Leeann Froese
Journalists are very busy people. If you are lucky enough to get the media to cover your business, you want to make it as simple as possible for them to write about you without needing to dig for the information.
If you are a brand or person hoping to gain ‘earned media’ and get your name in the press, you are going to want to put together a press information kit, or “press kit”, as a supporting tool.
In the past, these were called “media kits” – a name derived from the fact that they serve as a source of information for members of the media. However, in today’s environment of digital creators, rate sheets combined with a creator’s information is now also called a media kit. While some of the information may overlap, they are very different things. Here I will go over the press kit for earned media relations and all that it needs to include.
What is it?
- Press information kits help explain the main facts of your company with one stop.
- A press kit is a page or folder on your website that makes it easy for journalists to learn about your brand and access photos.
- Press kits give journalists all the facts and figures they need so they can focus on telling a compelling story.
- The idea is that anyone who reads your press kit can immediately know the key people, facts, and important information about your business. They may not even need to talk to you, as all the information is there.
- This saves their time and yours and improves your earned media relations.
Who is it for?
Journalists, bloggers, content creators, and the media in general
- The press kit may support an interview or be a follow up piece from a visit
What goes in the press kit?
- Fact sheet – who, what, when, and where
- About – provide both a deeper history and a boiler plate
- People bios
- Notes on production or manufacturing or growing methods
- Product information – description and any stats or pricing, where to find
- A list of any notable awards or accolades
- Visitor information – not only what to do at your business, but also what to do in the area
- Contact details, including name, email, phone, social profiles, website – it is rather hard to believe this, but many companies don’t include this – you WANT the media to be able to get in touch!
- An important consideration is that you need to ensure that the contents of your press kit are not salesy, as this is only likely to put off the media.
Instead, make sure you supply them with the information to tell your story. If you include your key facts and messages within, their story about you will be the one you want told.
Past Press Releases
If you share news often, it isn’t necessary to include every single press release; just focus on milestones and other big announcements.
Images
It is super important to have a library of photos – with a way to easily download them – as part of your press kit. A press kit without photo and video assets is a missed opportunity. Journalists normally need to include at least one image with their story, so make it easy for them by providing a few choices – and the nice thing is that if you provide them, you get to control the images you would like to see in print.
Your photo library should include images like:
- People
- Place
- Products
- Lifestyle shots
- Video B roll
- If your site is not set up for a gallery that people can download from, I recommend Dropbox or a Google Drive for this.
Also please make sure any files you have available for download are all clearly labeled, so when the reporter does download a file it’s not something like “IMG2163-03-16” but rather has your company name and photographer credit included.
Finally, I cannot understate how important it is to invest in proper photography, so you have the perfect opportunity to showcase your brand. If media cannot find an image from you, they will use stock photos instead.
Where to offer the press kit
Often press kits are made into PDF documents that can be read online or downloaded and printed. It is also smart to have the same information on your website.
- Your ‘About’ page can also have press information with a downloadable press kit and photos and logos to download.
- A specific press page – can have information with logos
- News and Press pages can have press information, logos, photos and downloadable press kit and press releases and news articles
Go Pro or Go Home
A few tips to ensure that your kit is a professional reflection of you and/or your brand:
- Spelling, grammar, layout and tone all matter.
- Branding – ensure that you have consistent colours and fonts across your website, blog, social pages, and kit.
Bringing it all together
Where many companies often get stuck on their kits, is how to bring it all together and lay it out, or to get help with the writing, or sometimes both. That’s where teams like mine at Town Hall Brands can help. Find someone who is a strong writer and who knows how to maintain brand standards.
Leeann Froese owns Town Hall Brands – a marketing and graphic design agency with 26 years experience branding and promoting beverage alcohol, food, and hospitality. See more at townhallbrands.com or on social @townhallbrands
