Why most small businesses skip the press release
It's not that you don't have news worth sharing. You open a new location. You win a local award. You bring on a big-name hire. You launch a service that didn't exist before. These are real stories — exactly the kind of thing local journalists, industry blogs, and community sites are looking for.
The reason most small business owners skip the press release is the same reason they skip other important writing: it feels like a project. You need to know the format. You need to get the tone right. You need the right headers, the right quote, the right boilerplate about your company. And you're already running a business.
AI removes that friction entirely. You give it the details — what happened, who it involves, why it matters — and it writes you a properly formatted press release in minutes. You review it, personalize the quotes, and it's ready to send.
Grand Opening Announcement
New location, new storefront, new market — announce it with a release that drives foot traffic and media coverage.
Award or Milestone
Just won "Best of [City]" or hit a big anniversary? Write a release that turns recognition into visibility.
Key Hire or Promotion
Brought on someone impressive? A new hire announcement builds credibility and lets you introduce new capabilities.
New Product or Service
Rolling out something new? A product launch release tells the world what it is, who it's for, and how to get it.
Partnership or Sponsorship
Teaming up with another local business or sponsoring a community event? Make it official and get both parties coverage.
Company Statement or Update
Addressing a change, an issue, or a major update to how you do business? A clear statement builds trust.
The structure of every press release
Good news: press releases follow a very predictable format. Once you know it, AI can fill it in fast. Here's what every release needs.
You don't need to memorize this. When you use AI to write the release, it already knows the format. You just give it the facts and it fills in the structure automatically.
Copy-paste prompts for every announcement type
Use any of these in ChatGPT, Claude, or similar. Fill in the brackets with your details. Each prompt is designed to give you a complete, ready-to-review first draft.
Write a press release announcing the grand opening of my [type of business] in [city/neighborhood]. Business name: [name]. Opening date: [date]. Address: [address]. What makes us different: [2–3 sentences]. The owner's name is [name]. Write a quote from the owner that sounds personal and genuine, not corporate. Include hours, website, and contact info. Format it as a proper press release with "FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE," a strong headline, subheadline, body, about section, and media contact.
Write a press release announcing that [business name], a [type of business] in [city], has been named [award name] by [organization]. The award recognizes [what it's for]. We've been in business for [X years] and serve [describe your customers]. Owner's name: [name]. Write a genuine quote from the owner reacting to the award. Include what this means for our customers. Format as a proper press release with headline, subheadline, body, quote, about section, and media contact.
Write a press release announcing that [business name] has hired [person's name] as [job title]. [He/She/They] previously worked at [previous employer] where [brief description of their background]. [He/She/They] will be responsible for [key responsibilities]. Business: [type of business] in [city]. Write a quote from the business owner welcoming them and explaining why this hire matters. Write a quote from the new hire about joining the team. Format as a proper press release.
Write a press release announcing the launch of [product or service name] by [business name], a [type of business] in [city]. What it is: [2–3 sentence description]. Who it's for: [target customer]. When it launches: [date]. Price or how to get it: [details]. Why we built it: [reason]. Write a genuine quote from the owner. Mention any early customer feedback if relevant. Format as a proper press release with strong headline, subheadline, body, about section, and media contact.
Write a press release announcing a partnership between [your business name] and [partner's business name]. [Your business] is a [type of business] in [city]. [Partner] is a [type of business]. What the partnership involves: [describe what you're doing together]. Why this matters for customers: [benefit]. Include quotes from both parties. Format as a proper press release with both companies' information in the about section.
The quote is the one thing AI can't do for you. It can write a placeholder, but you should replace it with something that actually sounds like you. One genuine, specific sentence beats four polished generic ones. Journalists notice the difference — and so do readers.
Where to send your press release
Writing the release is step one. Sending it to the right places is where you actually get coverage.
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Your local newspaper and news sites
Most cities have a local paper, a business journal, or a neighborhood news site that actively looks for small business news. Google "[your city] business news" or "[your city] daily" to find them. Look for a "submit news" or "press release" link, or email the editor directly. Local journalists get far fewer press releases than national ones — your odds of coverage are much higher than you think.
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Industry-specific publications and blogs
If you're in a specific industry — restaurants, real estate, healthcare, fitness — there are trade publications and industry blogs that cover news in your space. A quick search for "[your industry] news" or "[your industry] publication" will surface the right targets. These readers are exactly your audience.
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Your own email list and social media
Don't wait for a journalist to share your news — share it yourself. Post the announcement (adapted for the channel) on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram. Send a version to your email list. A press release gives you the raw material for all of these with minimal extra work. Just make the language a bit warmer for social versus media channels.
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Google Business Profile post
Add your announcement as a post on your Google Business Profile. It shows up in local search results and keeps your listing active. A grand opening, award, or new service is perfect for this. Ask AI to shorten your press release into a 150-word Google Business post.
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Free press release distribution services
Sites like PRLog, OpenPR, and PR.com let you post press releases for free. You won't always get pickup from major outlets, but these releases often appear in Google News and can drive direct website traffic. For major announcements, paid services like PR Newswire or BusinessWire give wider distribution — worth it for a product launch or significant hire.
Beyond the press release: other announcements AI can write
The same skill that helps you write a press release carries over to every other kind of business announcement. Here's where else to use it.
| Announcement Type | Where It Goes | What to Ask AI For |
|---|---|---|
| Price increase notice | Email to customers | Warm, direct email explaining the change with a reason and effective date |
| Holiday hours change | Social, Google, email | 3 versions: social post, email, and Google Business update |
| Staff departure | Email to customers | Professional, appreciative note that reassures customers service continues |
| Policy change | Website, email, in-store | Clear explanation of what's changing, when, and why — in plain language |
| Business anniversary | Social, email, press | Celebratory post + press release highlighting the milestone and thanking customers |
| Community event or fundraiser | Social, press, email | Event announcement copy for each channel with logistics, cause, and how to participate |
Common press release mistakes AI helps you avoid
Writing like a tagline instead of a news story. "XYZ Plumbing Is Committed to Excellence in Every Home" is not a headline. "XYZ Plumbing Opens Second Location in Westside, Adding Same-Day Service to Growing Neighborhood" is a headline. The difference is specificity and news value. AI, when you give it real facts, will naturally write the second kind.
Burying the news. Journalists and readers scan the first sentence and stop. The most important fact — what happened — needs to be in the first paragraph. AI naturally follows this structure if you prompt it correctly.
Forgetting the quote. A press release without a quote reads like a form. The quote is where personality comes through — it's the moment the story sounds like a real person made a decision, not a faceless company issued a notice. Always add one.
No contact information. If a journalist wants to cover the story and can't find a phone number or email, they move on. Your name, direct email, and phone number should be at the bottom of every release.
Quick test: Read your headline out loud. If it sounds like something a local news anchor could read on air, it's working. If it sounds like a tagline on your business card, rewrite it with the actual news facts front and center.
A complete example: what AI can produce
Here's the kind of output you get when you give AI real details. This is a fictional example — but the structure and tone match what journalists expect.
That took about 8 minutes to generate from a rough list of facts. The bones are there — a journalist has everything they need to write a story. You add your real quote, adjust any details, and it's ready to send.
Start here: your first press release in 15 minutes
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Pick your announcement
What's the most recent news-worthy thing about your business? It doesn't need to be a headline on CNN — a new location, an award, a new service, or a milestone anniversary is plenty. If you're drawing a blank, think about what you'd tell a friend over coffee. "We just hit 10 years in business." "We won Best of [City]." "We hired someone amazing." Any of those is a press release.
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Write out the facts in plain bullet points
Before you open AI, jot down the key details: what happened, when, where, who's involved, why it matters to customers. Don't worry about making it pretty — the messier your notes, the more you'll see how well AI organizes them. Three to five bullet points is all you need.
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Use the right prompt template above
Copy the prompt that matches your announcement type, fill in the brackets with your facts, and paste it into ChatGPT or Claude. Read the output. It'll be 80–90% of the way there on the first try.
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Fix the quote
AI will write a placeholder quote that's technically fine but a bit generic. Replace it with something you'd actually say. Even one genuine, specific sentence makes the whole release feel more human.
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Send it to three places
Your local newspaper or business journal. Your email list. Your Google Business Profile. That's it. You don't need a massive distribution strategy for local news — you need the right three places, and you've already done the hard part by writing the release.
Want more tools like this?
The Ask Patrick Library has step-by-step guides, prompt collections, and templates for every part of running and growing your business with AI.
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