When you’re in the public eye, dealing with the media, or promoting an upcoming event, a press kit is essential to ensuring your brand, vision, message, and promos are clearly articulated. A great press kit details who you are as a company, where you’ve been, and where you’re going. Your press kit helps you establish better media relations with newspapers, bloggers, radio stations and television stations; which in turn leads to better and more accurate press coverage and a larger audience. The following details 10 things that should be included in any press kit.
Winning Press Kit
1. Business card
Your business card is your No. 1 business networking tool, and it is the most likely part of your press kit that will be saved for future communication.
2. Introductory letter
Write a letter that introduces your company and presents company highlights, history, mission, vision and other important information. Print it on company letterhead.
3. Brochure
Include any brochures that detail your products or services; multiple brochures are OK if you routinely print more than one brochure.
4. Sales sheets/flyers
Sales data sheets that present in-depth information about your products and services give the media rich details they can incorporate into their stories. Flyers that include frequently asked questions or other important information, or even a flyer with potential news stories relevant to your company, are also useful additions.
5. Stickers
Include a branded sticker to encourage media contacts to place them in prominent areas, thereby promoting your company beyond basic media coverage.
6. Past press releases
Past press releases present your company’s most newsworthy stories, which in turn will lead to more media interest in the future.
7. Past media coverage snippets
Copy past media coverage and include it in your press kit. This is an excellent strategy for adding third-party validation to your company’s newsworthiness.
8. Posters, catalogs or booklets
Depending on your industry, you will want to include posters (for entertainment), catalogs (for retail), or booklets (for services) that demonstrate how you present your brand and offering to your customers.
9. CD, DVD, flyer or postcard
Multimedia is a great way to increase interest for your company. Include an audio CD or video DVD with additional information; or, if you have a web presence that accomplishes this, include a flyer or postcard insert that leads the media to your website.
10. Pocket folder
You’ll need a pocket folder to keep all of your press kit materials tidily together. You can print die-cut pocket folders that include slits to hold business cards and CDs or DVDs for the ultimate professional presentation.
Did I miss anything? What else do you like to include in your press kits? Let me know what to add – and why – in the comments!
Read more: The Difference Between a Press Release and a Press Kit