If you’ve been in any stores recently, you’ll certainly have noticed the Back-to-School section of said store is in full bloom—many aisles having popped up shortly after Independence Day already!

I must admit, my former-educator heart loves to walk the school supply aisles—finding the trending ballpoint pen colors, the seemingly endless rows of fresh, uncreased Post-it packs, and spotting the newest designs on lunch sacks.

While walking these aisles recently, my media relations brain was churning, thinking how this time of year is PR-hot for companies and organizations with any obvious tie to education. Which got me thinking: What about those organizations that are not so obviously connected to academia? How can these organizations break through the Back-to-School frenzy of August and September?

There are plenty of ways to insert yourself into the Back-to-School hubbub, while remaining authentically you. The following are just three worth considering:

1. Make an announcement regarding your community partnerships and local outreach

Back-to-School season is a time to celebrate community. After the summer months of individual and community schedules in flux, when school is back in session, community calendars fill up with events, parks and fields are constantly occupied with youth, and “regular” routine prevails.

If you partner with community organizations, this is the perfect time to celebrate that! Likewise, if your company culture is one that you prioritize volunteer work at local organizations (such as a company volunteer day at the local food pantry), announcing that aspect of your organization can be a strategic win during this time of year.

Consider putting out a press release to authentically share this information. Share the release with local media and include an offer of interview availability. It’s also worth sharing with your social media followers and newsletter recipients. Suddenly, people think of your company as genuinely community-focused.

2. Pitch a story that incorporates your company’s professional development policies

There’s an easy through line between Back-to-School stories and companies that offer or encourage professional development. When strategizing on possible story pitches to go out to the media this time of year, highlighting character-driven stories of growth—for example, an employee who took advantage of your professional development opportunities and accomplished X, Y, and Z—can be really compelling.

3. Create a thought leadership piece with your education story as the peg

Option #3 is my personal favorite, because literally everyone can utilize this method—whether you stopped short of completing high school or earned a PhD—everyone has a personal education story. And each one is as interesting as the next.

Sharing the story of how your path through education framed who you are today, why the type of work you do is so important to you, and advice you would give to younger you can be incredibly powerful and ties in beautifully with the Back-to-School theme. Using your educational experience as the background narrative is the perfect hook to then continue your thought leadership piece with an authentic call to action that advances your organizational goals. I encourage you to give it some thought and put yourself out there!

Whether you pursue one of these methods or all three, I like to think the former educator in me has inspired you not to count yourself out of the Back-to-School news stories that prevail in August and September. With the right strategy, these months can be very PRomising for all!

Not quite ready to engage in media outreach on your own? Reach out at pr@henrichcommunications.com to schedule a complimentary consultation.