As Fall awards season approaches, government contractors are gearing up to announce their latest contract wins. A press release can be a powerful tool for showcasing your company’s products or services, building credibility, and strengthening your standing in the government contracting community. However, crafting an effective press release within the government contracting world also requires an adherence to process and attention to detail. To help companies navigate this process, the Distinctive Edge Partners team put together five best practices to help government contractors maximize the value and minimize the risk of press releases.
Strike the Right Balance
While you want to showcase your company and products in addition to the contract award, avoiding hyperbole at all costs is important. A good rule of thumb is to start with publicly available information and clearly articulate how your company and contract award fit within the broader program. You can then weave in key messages that resonate with your target customers. Just be mindful not to include anything construed as sensitive in nature. And, of course, ensure readability and accuracy before finalizing it.
If you’ve received any quotes for your press release, it is important to run them through program offices, contracting officers, or other relevant authorities to ensure that all the proper approvals are collected. These individuals are crucial in ensuring that your press release aligns with regulations, guidelines, and contractual obligations.
Utilize Multimedia
In today’s digital age, visual content is king. Incorporating images and videos into your press release not only capitalizes on visual fluency but also tells a more engaging story. Multimedia content appeals to those who prefer visual learning and helps establish emotional connections with your readers.
However, remember to screen videos and images carefully, make sure they are polished and represent your brand in the right manner. As mentioned above, external communications teams will need to see all the assets the release is highlighting, including multimedia assets, so make sure you plan the initial drafts of your release with them included and that they have been signed off on, especially in larger organizations.
Create a Strong Boilerplate
Don’t skimp on your company description. Ensure it provides a comprehensive view of your company’s value and directs readers to the pages you want them to visit. Include keywords that are relevant to your target audience, highlight your successes, and what sets your business apart from competitors. The information in your boilerplate should be consistent with your company’s communications and branding and match the tone of your press release.
Call Your Readers to Action
Make it easy for your audience to take action on your behalf. Use social media platforms like X and LinkedIn to share your press release, incorporating keywords and hashtags to join relevant conversations or start new ones. Tag your partners and their communications and marketing team, your organization’s leaders, and your brand’s evangelists whom you engaged with throughout the approval process. Many press release services allow you to include pre-written social media content with your release, but you can also create branded social media assets that, shared alongside the press release, will increase the reach and professionalism of the content.
If there are a lot of interesting and newsworthy things happening in your industry that your release could fit into, post a few of the bigger news items on your LinkedIn profile shortly before and shortly after the release. These extra steps can enhance engagement and bring more attention to your story.
Some News is More Newsworthy
While press releases are a powerful tool for increasing credibility, building a history of social proof, and sharing key messages, it is important to consider the ROI of your campaign before pitching press releases to the media. The fact of the matter is that using press releases to get media coverage is not always worth it – especially in the government contracting world. If your contract award or news is on the smaller side of the industry, you might get better visibility by publishing the release over LinkedIn and on your website.
It is also important to be careful of who you are pitching and what story angles you are sending them. While most reporters in the mainstream media will not cover defense acquisition news unless it’s a major contract award or a hot new technology, the last thing you want to do is pitch a reporter with an ax to grind with the government contracting community or defense department. It is far better to be cautious than to find yourself in the spotlight for the wrong reasons.
Crafting a successful press release to announce government contract awards requires attention to detail and a strategic approach. By creating a compelling headline, incorporating multimedia, encouraging reader action, providing a comprehensive company bio, and ensuring you are leveraging your media correctly, you can maximize the impact of your contract announcements. Effective press releases not only showcase your success but also contribute to your overall narrative as a trusted government contractor in the eyes of your target audience.
Interested in building your media relations strategy? We would love to connect and share how we can help. Book a meeting with us here for a free consultation.
The Distinctive Edge team comprises business builders with unique communications expertise and industry specialization. We help leaders solve business problems, thrive through transition, and achieve growth and engagement goals. The tools of our trade are strategic storytelling, investor and public relations, communications, and marketing. To learn more about our services, visit https://distinctiveedge.partners.