Never squander an announcement

So much startup success comes after days, months or years of blood, sweat and tears.

You grind to launch a killer feature, publish a case study or close a funding round.

Then when it's time to share the news, you're exhausted - or already climbing the next hill - and the announcement gets tossed out as an afterthought.

Don't do this! Announcements are fulcrums of narrative leverage.

They deserve the same hard work and preparation that went into the work that led to them.

Announcing a new feature? Pair it with a customer interview. Highlight their result, quote the senior-most person you can get to talk to you and coordinate with them to share it out. Craft strategies to reach the communities that would most benefit.

Fundraising announcement? Wait to round up some killer customer quotes. Validate your website is an effective lead funnel. Prime investors (big or small, past or present) to amplify the message. Make sure the press release hypes the most compelling aspects of your story.

Case study? Work with the customer on a coordinated release. Prime your investors, angels, friends and family. Provide snippets and visuals to lower the activation energy to post. Plan a post-release strategy.

Every announcement is a point of leverage to magnify the impact of your hard work.

Don't waste it!