Crowdfunding


The header: This should be dated and marked ‘for immediate release’. The title: Summarise your project in a few words – make it catchy! The body copy: The first paragraph should be a succinct summary that includes all necessary information. The second paragraph should expand on that information. Finish off with any further action that readers may be interested in, such as pledging to, or sharing details of, your campaign. Quotes: Include quotes about the project from the Headteacher, the lead person responsible for delivering the project or from beneficiaries – presumably pupils. Contact details: Include the name, job role, email address and phone number of relevant contacts for journalists who want more information. Finish off with links to relevant websites. Images: Include a couple of images, perhaps of project team members, the campaign in action or a screenshot of the campaign page, etc. These should be attached to the email. Include captions and name your images in a logical way.


Increase your chances of getting press coverage by researching similar articles that


the publication covers and tailoring your email subject line and introduction accordingly


of the person you’re contacting (it’s good practice to phone the person after you have emailed them).


Download a template


FundEd subscribers can download a crowdfunding campaign press


release template at funded.org.uk.


How do I identify which journalists to contact? The most important thing is to know the person’s name – so start by looking at articles that are in relevant publications/websites and find the names of the journalists who wrote them. Failing that, call the main editorial desk and ask who the best person to contact is – someone who covers general education stories, or, if your project falls into a particular subject area, perhaps they have a specialist journalist. Small, local publications or niche magazines are unlikely to have more than one or two in-house editors, so if all else fails, write to the editor.


Who should I send the press release to? National magazines: Publications connected to the subject matter of your campaign, e.g. history magazines if your project is about history, tech publications if it is for virtual reality resources. The more specific, the better; there are niche publications out there about pretty much every topic you can think of! Local press: The national press will only be interested in extremely newsworthy campaigns, so it’s likely to make sense to focus your efforts locally. Positive and/or unusual local-interest stories can be hard to come by for editors, so make sure your press release has a ‘hook’. Online journals: Online-only magazines and local news websites can be a useful way to get your message out quickly. Make sure you have the name, phone number and email address


What’s the best way to send the press release? It’s best to include the press release in the body of an email, not as an attachment. Even if you include an image in the body of the email, also add your images as attachments. See below a suggested email format: Email subject line: The title of your press release. Introduction: The introduction should address someone with their first name. The first couple of lines should be a summary of what will be in your press release. Try to think of an angle the publication could use that would make it an interesting


story to its readers. Get some inspiration from looking at other articles they’ve published. Body of the email: Right after the introduction, include the actual press release. Attached files: Images should be added as attachments, even if they are already embedded within the text. Another option is to attach a PDF file of the press release.


How can I improve my chances of securing press coverage? Remember that journalists receive a lot of press releases, so there’s no guarantee they will open, let alone read your email! Send your email on a Monday or Tuesday at around 10:30am. This is the optimal time for people to open emails. By researching similar articles that the publication covers, and tailoring your subject line and introduction accordingly, you will increase your chances of being featured. The less work that the journalist needs to do to follow up on a story, the better, so use short sentences that can be easily cut and used to fit a particular space or word count.


What should I do after sending my crowdfunding campaign press release? Once sent, make sure someone is available to answer questions. At 2pm on the same day, follow up your email with a call to ensure that you stand out from other press releases. Ask the journalist if they received your press release and offer any additional information they require.


Christina Pashialis (@christina_p) is a freelance content marketer and formerly worked for ed-tech company Hubbub. There, she supported both students and education professionals on their crowdfunding journeys; advising them on how to plan, promote and execute crowdfunding campaigns.


FundEd SUMMER 2018 25


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