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Template press release for your auction
- If you’re writing a press release about your online auction, you can use this template press release as a starting point.
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Date of release
- If you are sending a release out before the date you want it announced, send it ‘Under Embargo’ so the press do not write about it before the set time.
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Headline – Who, What, Where, When
- Most journalists will rewrite their own headline, but you want yours to be eye-catching and to summarise your story
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Sub-deck
- This can include a few more details, such as date, time and secondary messages
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Paragraph 1: Tell the story quickly
- Summarize the story, including the following points:
- The auction (what is being auctioned and when)
- The name of your charity, and a short description of what it does
- That the auction is taking place on eBay (www.ebay.co.uk
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Paragraph 2: Add weight and interest with a quote
- A spokesperson’s quote talking about the auction’s relevance to the charity or where the funds raised will go to. This can come from any of the following:
- A celebrity associated with the auction
- A spokesperson for the charity
- The person or organisation that has made the auction possible
- Someone who has been affected positively by the charity
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Paragraph 3: More about the auction
- Include any other relevant information on the auction, including details of:
- Auction timings – when will it start and finish
- How to find the item, e.g. a link, or eBay listing search terms
- Assurance that the auction will take place through the ‘eBay for Charity’ programme, so that people can bid with confidence
- More details on the item(s), e.g. background history of item(s), other items for sale at the same time)
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Paragraph 4: More about the charity
- Give any relevant charity background information:
- What work the charity does, and why it’s important
- How the money from the auction will help the charity’s work – this should be as specific as possible if the auction is going to a particular campaign or cause
- Notes to Editors: (This section at the end of your press release is a place to include any additional information, including:)
- About the charity: Here you can put your official description of your charity, such as when it was founded, where it is based, the work it does and any success stories / awards / high profile patrons etc.
- About eBay: (This is optional, but if you want to use it, please use the following wording as printed here)
- Founded in 1995, eBay pioneers communities built on commerce, sustained by trust, and inspired by opportunity. eBay enables ecommerce on a local, national and international basis with an array of websites – including the eBay Marketplace, PayPal, Skype, Kijiji, Rent.com, Shopping.com – that bring together millions of buyers and sellers every day.
- eBay.co.uk hit the 15 million users milestone in May 2006.
- eBay.co.uk has achieved the ten million live listings landmark, meaning there are more than ten million items for sale on the site at any one time
- The number of eBay.co.uk's unique visitors reached 14,743,000 in March 2007*. eBay.co.uk's reach was 47.1% in March 2007* (reach is the % of all active internet users within that month that visited eBay)
Nielsen / Netratings, March 2007 - For more information please contact: Include your contact details here – email and telephone number - in case journalists need any extra information or want to speak to a spokesperson.
- If a journalist calls:
- Take down their details and ask who they are reporting for
- Ask them what their deadline is, so you know how long you have to respond
- Remember, there is no such thing as ‘off the record’
- If they ask you something you do not know, tell them you will call back with an answer
- Do call them back!
- Ask them when they might be writing something so you can pick up a copy of the paper / magazine to keep on file, or switch on the radio to catch it
"We see the eBay for Charity programme as an incorporated part of our fundraising strategy. It is promoted to work alongside our shops to raise as much money for the RSCPA as possible.