What Taylor & Travis’s Engagement Can Teach You About Making a Big Business Announcement

It was the engagement news that just about broke the internet. Even if you don’t follow pop culture (or football), you probably saw it and know what I am talking about.

Travis Kelce officially got down on one knee and popped the question to Taylor Swift. Ahh Swifties everywhere rejoiced!!

Then nearly two weeks later they released a joint Instagram post sharing the news and it exploded across social and mainstream media alike.

Their announcement was intentional, coordinated, and timed for maximum reach, something Swift is known for and YOU (aka all of us) can learn from.

Now, you may be thinking: “That’s cool for them, but how does it apply to MY business?”

It’s time for a masterclass in public relations strategy.

While going viral like Taylor and Travis is unlikely for anyone who isn’t literally them, there are absolutely some PR strategies to learn from how they shared their news.

You can apply the same framework to your own big company announcements like debuting a new service, winning an award, key personnel changes, opening another location, or celebrating a major milestone.

Let me walk you through the process.

1. Capture the content in advance

For them, this was the proposal photos. And you better believe Travis planned ahead to make sure those got captured. The visuals weren’t just “nice to have” for their personal memories, but rather the anchor for how the news would be shared.

For you, this is the same step: plan what visuals you’ll need before the announcement goes live and give yourself plenty of time to capture, or create, them.

➞ New product? Get the lifestyle shots and detail photos ready.
➞ New service? Have branded graphics or a short video filmed.
➞ New hire or promotion? Professional headshots are a must.

The bottom line is: you don’t wing it. You prepare the visuals that will carry your announcement across platforms.

2. Tell your most invested community first

For Taylor and Travis, that meant family and close friends heard the news before the rest of us. Those are the people who had the emotional investment and they became the first supporters of the public rollout.

For your business, this means your inner circle should always know first and in this order:

1. Clients

2. Referral partners and vendors

3. The rest of your email list

Why? Because those who have invested with you, financially or emotionally, will be the first to cheer you on and spread the word once it’s public.

Their excitement helps amplify your reach. Plus, those past clients are the ones most likely to buy from you again since they already invested to begin with. They reached the “Trust” of the “Know Like Trust” lead funnel and that’s where the brand loyalty is built.

(Join DCM’s Inner Circle here)

3. Collaborate for maximum exposure

One of the smartest PR moves? They utilized a collaborative post to share the news so it hit both of their feeds simultaneously. One post, two audiences, double the reach. Boom!

You can do the same. Invite Collaborators on Instagram when posting your news. Who should you include?

➞ Partners who helped bring the announcement to life
➞ Team members involved in the launch
➞ Vendors or collaborators who should be tagged in the success

This expands your reach beyond just your own audience and taps into the networks of everyone connected to your news.

The Takeaway

Big announcements don’t need to be left to chance. Whether it’s an engagement or a new service launch, the strategy is the same:

1. Plan your visuals.
2. Prioritize your inner circle.
3. Leverage collaborators for maximum reach.

The Taylor & Travis announcement went viral because it was emotional, visual, and strategic. And, well, everyone loves a love story.

Your business announcements may not make international headlines, but they can create meaningful buzz with your target audience and that is what actually drives sales.

Need help putting this into action for your next big announcement? Schedule a discovery call to see how we can help!

More details on the DCM approach to PR here.