Many PR and marketing veterans say joint press releases offer outsized publicity that a firm seldom can obtain on its own. Both companies gain increased exposure through the partner’s distribution channels. If both partners are reputable, both gain access to new leads and additional credibility through association with the partner.

“By issuing a press release in conjunction with a business partner, your company receives significant implied referral value from that partner,” writes Dave Orecchio at inbound marketing firm Bristol Strategy, in Business 2 Community^[1]. “This helps to build perception for your brand among your business partner’s network of customers and prospects, which may be an audience that your company would not otherwise reach.”

Although they may double the PR value, joint announcements may also offer double trouble. Both businesses must review and approve the release, possibly leading to complicated haggling and disagreements over wording. The wrong partner may also detract from the reach or the message.

These recommendations from PR and marketing experts can help organizations overcome inherent challenges of joint announcements and reap their full benefits.

Set the ground rules. First determine who will lead the process, who will write the first draft, who will oversee editing, who has final approval, and who will handle distribution. “With partnership releases, there are often many cooks in the kitchen, so it’s best to get everyone on the same page up front and assign roles,” writes Kate Nesbitt for SpeakerBox Communications^[2].

Define who cares about the news. That audience will help you create your headline and set the foundation of the news release content. List the reasons why the audience cares, then prioritize the list, advises Anthony Santiago at Newswire^[3]. The top reason dictates the headline. If it’s new jobs to the community, then the headline would be: “ABC Company Merges with DEF Company and brings 500 new jobs to Smithville.”