Sometimes it’s easy to find newsworthy information to share with the press about your company. From funding to new customer wins and notable hires, big company news provides an obvious reason to write a press release or reach out to your local business editor.

While this kind of company news is great fodder to share with the media, it might not be enough to generate a story, let alone keep your brand in the news after your announcement day has passed. If you are struggling to keep your brand in the news, there are a number of ways your team can create buzz without relying solely on press releases and announcements.

Here are ways you can expand a story outside of a single company announcement to continue your momentum with the media:

1. Identify overarching learnings. Extend the life of an announcement and help weave in opportunities for thought leadership by identifying overarching themes and learnings from your announcement. Is it a product launch? Determine why it matters to your audience or consider how the product is changing or improving the industry. Once you’ve done this, you’ll have your talking points for a bigger angle on the industry as a whole, rather than your singular product announcement.
   

2. Pitch thought leadership topics and announcements together. Once you’ve identified a larger industry angle from your announcement, don’t be afraid to use it. We’ve found that pitching the topics in tandem with the release, such as reaching out about the announcement and offering the spokesperson to chat about the announcement and how it ties to the larger industry trend, to be successful. For example, when one of our clients recently announced a new product for contract management, we paired it with a pitch and thought leadership content about factors to look for when considering a contract management solution to secure coverage in one of the client’s media targets. Remember — just because you’re talking about a bigger industry trend or taking a broader look at your niche doesn’t mean you can’t sneak in a mention or two about how your new product fits in or why you’re allotting your funding to focus on that specific area.
   

3. Be creative with who you pitch. A reporter might not cover a product announcement or new hire, but this doesn’t mean they won’t be interested in a trending industry topic. As you’re planning for outreach around an announcement, look for ways to appeal to contacts that may be receptive to a broader industry angle - not only the business or technology reporter. Tailor your pitch to each reporter’s specific beat and personal interests to ensure you’re giving them the information they’ll want upfront.

Pulling funding, landing a notable new customer or adding an industry star to your team may be the biggest events for your business this year, but don’t forget that other companies are also sharing these types of announcements with the press every day. By identifying larger story angles that relate to your company announcement, you not only set your company apart, but can set yourself up for more evergreen opportunities with the press that aren’t dependant on changes to your business.

Still aren’t sure how to get started? Step away from the press release and download our guide to storytelling to get started uncovering stories with your stakeholders.