How to Write a Press Release for a Small Business (Format, Template, and Examples)

How do you write a press release?

You write a press release by putting the news itself in the headline and the first paragraph, then adding detail in order of importance. Start with a clear, factual headline. Open with a dateline (city and date), then a lead paragraph that answers who, what, when, where, and why in two or three sentences. Follow with the details a reader needs, one quote from a real person that adds a point of view, a short boilerplate paragraph about your business, and contact details for anyone who wants to follow up. Keep it to about one page and write it so someone could lift any paragraph and use it as-is.

My opinion: most small business press releases fail before the first word is written, because there is no news in them. A press release is not an ad. If the honest answer to "why would anyone outside my business care?" is "they would not," the format will not save it.

When a press release is worth writing

Before you draft anything, run what I call the Newsroom Test. Ask three questions about your announcement, and only write the release if you get a clear yes to at least two.

Good small business candidates include opening or moving a location, launching a new product or service line, a partnership with another known organization, hosting a public event, a community or charity initiative, a notable hire, and an award or certification. Releases also do useful work beyond the media: they give partners and local organizations ready-made copy, and they create a dated, factual record of your news on your own site.

The standard press release format

Press releases follow a familiar structure so the reader can find what they need fast. Stick to it. This is one place where creativity in the format works against you.

1. Release line: "FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE" at the top, or "EMBARGOED UNTIL" with a date and time if the news should not be published before then.
2. Headline: one factual line that states the news. Optionally a one-sentence subheadline below it with the most important supporting detail.
3. Dateline: the city and the date of release, at the start of the first paragraph.
4. Lead paragraph: who, what, when, where, and why, in two or three sentences. If a reader stops here, they should still have the story.
5. Body: the supporting details, in order of importance. Prices, dates, locations, what changes for customers.
6. Quote: one or two sentences from a real person at the business (or a partner) that adds perspective, not a repeat of the facts.
7. Boilerplate: a short "About [Business Name]" paragraph that describes what you do and who you serve.
8. Media contact: a name, email, and phone number for follow-up questions.
9. End marker: three hash symbols (###) centered at the bottom, a long-standing convention that signals the release is complete.

A fill-in press release template

Here is a simple template you can copy. Replace everything in square brackets, then cut anything that does not add information.

• FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
• Headline: [Business Name] [does the specific new thing] [for whom or where]
• Subheadline (optional): [The single most useful supporting detail]
• Lead paragraph: [CITY, State], [Month Day, Year] - [Business Name], a [short description], today announced [the news]. [When and where it happens.] [Why it matters to customers or the community.]
• Body paragraph: [Key details: what is included, prices if relevant, dates, how people take part or buy.]
• Quote: "[A point of view on why this matters, in plain language]," said [Full Name], [Title] of [Business Name].
• Closing detail: [Where to find more information, how to register, or what happens next.]
• About [Business Name]: [Two or three sentences on what you do, who you serve, and where you are based.]
• Media contact: [Name], [Email], [Phone]
• ###

The boilerplate is reusable. Write it once, keep it in a document, and update it when the business changes. If you already have a short company description from how to write an elevator pitch or a founder bio from how to write a professional bio, start from those.

How to write the headline and lead paragraph

The headline and first paragraph do almost all the work. Many readers will decide from those two pieces alone whether the rest is worth reading.

Notice what the strong versions have in common: a specific subject, a specific action, and no adjectives doing the selling. Facts are what make news reusable. For more on writing headlines that get read, how to write a headline covers the general principles, though a press release headline should lean further toward plain fact than a blog or ad headline would.

Press release mistakes that get it ignored

• Burying the news. If the actual announcement appears in paragraph three, most readers never reach it.
• Writing it like an ad. Words like "revolutionary," "world-class," and "game-changing" signal marketing copy, not news.
• A quote that says nothing. "We are thrilled" adds no information. A good quote explains why the business made the decision or what it means for customers.
• Too long. One page is plenty for most small business news. If it runs longer, the extra detail can live on your website.
• Missing the basics. No date, no location, no contact details, or a link that does not work.
• Sending it to everyone. A release sent to a short list of relevant local outlets, industry publications, or partners, with a brief personal note, beats a blast to a giant list.
• Inventing numbers or claims. Every figure in a release is something a reader may check. If you cannot back it up, leave it out.

Keep your voice consistent even in a formal format. How to create a brand voice guide shows how to set the tone, and a press release is simply the most restrained version of that voice.

How to write a press release with Claude

Claude is useful here because the press release format is rigid and well understood, which makes it a good fit for a first draft. The part only you can supply is the facts. Open the Claude desktop app and give it real material.

1. Write a plain list of the facts: what is happening, when, where, who is involved, prices or details, and why you are doing it. Add your existing company description and the contact details.
2. Ask Claude to run the Newsroom Test on your announcement and tell you honestly whether it is news or whether it is better as a blog post or email.
3. If it passes, ask for a draft in standard press release format, written in the third person, with no claims, numbers, or details that are not in your fact list.
4. Ask for three alternative headlines that state the news plainly, and pick the clearest one.
5. Rewrite the quote yourself so it sounds like a real person, then check every date, name, and number against your notes before you send it.