Companies around the world share their financial results with media and investors by distributing their earnings press releases via a newswire service.
Speed, accuracy, and professionalism are a must when it comes to some of the most important news releases of the year.
Every company is different. But no matter the size of your company or industry, the following best practices will make distributing your earnings releases fast and easy.
Submit your release in advance
The earlier you submit your earnings release, the more time you will have to make any necessary changes or handle unexpected issues.
The busiest time for newswire services is during earnings when volumes can spike dramatically. Submit your earnings announcement at least one day in advance. This provides both you and the service ample time to prepare and proof the earnings announcement and reduces overall stress.
Allow yourself as much as time as possible to face the unpredictable.
Request and view a proof copy
Request, view, and approve a final proof of the earnings release prior to distribution.
A proof gives you control to carefully review the final content, including text and financial tables, to ensure accuracy and proper formatting. It also gives you control to approve and schedule the release when your team is ready to make the announcement live.
Format financial tables within editable cells
Newswire services use custom platforms to format your earnings release. These platforms convert the content of your document so that it is suitable for distribution to various media outlets.
To avoid conversion problems, always format your financial tables in the Word document as cells or smart tables rather than images. They can also be submitted separate from the text in an Excel file. This will speed up the formatting process and reduce delays.
Use a tracked-changes document for all edits
Last minute changes can be inevitable, but how those changes are organized can make all the difference. Use a tracked-changes document to store all edits and use this document when communicating with an editorial team.
A document with tracked changes makes it easy for editors to quickly and accurately update an earnings release that is already prepared. This is especially beneficial with complex changes, such as new paragraphs, and detailed changes, like figures in financial tables.
Make requests in writing
Like a document with tracked changes, requests via email will eliminate the possibility of any miscommunication. Editors are available via phone to address any questions or concerns, but emails are clear and concise. Emails can also be used for requesting changes if you’re unable to use a tracked-changes document.
Your earnings release is important and newsroom editors are there to guide you through the process.
At Notified, we provide press release distribution to companies of all sizes and help businesses effectively reach and engage the media, investors and consumers. For more information about press release distribution please visit our website. You can also follow us on Twitter @Notified.