Free press statement template.
For the day something goes wrong and people are asking: a short holding statement to send first, the full statement once you know more, agreed answers to the hard questions, and who hears what, in which order. A note on each part and a filled-in example. Free, no sign-up.
What is inside
- 01
Before you write
What you know, what you do not, who signs off and who speaks.
- 02
Holding statement
About 100 words, within the first hour or two.
- 03
Full statement: what happened
The facts in order, and the cause if you are sure of it.
- 04
Full statement: what you are doing
Done, doing, and what will change.
- 05
Full statement: apology and quote
A plain apology if it is due, and one quote from a named leader.
- 06
Q&A prep
The questions you will be asked, with agreed answers.
- 07
Who hears first
Staff and the people affected before the press.
- 08
Where it goes
Status page, socials, email and press replies, in the same words.
- 09
Update log
Each update with its time.
- 10
Media contact
One named person who answers the same day.
Free download
Download the press statement template
No sign-up and no email: the files download straight away.
Read our guide to crisis PR for small businesses, end the full statement with your boilerplate, and if old coverage still ranks on your name, see removing negative articles from Google.
How to use the template
Start with the first section: write down what you know for certain, what you do not know yet, who signs off and who speaks. Then send the holding statement, about 100 words, as soon as the basic facts are confirmed: it says what happened, that you are dealing with it, what affected people should do, and when you will update. Send the full statement when you know more, and agree the answers to likely questions before anyone talks to a journalist.
Say only what you have confirmed, never guess at a cause, and give a time for the next update and keep to it. If there is a legal, safety or data protection issue, have a lawyer read the statement before it goes out. The filled-in example shows all three parts for a fictional software company.
Write the templates before you need them
The US government’s Ready.gov guide to crisis communications plans suggests pre-scripting messages as templates with blanks to fill in when information is available, approved by the management team in advance, and notes that at first there may be limited information about what happened. Fill in the parts of this template that do not change (who signs off, who speaks, who hears first, where statements go) on a quiet day, so on a bad one you only write the facts.
What to leave out
- "No comment." It reads as having something to hide. Say what you can, and when you will say more.
- Speculation. If the cause is not confirmed, say you are investigating and when you will update.
- Blame. Do not name staff, suppliers or customers. The company is responsible for what it tells the public.
- Different words in different places. The status page, socials, emails and press replies should all say the same thing.
After it is over
Once the issue is resolved, the statement and the coverage of it can stay near the top of a search for your name for a long time, until something newer takes its place. Our guide to crisis PR for small businesses covers the weeks after. Our PR & Media Placements service writes an editorial feature about you or your company from a short brief, and you approve every word before it goes live. It costs $249 for one publication, $499 for three and $999 for eight, with no retainer. Features are sponsored content, labelled as such, as our disclaimer states.
Frequently asked.
What is a holding statement?
A short statement, usually about 100 words, sent as soon as you have confirmed the basic facts: it says what happened, that you are dealing with it, what affected people should do, and when you will update.
What is the difference between a holding statement and a press statement?
A holding statement comes first and says only what you have confirmed. The full press statement follows when you know more: what happened, the cause if confirmed, what you are doing, an apology if it is due, and a quote from a named leader.
How quickly should a company respond to a crisis?
With a holding statement as soon as the basic facts are confirmed, ideally within the first hour or two, and then at the time you said you would update.
Should a press statement include an apology?
If you got something wrong, yes: say sorry plainly, once, and say what will change. If there may be legal liability, have a lawyer read the wording first.
What is Q&A prep?
A list of the questions journalists, customers and staff are likely to ask, each with an agreed answer, so everyone who speaks gives the same one. Include the hard questions.
Is the template really free?
Yes. The Word file, the PDF guide and the example download straight away, with no sign-up and no email.
Get your story published.
An editorial feature about you or your company, from $249. Live within 24 hours of your approval on any publication we list, or your money back.