Getting Started

• Choose your Targets. Who are the people you want reading this story? Brainstorm all the places that people in your target demographic might visit to find news. If you're a location-based Team, this probably means both on and offline publications. Narrow the list down to the six or eight that you think get the broadest visibility for your Team's event.
• Identify your Contacts. Many newspapers, magazines, blogs or news websites will have information somewhere about who to send your press release to. If your press release is for a crafting event, you may want to find the lead arts and entertainment journalist for the publication. Sending your press release to the right person at an organization can make a big difference. Do not spam a contact—have one person from your Team send the press release once for each event. No one likes an inbox crammed full of duplicate information.

Write the Press Release:

• Closely follow the standard formatting of a press release. Look at this sample press release for formatting. Since journalists receive so many press releases each day, they have set standards and expectations that you must conform to just to have your release read, let alone published.
• Write in the third person. Emulate the language/headlines you see in the publication you'd like to be published in.
• Think and write like a reporter! Your goal is to do this so well that the journalist will want to publish your story "as is." The reporter is looking for a story that will satisfy an editor and the readers. They're not interested in promoting you, only in crafting a story that will make readers think "Wow, that's interesting." What makes your story different and special?
• The lead paragraph should include the who, what, when, where and whys of the article. If you're promoting a specific event, make sure to include dates and location on your materials. State whether there's an entry fee or RSVP.
• Once the details are established, include a quote or statistic if possible to ground your piece, and pertinent links whenever applicable. Link your story to the "big picture." Why is this story news, as opposed to simply being an advertisement for your event?
• Include great images. While the press release itself should adhere to formatting rules, additional promotional materials can really help the story shine. Find out what the newspaper/magazine/blog's requirements are for image size and resolution, and stick to those guidelines. Use beautiful photos. Don't overwhelm the reporter, just include a few strong images. 
• Proofread! Show your press release to people you know who are good writers and harsh critics. Make sure it passes muster before you send it out into the world.

Follow Up
If you have the opportunity, try to ask attendees how they heard about your Team and the event. If it's an online event, follow up via email with buyers to inquire about how they found your shop or items. Share this information among your Team members next time you meet, to determine what the most effective means of promoting was. You might also send strong, clear photographs of the event with a wrap-up report to blogs, papers or other places the press release was published, summarizing the success of the project, and giving dates of future similar events you may be planning.

Team Tips are a weekly series of tips and ideas from the Etsy Teams. You can find more Resources at team.etsy.com. Etsy Teams are growing really quickly, and we love that so many sellers want to join in to promote their shops, Teams and Etsy. For more information on Etsy Teams, check out the Teams pages and this page of Frequently Asked Questions. Don't forget to read our interview with this week's Featured Etsy Team. Keep up the great work, Etsy Teams!