Sample Press Release for Walkathons
Press releases are a great way to spread the word about your fundraising events. The local media is always interested in activities and events happening in the community, especially when there is a positive angle, such as an opportunity for the public to give back to a charitable cause.
Looking for a sample press release for a walkathon? Here are a few tips to help you successfully promote your walkathon or charity Walk/Run/Ride event through the local media.
Download our sample press release for walkathons to get started:
Writing Your Walkathon or Fundraising Event Press Release
Your walkathon press release needs to give the essential details of your event but should also be short and sweet. Always keep press releases to one page and remember to answer the all-important questions – who, what, where, when, and why. Make it appealing and leave some questions for a reporter to ask. Without the need for questions, there is not much reason for a reporter to call to ask for more information.
General Press Release Guidelines
Here are some guidelines to follow on all event press releases:
- Print the press release on company or organization letterhead
- Write a title to announce your event in bold caps
- Write the main content for the release, remembering to keep it short but informative. Including essentials is key (who, what, when, where, why)
- Leave some interest factor or element of surprise
- Include a human interest factor such as a quote from a benefactor or representative of the organization, sponsor, or someone well-known in the local community
- Write the press release in a professional and objective tone and make sure to proof thoroughly, so there are no errors
- Summarize the release
- Be sure to include organization contact information and ways to get involved
Press Release Distribution
Press release distribution is an important part of your event’s promotion. Many services can be employed to help here. Consider having your event press release distributed through an online service like PRWeb or PR.com. Make sure to include a live link directly from the release to your crowdfunding website. This is a great way to spread the word about your event by making your release visible across the web.
Pre-Event Walkathon Press Release
You want to start early with your walkathon planning and promotion. Distribute a press release six months in advance to announce the upcoming walkathon or charity event. Make sure to distribute this to editors and editorial calendars in your local papers and “what’s happening” magazines. In addition to the walkathon date, include information about the benefiting organization, where participants can sign up, and contact information. You don’t need to have every detail worked out at this point. You can still be in your planning phase, but this early release will put your walk on the radar screen for media and give you the chance to be featured in monthly or quarterly publications that have longer lead times. It also starts the buzz about the upcoming event generating interest in possible participants and local businesses looking for a way to give back to the local community.
Week of the Walkathon Press Release
The week of your walkathon or charity fundraiser, you should update your earlier release by fattening out the details. At this point, you have sponsors signed up; this is a good time to mention them. You may also have booked entertainment or local celebrities; highlight these points. Include basic event details such as location, start
time, registration information, and prizes. At this time, you may also want to reference how well the fundraising efforts are going. Have you reached your fundraising goal? And if not, perhaps this is a call to request last-minute walkers and
support for your cause.
For help writing your event press release, download our sample press release for a walkathon:
Post Event Press Release
Following your walkathon, you may want to do one more press release to summarize the event and your fundraising efforts. Were you able to accomplish your goals? What was the event turnout like? Perhaps mention sponsors and local businesses or individuals that went above and beyond. You may also want to highlight top fundraising individuals or teams, celebrity involvement, and any fun details from the walkathon celebration.
More Walkathon Resources
Our peer
to peer crowdfunding software is a powerful registration and donation management platform for walk-a-thons, School Fun Runs, dog walks, and other
events where individual and team participants solicit and track donations for your organization. Each of your participants manages their personal fundraising page, including a fundraising thermometer and social media links, and
invites friends and family to support your organization through secure, online donations. Administrators configure the walk-a-thon website with registration fees, the types of donations accepted, prizes for top fundraisers, and much more in our
powerful administration console.
Start a Walkathon Fundraising Website
For more detailed information about hosting a walkathon event, download our FREE guide: How to Organize a Walkathon Guide – Your complete guide to hosting a walkathon. This comprehensive, step-by-step manual is intended for walk-a-thon organizers and offers detailed references to everything practical and necessary when putting on a successful walk-a-thon event.
Visit our Walk-a-thon Resource Center for additional information and sample documents, including walkathon flyer templates, walkathon pledge forms, and more.
