What is a Media Kit and How Do You Make One For Your Business?

A media kit (or business press kit) is a collection of information about your business that helps you get noticed by investors, customers or the media. It can be a physical folder or package of information, an HTML e-mail, a CD or jump drive of files or a Web site. If designed effectively, your media kit brings you positive attention and gives your business name more recognition.

Decide the purpose of your media kit before you build it. If your focus is to get press coverage, include information on your recent innovations, new products or events that the media considers newsworthy. If your focus is investors, include information that displays the reliability and growth potential of your brand. If your focus is customers, highlight the benefits your products or services offer them.

There are a few basic elements that every media kit should include. There are also some optional elements that you should consider to spice up your media kit and differentiate it from the many others that your target audience comes in contact with.

The Basic Elements

Cover Letter

Communicate your reason for sending your kit to your audience. Grab your reader's attention by using fresh, actionable language, but be brief. Highlight what your media kit contains (like a table of contents) and include your contact information should your readers have questions.

General Information Sheet

Include your company mission statement, the vision of your business, information on the founders and key players and a bit of history on your business. Use this part of your media kit to explain what makes your company unique.

Products and Services

Provide either a bulleted list or set of paragraphs that describe your offerings and their benefits. You can include product reviews and testimonials in this section or leave them separate. Product fact sheets and brochures can also be included. Make sure to provide photos if the space allows.

Testimonials or Product Reviews

Let prospects know what others are saying about your services. A few heartfelt comments from customers or short expert reviews will go a long way.

Recent Media Coverage

Include any articles or noteworthy media mentions in this section.

Current News

Include information on upcoming events, story ideas for the press, new releases or other activities that show your business as the up-to-date company that it is.

The Optional Elements

Frequently Asked Questions

FAQ's are an easy way to include additional relevant business information for your media kit readers. You can also use this section to cover questions that interviewers are most likely to ask, thus saving them time when they set up an interview.

Sample Products or Promotional Materials

If possible, include sample products (like sample cookies, CDs, greeting cards, or whatever you make). When that's not possible, consider promotional items such as pens or notepads with your logo, or, try for uncommon yet useful items like jump drives or headphones with your business name or logo.

Bios

If your owners or operators have distinctive stories or if they are a large part of what makes your brand, then include bios on them with information on their education, experience and other qualifications for their job. Include quotes from them or sentences that highlight their philosophy.

Financial Statements

If being prepared for investors, your media kit should contain applicable financial information.

The Call to Action

Entice your media kit readers to some type of action. Whether it is visiting your website, setting up an interview, scheduling a free consultation or attending your next seminar, include some "next steps" for your audience.

Design Tips

1. Your media kit should complement your Web site, business cards, stationery and any other marketing materials.

2. If your business is one in which promotions change frequently or events are added constantly, then consider designing a basic press kit shell and printing the inserts (which you can change every few weeks) separately and in smaller quantities.

3. Depending on your intended audience, consider including high quality photos, industry-specific data that shows the market potential for your business and information on your company's involvement in any community service projects.

Make sure to include your business card and put your contact information on any inserts (for physical media kits).

ESPN's media kit is a great example of an online media kit: www.espncms.com