Weekly strategic communications advice to help you drive relevance and impact

March 26, 2025

As Inkhouse Managing Director Dan O’Mahony says, “An IPO is a moment in time — it is not the finish line.” What comes next is a never-ending marathon, a series of financial disclosures required by the SEC every quarter: earnings. 

Earnings, yes, are important for analysts and investors to understand an organization's financial health. But when it comes to PR and comms, earnings can also be a valuable tool for connecting with reporters, showcasing company momentum, and keeping eyes on the brand. 

How the news is framed can shape investor sentiment, media coverage, and public perception. Unfortunately, financial reporting season is often crowded, making it tough to capture media attention. That’s why simply releasing earnings and holding an analyst call is not enough. 

It’s the responsibility of comms leaders to create a compelling story around earnings that ensures the company’s corporate narrative is clear, comprehensive, and aligned with its business objectives. Here’s how PR can turn numbers into a narrative and maximize quarterly earnings: 

Determine the narrative before someone else does it for you. You should know the story you want to tell well ahead of earnings day. Start working with investor relations and executive leadership four weeks ahead of call time to determine the key messaging you want investors and business communities to take away this quarter.  

The press release needs to go beyond the numbers.  This is your opportunity to explain performance, highlight growth drivers or challenges, and showcase milestones. Of course, with that, don’t forget that all earning releases must meet SEC requirements. 

Insert dream headline here. No two media outlets will cover earnings the same way. Outreach shouldn’t focus on just reporting the numbers. The best pitches craft a narrative that gives the earnings report context and is fine-tuned for each publication and reporter’s audience. And remember, the earlier you connect with reporters, the better. 

Anticipate tough questions. Understand how your company fits into the narrative of today’s macroeconomic landscape. Your spokespeople need to know how market trends influenced performance (or could impact it in the future). 

Embrace owned channels. Press releases shouldn’t be your sole messenger. Blog posts, social media, and company newsletters directly engage employees, customers, and investors. 

Learn more from Inkhouse Vice President Jen Gaines on maximizing earnings through PR in our blog. 

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