How to Write Press Releases for New Partnerships

By Intelligent Relations Team

October 8, 2022

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Mergers and strategic partnerships are typically a reason for a company to celebrate. It likely means that some greater potential has been unlocked by combining organizational influence and resources, pointing to new growth and opportunities on the horizon. 

Therefore, it stands to reason that you might issue a press release to share such an announcement with business publications. In fact, press releases for new partnerships are an excellent way to widen the audience base and rally further interest in your operations. 

But, if you’re unfamiliar with press releases, and you find yourself asking how to even write one, don’t sweat it. You’ve come to the right place. This guide is going to cover everything you need to know about drafting and distributing a press release, and answer the following questions:

• What are the main types of new partnership press releases?
• What should be included in a partnership press release?
• How do you write and format a partnership press release?
• What are some examples of new partnership press releases?
• How do you send out a partnership press release?

What are the main types of new partnership press releases?

A press release is a way to communicate business news with media outlets. It’s actually a hugely popular method for gaining exposure and connecting with media reps at the same time. The aim of a press release is to generate coverage and increase reach and traction. 

When it comes to press releases for a new partnership, there are many reasons one might be issued. Some of the most popular types of partnership press releases are: 

• Strategic Partnership: When a company agrees to a strategic partnership with another in the hope of securing mutual benefits. 
• Merger: When two companies agree to combine forces as a new entity in the hope of diversifying and expanding market share. 
• Acquisition: Similar to mergers, but relates to a company taking over another. 
• Collaboration: This could be a company collaboration with a prominent figure or a team-up with an organization for a one-off campaign. 

What should be included in a partnership press release?

Regardless of the announcement, press releases all follow the same guidelines. That is, a press release should be clear, concise, and newsworthy. Reporters need to feel like a press release they’re reading provides useful information and gets to the point quickly. 

When drafting your press release, there is key information that should be covered right away for both the issuer’s benefit and a journalist reading it—we refer to this as the “5 Ws.” 

• Who: Who the press release announcement refers to. 
• What: The news of the announcement that’s being shared.
• When: Date and time when the announcement takes place or goes into effect. 
• Where: Where the news is relevant to (i.e. certain location or region). 
• Why: The justification for the announcement (i.e. why it’s important now).

Begin by asking yourself these 5 questions whenever you approach a new press release. In addition to being the most important information, they’re also a useful indicator as to whether or not your press release is actually newsworthy in the first place.

How do you write and format a partnership press release?

As long as you have a handle on the basics, writing a press release isn’t difficult. But, there are rules related to structure and format that you absolutely always need to follow. 

See, reporters sometimes receive hundreds of press releases a week. So, if your press release checks all the structure and format boxes, a journalist can glance over it and easily identify the hook, the parties involved, and the necessary contact details. 

Failing to stick to this framework might mean that reporters ignore your press release altogether. 

The press release layout

Press releases are laid out a lot like a news article. They have eye-catching headlines and subheadings. Some might even include an image. What’s more, the most important details are at the top of the press release, while supplemental details are provided further down. 

Below we’ve outlined all the sections you need in a press release, and in the necessary order. 

• Title: Explain the specifics of the announcement in as few words as possible.
• First paragraph: Answer the 5 Ws to give reporters all the information they need.
• Second and third paragraph: Provide details about the announcement (in this case, the partnership), as well as the parties involved. 
• Fourth paragraph: Include a quote from a figure involved. In the case of a partnership, you may consider sharing quotes from representatives for both companies.
• Fifth paragraph: Round off the press release with any more useful details. 
• Boilerplate: A boilerplate is a short overview of the issuing organization. Again, in the case of a partnership, this probably provides information about both companies. 
• Contact info: Provide a name and email address for an individual handling press queries. You can also provide a phone number, but that is optional.

The press release writing basics

We’ve drafted countless press releases over the years and amassed an arsenal of useful tips. Follow these to ensure that you’re getting your press release just right. 

• Write it like a news article. You’re sharing your press releases with reporters in the hope of gaining media exposure. Get to the facts, and just the fact, quickly. 

• Write it in the third person. Press releases come from the perspective of an independent observer, meaning the third person.
• Keep it short. A press release should be short, between 400 and 600 words. For the purposes of a new partnership press release, you’ll reference 2 companies and include 2 boilerplates, so we understand keeping it short might feel challenging. It just means you need to make sure every word counts.
• Keep the prose neutral and free of hyperbole. Keep your press release professional and neutral. Avoid terms like “disrupting” or “revolutionizing.” Reporters see through it.
• Think carefully about the target audience. Avoid overly complex lingo just for the sake of it. Remember who you’re trying to appeal to. 
• Consider the media outlets you’re sending it to. Spend time familiarizing yourself with the news outlets you’re trying to contact. Make sure to stick to their pitching guidelines and look out for topics they’ve published to see if your press release fits.

The press release “hook” 

While we’ve harped on clarity a lot, a good press release does more than just relay information. It packages that information into an enticing “hook” that makes a reader want to know more. 

The hook is the most newsworthy element of a press release; the biggest draw. In terms of a press release for a new partnership, the hook might relate to the timing of the partnership or what the partnership can potentially achieve in the future. 

Examples of New Partnership Press Releases

We can give you all the tips and tricks in the world, but until you see a press release in action, they might not totally make sense to you. Below, you’ll find three examples we’ve compiled of new partnership press releases we think check all the boxes.

Bain & Company and Endava announce strategic partnership

This is an example of a classic press release for a strategic partnership. It includes quotes from prominent representatives for each of the companies involved. Read the full press release here. 

AI-Powered MarTech Startup Intelligent Relations Announces Acquisition of Net Positive Agency. 

Published in Yahoo! Finance, this press release announces Intelligent Relation’s recent acquisition of Net Positive Agency. As you can see, it is concise, clearly written, and includes a boilerplate for both companies. Read the full press release here. 

Appodeal Partners with Adjust to Enrich its Growth Platform with Attribution Insights

This is another press release for a partnership between Appodeal and Adjust. What’s interesting is it uses subheadings throughout the copy to clearly separate and highlight what’s important. Read the full press release here. 

Check out our other press release guides:

Acquisition press releases

Award announcement press release

Crisis press release

How do you send out your press release?

After you’ve crafted the perfect press release, you now need to think about distribution. Luckily, there are only 2 methods to consider when it comes to sharing your press release. 

Use a Press Release Distribution Service 

Also referred to as a newswire, these press release distribution services send out your press release on your behalf for a fee. Popular services include Business Newswire, PR Newswire, and Accesswire.

Often, they have syndication agreements so you’re guaranteed at least some coverage on major outlets. However, although it’s a great way to save time, using a distribution service also means that you don’t have much control over where your press release is shared. 

Email Journalists Directly 

For this approach, you, unfortunately, need to do all your own legwork to build your contact database yourself—that’s a list of relevant journalists and outlets and their contact details. We suggest checking MuckRack or Twitter for journalists’ email addresses. 

While this is certainly more time-consuming, it’s a great way to forge working relationships. What’s more, with direct contact, you have more input on the narrative. 

In addition, for smaller companies, this is the more budget-friendly option. Also, there are some excellent tools available that can help find relevant reporters through a targeted search. 

Key Takeaways

Sharing a press release for a new partnership agreement can make a big difference in the success of your company or companies. If you craft a great press release, it can help you attract new customers and also boost your company’s search engine optimization (SEO). 

Still not sure how to write a new partnership press release? Let us help! Simply book a free consultation with us to get expert insight into how to start or improve your press release.