How to Write a Press Release on a Dealer Donation
The properly prepared and distributed press release announcing a dealer donation benefits the nonprofit organization and the dealer. Beyond being a source of free advertising, the press release communicates information about the nonprofit’s cause and the dealer’s commitment to community involvement. Media outlets might choose to publish the press release in whole or in part, but some portion gets out to the public through the many venues available in print and on the Internet. Although the dealer and the nonprofit organization might have different reasons to write and distribute a press release, a few standard elements are required to provide sufficient, but complete, information.
Insert the sentence, in all caps and left-justified, “For Immediate Release” at the top of the document and insert the date directly below that phrase.
Skip a few lines and add the name and title of your contact person, the organization name and contact information, such as telephone numbers, email and mailing addresses and the website URL. If you prefer, right-justify this information block directly opposite the “For Immediate Release” phrase.
Center the press release headline, which should be typed in bold and all caps. The headline, such as, “Ventura Toyota Donates New Vehicle to Youth Focus,” summarizes the subject of the press release.
Write the descriptive paragraphs of your press release in a simple style, third-person perspective, that summarizes the information, appeals to the general reader and conveys a sense of importance and excitement about the news.
Begin the first paragraph with the city, state and date following by a hyphen. Follow with a few sentences that provide the details of the vehicle donation, including the date, vehicle model and year and the value of the vehicle. Include details of the actual presentation event and information about the dealer. Ask the dealer to provide a brief statement about its business history and community involvement background.