pitch why your news will interest their readership. Depending on the nature of your news, you may have several angles to consider. Some tips for a compelling pitch include the following.
- Make your pitch relevant: Craft a brief, compelling pitch highlighting why your announcement matters in the context of ongoing industry challenges or key topics.
- Offer interviews with key stakeholders: Providing the opportunity to include a customer’s perspective that adds depth to your release can lead to earned media opportunities like feature stories or expert commentary placements.
- Emphasize cross-specialty relevance: If your solution benefits many clinical specialties or departments, articulate the value across the various verticals to highlight the broader industry impact.
By engaging strategically, you not only increase the chances that the trade publication will reprint your announcement and work with you to develop a story. You create opportunities for follow-up that cover your news in a more compelling way.
Step 4: Maximize Your Press Release’s Impact
You are best served to time press releases to align with your overarching product marketing strategy. Some common timing strategies include:
- Regular Releases. Planning a regular cadence for your releases (e.g. quarterly) can keep your company top-of-mind with key constituents by providing a steady stream of updates.
- Pre-Trade Show Announcements. An exciting announcement leading into a big trade show can generate buzz and help generate meeting bookings.
- Industry Themes. Aligning releases with key events like October’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month or February’s Heart Health Month allows you to join a larger conversation.
Once you publish your press release, don’t let it sit idle only on the news wires website! Add it to a “News” section on your website. Actively promote it to extend its reach and impact. For example:
- Leverage social media and email. Share it through LinkedIn, X, and targeted email campaigns.
- Take an account-based marketing approach. For key prospects, encourage sales and business development staff to send it with a personal note highlighting how the news aligns with their strategic initiatives.
- Repurpose for other content. Turn the press release into a blog post, LinkedIn article, or infographic to reinforce its message across channels.
Press Releases as a Strategic Product Marketing Tool
Press releases are not only about making announcements. Distributing one via a news wire service is not the end game. When used in the right way, they build credibility in the industry, keep your company top-of-mind among key decision-makers, drive traffic back to your website, and drive lead generation for your sales team.
Are you ready to maximize the strategic value of your press releases? Our product marketing experts can help you optimize your content and delivery. This will ensure your announcements make a big impact. Contact us to learn more.
