One effective way to promote an event is to write a press release. In this guide, we’ll share tips on how to come up with a killer event press release that will generate buzz and excitement for your upcoming event.
Below are sample event press releases you can download in Microsoft Word, Google Docs, or as PDFs.
DOWNLOAD – Event Press Release Template (MS Word)
DOWNLOAD – Event Press Release Template (Google Docs)
DOWNLOAD – Event Press Release Template (PDF)
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What To Include In Your Event Press Release
An effective press release should be straightforward and simple – but catchy. Editors receive hundreds of emails and pitches on a daily basis so it is important to make sure that you immediately pique their interest, and that they will be able to pick up all the essential information at a glance.
Event press release template (Download for MS Word, Google Docs, or as a PDF)
1. Company logo and event logo if there is one
The header of your press release should include your own logo and your event’s logo at the top of the document.
2. Release date
Indicate “For Immediate Release” at the top of the article. It is advisable to avoid embargoes for event press releases. Embargoes mean that the editor can only release a particular article at a later specified date. Make sure that when you pitch an event press release, the information can be published anytime.
3. Headline announcing the event
Put the title of your upcoming event in the headline and try to include an aspect of time or frequency to it. For example, “For the first time,” “The annual,” “The third,” or “The much awaited.” Make the headline exciting to create anticipation and interest among readers.
4. Subheadline including any additional key information
You can include a subheadline if there is a key information you want to highlight aside from what is already in the headline. For an event, this could be the date of the event and the venue.
5. Dateline
The dateline presents the location and date when the article was pitched. The location and date are usually separated from the first body paragraph by a dash. The location is typically in capital letters. For example, “HOUSTON, TEXAS, May 1, 2017”
6. Lead paragraph to introduce the event
The first paragraph of the press release should be able to summarize all the important and critical information about the event. Essentially, the opening paragraph should answer the 5 W’s: what, where, who, when and why.
Depending on the kind of event you’re holding, a lead paragraph can either be simple and straightforward if you’re announcing a corporate event such as conferences, seminars or industry gatherings. Alternatively, it can be written with a more lifestyle angle if your event is geared towards consumers such as parties, festivals, concerts or brand activations.
7. Article body to discuss more details of the event
You’ll be able to elaborate and complete your story in the body of the press release. Here, you can include the background of the event such as information on how it came about, how long it has been running and why the event was created.
It should also include additional information about the event such as special guests, celebrities or VIPs present, activities that attendees can participate in and event elements they can expect. You can also include photos or embed videos of past events if it has some exciting or important aspects that you think would appeal to your target audience. The body should further convince people why they should look forward to attending the event.
8. Closing paragraph with call to action (CTA)
The last paragraph should include a call-to-action (CTA) including the requirements to attend the event, details on entrance fees or passes and where to get them, website where they can get more information about the event and the phone number that they can call.
9. End notation
The end of your article should include three pound signs, ###, which tells the editor that it is the end of the article and that the following information written in the document is not part of the story.
10. Company boilerplate
The boilerplate is a paragraph at the bottom of the press release which includes facts and information about the event organizer, partners and sponsors.
11. Contact information
Put the contact information of the person who the editor can get in touch with for questions and more information about the event. This should include name, position, email, and phone number.
After writing the press release, develop a media list which enumerates all the media publications you will be pitching the article to, the editor for each publication, their email and contact information.
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Tips On Writing & Sending Event Press Releases
- Get straight to the point and try to include all the critical information about your event at the beginning of the article.
- Make the article short enough to be interesting but long enough to cover all the necessary information about your event. The ideal length of event press releases is around 300 – 500 words.
- Use a professional tone in the article even if you’re writing a lifestyle press release.
- Try to pitch the press release to bulletins and announcement sections as these are usually the sections most accommodating of publishing upcoming events.
- Be mindful of the timeline when pitching the press release. Try to send the article to the editor 2-3 weeks prior to your event. Sending it too early might mean readers forget about the event before it happens, while sending it too late might prevent people from attending it due to conflicting activities. Additionally, it might not give the editors enough time and space to consider your story for publication.
- Remember to personalize your email. Using “Dear Editor” in your pitch email will turn editors off as this gives the impression that you didn’t even research the name of the editor of the publication you’re pitching to.
Looking for more press release distribution tips? Check out our list of 30 tips from the pros and avoid these common press release mistakes.
Samples of Published Event Press Releases & Articles
Once you send out a press release to different media publications, take note that it may not necessarily get published exactly as you wrote it. The editor may revise the article to further fit the audience of the publication and may also include insight about the event, especially if it’s a famous and highly anticipated one. Click on the titles of each press release below to view a full sample.
CES 2017: What To Expect At The Biggest Tech Trade Show Of The Year
TVs, drones, and self-driving cars invade Las Vegas
Apple to hold event on Sept. 7; new iPhone, Watch expected
Apple has made it official: the company will be holding a press event on Sept 7 in San Francisco where the presumption is it will unveil both a new iPhone and a new Apple Watch.
World’s largest indoor theme park opening soon: The $1 billion Dubai attraction features Spiderman and Thor roller coasters and is the size of 26 football pitches
IMG Worlds of Adventure will be opening its doors in August, offering 1.5 million-square-feet of entertainment space
If you want to see more examples of good press releases, check out our article on Press Release Examples From the Pros.
Bottom Line
While businesses can be creative with how they present their event press release, the information we’ve included in this article are the fundamental items you should include the next time you’re announcing an upcoming event.
Don’t forget to try eReleases to get your event in front of the right journalists and bloggers who can help you promote it. Right now you can save 33% on your first press release.
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Sandra Burgess
Hello, how does one get started with learning about press releases classes in their city? I would love sharing events, places to see, things to try how do I gather content for such journaling? Thanks and I forward to your response.
Sandra
Sandra,
You might start with talking to someone at your community college. You can also contact local media outlets to see where they obtain press releases from. Consider contacting newspapers and radio stations. Perhaps there’s also a group that does networking in communications and media in your town. If not, surely you can find like-minded people on the internet, such as on Facebook or Twitter, or start your own press club and invite aspiring writers to join. Good luck to you!
Laura, Staff Writer