Many companies spend hours developing their news release content but very little time thinking about distribution. It is not enough to simply post your news release to “the wire.” Today’s news release distribution opportunities are many. In fact, media is just one audience for your news, and you should seek to get news directly into the hands of the people you want to reach.  

Whether you are announcing a recent acquisition, launching a new ETF or expanding your executive team, a news release can help you get your story in front of the right investment industry, local or national media. If you don’t think strategically about your news release strategy, you may miss your opportunity to generate buzz. 

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As you prep to release your news, here are a few considerations: 

  1. Align your release with your firm’s core messages. As you begin to draft a release, pull up your core messaging and brand documents to ensure that your release aligns with your brand.  
  2. Make sure your release has a strong message. If you can find a strong “angle,” your release is more likely to break through the inbox of an overworked editor or reporter who might be interested in covering your news.  
  3. Get all appropriate approvals. If you have quotes from individuals external to your organization, now is the time to ensure that all quotes are approved. Quotes aren’t the only thing that needs approval—compliance likely needs to approve your release. Companies in the investment industry should be especially cognizant that their release—and any supporting social media, email campaigns, etc.—is compliance approved before beginning pitching or submitting to a newswire. 

Best practices for release day: 

  1. Get your stakeholders on board. Before sending out your news, share your release with your leadership team, your board and any other relevant stakeholders in advance. For some news, you may want to share the news first with all employees. 
  2. Post your release to a newswire—when appropriate. For more significant news, you may want to consider posting to a newswire. Business Wire, PR Newswire and Globe Newswire are the best known and likely to have the widest reach. The national circuits at the wire services include a long list of media across the country. However, you may want to select more narrow circuits targeted by geography or industry—this allows for your news to still be shared with key newsrooms, while lowering the overall cost of the release. For smaller releases or more limited budgets, using a newswire like 24-7 Press Release can be a cost-effective way to distribute your news. 
  3. Email your news release to your media list of reporters familiar with your company or organization. Keeping a well-maintained media list of reporters familiar with your company or industry is the most effective way to get news coverage on your announcement. For some news, you may consider sharing an embargoed copy of the release with key reporters, who are likely to cover your news or that you’ve worked with in the past. By sharing an embargoed copy of the news release, reporters have more time to interview spokespeople without the pressure to publish the news first.  
  4. Consider secondary pitches related to your release. You may want to consider additional secondary pitches that you can use to follow-up with key reporters. For example, a news release announcing a newly recruited portfolio management team can be used to pitch broadcast interviews or a release on a new acquisition can serve as a hook for a longer story on your firm’s growth strategy.  
  5. Post your release to your website. Regardless of the news, you want everyone to be able to find your announcement. Adding your release to your company website can help connect current and potential clients with your news. Posting your news release to the website can complement your content and SEO strategy. For bigger news, consider posting the headline and a link from your company home page. 
  6. Share a link to your release via social media. Leveraging your announcement on social media can help amplify the reach of your news release. Typically, social media platforms like LinkedIn and X are the most common platforms for financial service firms to post corporate news. As always, financial services firms should consider the regulatory rules on these types of communications.  
  7. Share your news with clients and prospective clients. With the proliferation of contact relationship management systems (CRMs), most companies have a list of key clients and influencers who will want to hear about your news.

Want to discuss news release distribution? Send us an email.