Sample Press Release and Announcement
for Serrv Fair Trade Sales
CustomizeSerrv’s sample press release / announcement (below) for your organization and Sale. Fill in the blanks and add your own quotes; or use the supplied quote and add a speaker. Send it to your local newspapers, neighborhood newsletters, and relevant radio stations. If feasible, set up a link to your organization’s Web and Facebook pages, to direct people to find more information about your event. Print fliers to post at local hang-outs, if possible including an artisan photo from serrv.org/artisanstories.
Web Submissions: Many newspapers and local publications/radio stations accept these announcements online now. The text for this release can be copied and pasted into an e-mail. To send your press release to newspapers, you can check the newspaper’s web site and look at the “Contact Us” list of reporters/editors to find the right person and department to send the release to. You can also send the announcement to the newspaper’s local Events or Community departments.
Timing: We suggest you start this process 2 weeks prior to your Sale, to assure you meet publication/announcement deadlines for local media outlets.
Sample Press Release Text
High quality, fairly traded gift and home items will be on sale at ______on ______, from _____to ______. Your purchaseempowers artisans and farmers around the world to break the cycle of poverty.
“We are hosting this Serrv Sale because we want to support the low-income artisans and farmers behind each item being sold,” states ______. “Our Sale gives everyone an opportunity to buy a beautiful gift with a story behind it – of an artisan or farmer receiving a fair wage for their work, sending their children to school (often for the first time), and saving income for a healthy future. Proceeds also help fundhealth projects, environmental protection programs, and other development work that transform communities.”
Working with a nonprofit organization with a 65-year history of partnering with impoverished people and supporting sustainable development compliments ______mission. Currently, Serrv works with fair trade partners in 32 countries.
To learn more about our Serrv Sale, contact ______at ______, or check out ______. Don’t forget to bring your reusable shopping bag, check book, or cash!