Strategies for Extending the ‘Mileage’ on a Regional Site Location Win or New Investment 

In the economic development world, a lot may revolve around major wins, be it a new company entering a region, a signature investment or a sizable expansion. It is in strategic communications, however, where those announcements can turn from mild indicators of regional health to catalysts of greater market momentum. 

Too many organizations today treat a single announcement as a one-and-done opportunity, potentially missing out on weeks and months of additional amplification or new press coverage, all potentially advancing key regional or organizational messages. 

There is a world of possibilities in extending one press win into a string of positive messages, and here are just a few of the potential tactics to help you get there. 

‘The Initial Wave’ 

Once an economic development announcement – a site location win, a project milestone, new funding, etc. — goes live, the first couple of days are critical for creating a groundswell of media engagement. There’s no better time to push out the news, since it’s at its most relevant. 

In this initial phase, it’s important to develop clear and impactful messaging, building out the key details of the announcement (i.e., newsworthy investment figures, timelines and companies involved). Conducting outreach to the most relevant and carefully vetted media list will help generate announcement pickups, as well as potential interview opportunities. This creates chances to generate a strong first tranche of media placements. 

This exercise helps build a solid foundation in local, regional and sometimes national outlets – typically within the first week or so after an announcement. It’s undoubtedly a critical stage, and where the news is at its most impactful; but it’s only the start. 

‘Second-Day’ Stories & Industry Analysis 

After this initial wave, and once the dust has settled, typically around a week or two after the launch, there’s an opportunity to evolve the story. While the timeliness of the initial news has certainly faded, there’s a chance to tie that news into other unique regional or national trends that may warrant additional attention, and possibly coverage. 

Editors and reporters are always looking for contextual angles that provide deeper insights, especially in trade publications where economic development stories often find their strongest footing. By packaging a recent win alongside similar economic development activity or trends observed in the market, reporters are given a compelling narrative that elevates news beyond a single data point. 

For example, grouping together a set of announcements about manufacturing investments in a region can lead to a feature about the industry’s geographic strength or resilience, or open up the door to discuss regional workforce strengths, or how economic developers are meeting incoming labor demands. 

These insightful roundups provide journalists with the “bigger picture,” validating a market’s “big win” while also showing how it’s part of a larger, industry-relevant trend. So, while the old news isn’t coverage-worthy on its own, the trend is – and shifts coverage from transactional (“some company opened here”) to strategic (“here’s how this region is becoming a hub”). 

This part of the process positions your organization and spokespeople as sources of insight, not just disparate newsmakers. This provides an opportunity to recycle recent news and also create long-term credibility with key media members. 

Long-Form Content: Deep Dives That Last 

The final phase in extending the life cycle of your economic development news is long-form content that ties back to the “big news,” but does so in a way that demonstrates subject matter expertise while nodding to recent patterns. This will include pieces like contributed articles and op-eds, or even blog posts or long-form social media content. 

Instead of promoting a single, one-off news item, these pieces take an educational and analytical approach – perhaps analyzing how a region has built its strength in a particular sector, or the strategies implemented to attract the attention of industry. 

Examples of what these articles entail: 

• Workforce trends in training and staffing industries in the region 

• Policy or infrastructure investments that shaped recent wins 

• Lessons learned from clients’ economic development success stories 

Editors at trade publications, regional business journals and even national business outlets frequently seek expert contributors with insights that their audiences can’t easily find elsewhere. Of course, this also means keeping the initial coverage “window” open long past the first round of outreach. 

From One Win to Sustained Influence 

A single economic development announcement can be a powerful catalyst for a constant swell of earned media exposure when approached strategically, which is becoming increasingly imperative. It’s possible to build on the momentum that comes from big deals by creating ripples with broader thought leadership opportunities and regional sector highlights. 

When it comes to economic development communications, it isn’t a quick race to get covered once, but all about developing a sustained strategy that keeps the conversation going. With thoughtful planning and content that provides value to journalists and their audiences, an economic development organization’s next big win can reverberate far beyond the initial headline. 

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Interested in learning more about our economic development public relations campaign approach? Reach out to us today at: hello@violetpr.com.