Writing a Crowdfunding Campaign Press Release

How to Write a Crowdfunding Press Release that Drives Awareness and Engagement

First things first. Should you write a press release for your crowdfunding campaign? And … does anybody read newspapers anymore? The short answer is ‘yes’ and ‘absolutely.’ But before we go further, let’s step back a minute and review the very idea of a press release.

A press release is simply a written statement announcing a news item or event, with the goal being to generate press coverage and public awareness. That tracks, right? Well to effectively promote your crowdfunding campaign, you’ll need to produce a compelling written statement of some kind that you can repurpose and reuse for multiple channels. So why not think of the tried-and-true, old-school press release as a great way to craft that initial messaging that you can later slice and dice in myriad ways to market your crowdfunding campaign.

The exercise of writing a press release will force you to address the who, what, when, where, and why that all good journalists demand. And once you do that, you’ll not only have a compelling piece of content that you can distribute via multiple channels and spin any number of ways—you’ll also have a tidy blueprint you can use to inform your larger communications strategy. Let’s get started.

Key elements of an effective press release

Keep in mind that your intended audience is a journalist. Whether you decide to submit your press release to an actual news agency or not, you should write it like you’re trying to convince a busy reporter to cover your crowdfunding story—so be sure to convey all the facts in the most compelling way possible. Here are the key elements of an effective press release:

1. Start with a captivating headline: You need to grab the attention of readers and succinctly convey the essence of your campaign. Keep it concise, catchy, and clear. For example, “GCU Foundation Holds 5K Fun Run in DC.”
2. Write a strong opening paragraph: Get straight to the point and quickly summarize your crowdfunding campaign and why it’s important. Be sure to answer the five W’s (who, what, when, where, and why).
3. Provide more details about your campaign: Use the body of the press release to provide additional information about your crowdfunding campaign that strengthens your narrative. Explain what makes your appeal unique and why people should support it. Include any relevant statistics or achievements, such as the number of backers or funds raised so far or the impact you expect your campaign to have if successful.
4. Include quotes: Your school’s executive director, a known stakeholder, sponsor, or other key figure can add credibility to your press release and help to humanize your story. Make sure to get permission from the people you’re quoting before using their words in your press release.
5. Include shareable content: While not mandatory, they say a picture speaks a thousand words. So, if you’ve got a slick graphic, detailed slideshare, or compelling video, by all means share it.
6. Add a call to action: Encourage readers to take action by supporting your crowdfunding campaign. Include a link to your campaign page or a specific call to action such as “Join us in supporting our mission to nurture, challenge, and guide all students to achieve their maximum potential.”
7. Link to relevant sources: If you reference outside sources, link to them—and link to your school’s relevant pages as well so readers can fact check and learn more.
8. Provide contact information: Make it easy for journalists and anyone else you share your press release with to follow up by including contact information for your team or a designated media contact.
9. Edit and proofread: Before sending out your press release, be sure to edit and proofread it carefully for grammar and spelling errors. You may also want to have someone else on your team review it for feedback. A second set of eyes is always a good idea before publishing any content. 

Distributing your crowdfunding press release

Next, you’ll want to share the press release about your crowdfunding campaign through a variety of channels to drive awareness and help you reach a wider audience. Here are five ways to get the word out and drive traffic to your campaign page:

1. Post it on your school website: Post your press release to the news or press section of your website and link to it from the homepage so it can be easily found by visitors and members of the community.
2. Share on social media: You can also share the link to your press release on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and other channels where your constituents are active. Be sure to tag relevant organizations, businesses, and individuals who may be interested in supporting the campaign.
3. Email the press release to media outlets: This is the most traditional way to share a press release, but keep in mind that crowdfunding has grown significantly in popularity over the last decade. Translation? You’re bound to have lots of competition. Still, it’s worth sending your press release to local and regional media outlets such as newspapers, TV and radio stations, and online news sites. Choose the outlets you think will be  most interested and  email them your press release along with a brief message introducing the campaign and explaining why you think it’s newsworthy.
4. Share with alumni and donors: You can also email a link to the press release to alumni and prospective donors as part of your pre-launch cadence and encourage them to spread the word about the campaign to their peers.
5. Use a crowdfunding platform: Crowdfunding solutions like GiveCampus have built-in tools to help you tap volunteers to carry out peer-to-peer outreach by email, text, phone, or social media.

By using a multi-channel distribution strategy, your school can increase the visibility of your crowdfunding campaign and encourage more people to donate and support your cause.

If you’re looking for other ideas for how to tap new donor networks and expand your reach, the GC Social Fundraising platform is the #1 way to fill your donor pipeline with people who feel connected to your institution. Feel free to drop in on the first Thursday of the month for a quick, 30-minute walkthrough of our crowdfunding platform to see how GiveCampus can help you raise more dollars from more donors with less effort. Register now for our next monthly Drop-In Demo.