Public Relations Tips: Media Kits

Generally speaking, you shouldn't use canned quotes. But can you ever use an actual quote in your publicity material? It depends on how high-level the person is. But generally speaking, if they're doing a feature article, they do like to have the actual person saying it, because they know darn well that PR people write the press releases and make up the quotes. One of the things I've noticed about any of the high-tech industries is that they definitely prefer their press releases by email, moreso than any other industry does.

Depending on the expertise of your organization, you may want to work on an article placement rather than a press release because a lot of the trade magazines just don't have the reporting staff to create that many brand new stories. So the idea you pitch is, "We'll have this expert write up a very interesting story that will interest your clientele." And then, of course, at the beginning or the end, you put the credentials and your company. Then you get them to run the article. So that's one of the things that you do. The metro newspapers generally won't touch that. The small weeklies want something that's pretty, not too technical. But the trade publications-the trade magazines-that's a wonderful way to go.

For more information on media kits and free publicity, read "Electronic Media Kits: How to Create Them, Deliver Them, and See Instant Results."

Posted by Dan at 07:53 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

What are some ways that you can grab the media's attention with your media kit? I had one press kit I thought was one of the most gorgeous things I've ever seen. I just loved it. It wasn't one that I had done. A huge firm on the East Coast had done it. The reporter looked at it, flipped through it, went, "Uh uh, can't use this.can't use this.can't use this." then pulled out a printout of an online press kit and was mesmerized for about 30 minutes. In fact, I was literally saying, "OK, next. Show me what's next." So it isn't really how glossy it is, or how colorful, unless there's a heck of a good reason for why it needs to be. It's what information is in it, and how quickly they can scan it and get what they need. Certainly the compelling headline, which is really informative, is really important.

As I've mentioned to you before, I use a two-line headline because they'll read the whole two lines. You can get a lot on there. Then the first paragraph, just like in a newspaper, has to have a good lead. And it isn't who, what, when, where and why. That's boring. It's something that really hooks their interest.

For more important tips on how to use media kits for publicity, read "Electronic Media Kits: How to Create Them, Deliver them, and See Instant Results."

Posted by Dan at 07:50 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

If you have a media kit, how do you get it to the media? You want to put it on your site under a button on your home page that says "Press." It should not be just a press release. It should be a press section. And we prefer to have all of it on one page so that the reporter can just scroll down. To get them there, you do an email blast with a one-paragraph hook that ends with "More information is available." and they can click on the hotlink.

When you call reporters to pitch the story, they will say whether or not they are interested. Then, if they're interested, you can guide them to that kit right while they're on the phone with you. When you book radio talk shows, you then send a confirmation to the host and you say, "All of your show prep material is at this address." And by the way, although it's called a media kit, when I deal with radio talks show bookers, I always call it a "show prep kit" because that's their terminology.

For more great tips on how to use media kits, read "Electronic Media Kits: How to Create Them, Deliver Them, and See Instant Results."

Posted by Dan at 07:45 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

If you have a media kit, how do you get it to the media? You want to put it on your site under a button on your home page that says "Press." It should not be just a press release. It should be a press section. And we prefer to have all of it on one page so that the reporter can just scroll down. To get them there, you do an email blast with a one-paragraph hook that ends with "More information is available." and they can click on the hotlink.

When you call reporters to pitch the story, they will say whether or not they are interested. Then, if they're interested, you can guide them to that kit right while they're on the phone with you. When you book radio talk shows, you then send a confirmation to the host and you say, "All of your show prep material is at this address." And by the way, although it's called a media kit, when I deal with radio talks show bookers, I always call it a "show prep kit" because that's their terminology.

For more great tips on how to use media kits, read "Electronic Media Kits: How to Create Them, Deliver Them, and See Instant Results."

Posted by Dan at 07:41 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The purpose of electronic media kits

Want to know how to make electronic media kits work for you? First know its purpose. Its purpose is to quickly explain to the person in the media why whatever you do is newsworthy or worth a talk show, and to provide the backup information so that they can quickly interview you or cover you. The operative word you'll notice is "quickly." The biggest challenge you have with the media is that the media are very, very pressed for time. If you can make it easier for them, they're more likely to choose you over the other hundred story ideas pitched to them.

Here's what we did. I actually took a box of different media kits, all different kinds, to a radio talk show host, a magazine editor, and a newspaper editor for a major paper. I had them look through the kits and tell me what they found useful and what they didn't. Believe me, that was an education. Some of the old standbys that we all do, I was astonished to find out, they couldn't use at all. Fact sheets. Now, I love those, but.and statistics.if they're not sourced with a phone number, a reporter from a major paper a lot of times can't use it because she has to call and verify the statistics.

For more tips and ideas, read "Electronic Media Kits: How to create Them, Deliver Them, and See Instant Results."

Posted by Dan at 07:38 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

What will make someone open your media kit when they have five other ones in front of them to look through? That's a great question. What would make you open mine? I'd say some kind of a fun, little thing that you would attach to the front of it or a fun, little message that might be on a sticker that would ask me a question that would pique my interest and spark my curiosity and make me open it. What wouldn't make me open it is a fancy, glitzy media kit with gold embossed letters on the front. Too many companies and organizations spend far too much money on pretty media kits. I would entice them with a sticker that asks a compelling question or with some kind of a little prize or a give-a-away inside the media kit. That's what would make me open it.

Here's another tip for you that I saw done recently. They sent out a media kit and there was a CD attached to the front of it that they had made very inexpensively and the reporter's picture was on the label of the CD and it said, "Information for," and the reporter's name. They just pulled the picture off the website and they put it on the label. The reporter loved it and thought it was hysterical that they took the time to do that. It really only took them about 10 minutes to do it. For more great information and tips on how to create media buzz for your event, read "How to Create Media Buzz When Promoting Your Special Event."

Posted by Dan at 01:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

While little kids think the best way to get attention is to be obnoxious, you can get it much better ways. For example, create a media kit, but don’t forget the following:

Consider creating a “Media Coverage” sheet that lists newspapers, magazines, radio and TV shows, and newsletters that have covered you.

Always refer to yourself as an "expert" in your marketing materials, at your Web site, in your one-sheets, in your introductions, and in your media kit. The media always seek out experts and interview them.
Never ask the media to return photos to you. Encourage them to keep your photo on file in case they need it again. You never know when they might call you to comment on a story. When they call, remind them that your photo is on file.

For more great publicity tips, and ideas for your personal media kit see Special Report #21 “67 Clever Publicity Tips for Professional Speakers and Trainers.”

Posted by Dan at 08:40 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Your online media kit should include the same elements as your printed kit. Before you build it, think about what you want to accomplish. Your Number One goal should be to include anything that will make a journalist's job easier and faster. The kit can include the following:

Company history
Bios and photos of key executives
Facts about the company
Lots of free information, including articles and speeches written by company executives
The latest news releases. Include the PR contact's name and phone number on each release
A list of your products and services, with product photos
A Q&A sheet
Links to related sites
Reprints of articles written about you
A list of media outlets that already have covered you. This should include TV and radio shows where you have appeared as a guest

Don't worry if you can provide only some of the items on that list. Remember that journalists are usually on deadline. They shouldn't have to wade through mountains of information to find what they are looking for.
To learn more about how to create an effective, usable, and downright awesome online media kit, see Special Report #22 "How to Create an Online Media Room and Keep the Media Coming Back"

Posted by Rachael at 07:56 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

When you give the press a story, or get interviewed, you may be asked for a photograph, and you want to make sure you have a great one on hand.
Here are things to keep in mind before you are photographed.
Hair:
 Wear your usual hairstyle. Don't try anything new.
 Make sure your hair is styled the way you want it before you arrive at the studio.
 Have hair cut one to two weeks before your photo session.
 Examine hair carefully after each clothing change.
Avoid "five o'clock shadow." If you have a dark or heavy beard, schedule an early morning portrait appointment or make time to shave just prior to your session. Even several hours' growth can be evident in a photograph and cannot be removed by retouching.
Glasses:
 If you wear glasses, borrow a set of blank frames without the lenses from your eye doctor. This will eliminate reflection and distortion problems.
Clothing:
 Select colors for your clothing that look best on you. Colors must complement your skin tone.
 Avoid high-neck clothing that obscures your neck.
 Avoid sleeveless clothing.
 It's risky to wear prints that draw attention away from your face. When in doubt, be safe with solids.
Makeup:
 Pay special attention to your eyes. That's what people see first.
 Eye shadow adds depth. Avoid iridescent colors. Stick to neutral.
 A dark tan will make your face look oily.
 Blush will give your face more contour and adds color to your skin.
 Powder reduces sheen and helps eliminate shiny foreheads and noses.
To learn more about media kits, photos, and getting awesome free publicity see Special Report #8, "Media Kits on a Shoestring: How to Create Them Without Spending a Bundle"

Posted by Rachael at 04:58 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

When you create a media kit you have a lot of options for things to put in it. The following are some examples of great options for your personal media kit:
 Fact sheet. This differs from the narrative history of your organization because it a simple list of facts such as the number of employees, service provided, products sold, etc. Companies with unusual products or services might even include a list of "fun facts" or an explanation of unusual ways customers have used them.

 Product sample. If you have an inexpensive product sample that's small enough to fit inside the folder, include it. If the product is too big for the folder, and it's something the media might like to test or compare with similar products, invite them to contact your company for a sample.

 Product brochures. You can mix and match these, depending on who is receiving your media kit. There's no need to cram all 13 brochures into one folder.

 Frequently asked questions. Compile a list of the most frequent questions people ask about you or your organization, and answer them in Q & A format.

 A product catalog and price list. Be sure the price list is updated. Prices are one area in which you don't want errors.
To learn more great tips and options for your media kit see Special Report #8, "Media Kits on a Shoestring: How to Create Them Without Spending a Bundle"

Posted by Rachael at 04:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

How can you use search engines with your media kits? Definitely search engine optimize them. One of the things we do is, in the address itself we have key words that are important, that draws a lot of people there. We also have all the normal things you would do. We submit the press kit to the 150 relevant search engines or whatever That draws a lot of people and a lot of good, potential clients. In fact, we have our press kits link through to the person's regular website.

A lot of times we will have our clients tell us, "I got this many click-throughs to my consumer website from the press kit." So we know that the people reached it via a search engine. The easiest way to contact us is on the web. It's www.talion.com, and we have all of the pricing. Everything is right there, up front. It's all ala carte, so people just pick and choose what they feel makes sense to them. We also have some extensive free reports on the site. One of them is called "Top 10 Publicity Blunders," and it's just fun stuff.

For more information on search engines and other tips on how to create and use electronic media kits, read "Electronic Media Kits: How to Create Them, Deliver Them, and See Instant Results."

Posted by Dan at 07:56 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Here are some of the main items in a media kit:
 A folder to hold the materials. If you have money to spend, you can have folders with your company names, address, phone number and web site URL printed at a local print shop. Or save money, buy the folders at an office supply store, and have the same information printed on stickers, which can be attached to the front of the folders. If you don't even have money for that, simply staple a business card to the front of the folder or one of the inside pockets.

 History of your organization. If possible, keep it to one page. This should be a chronological narrative. Include specific years that significant events occurred.

 Professional profile of your president or CEO. This too should be in narrative format. Don't include a resume. First, you don't want to make it look as though your CEO is job-hunting. Second, it is time-consuming for a reporter to wade through facts in a resume and write three or four paragraphs of biographical information. A harried reporter can easily make errors that cannot be caught by an editor. Help improve accuracy by writing the narrative for them so all they have to do is copy it.

To learn the other things you need for a great media kit, see Special Report #8, "Media Kits on a Shoestring: How to Create Them Without Spending a Bundle"

Posted by Rachael at 04:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

A media kit is a folder of information that will help reporters write an accurate story. It should include whatever facts you want them to know about. Contents can include-among other things-a history of your company, professional profiles of key executives or officers, black and white or color photos, a fact sheet about your organization, a business card, recent news releases and a small product sample.

Media kits help reporters save time and improve accuracy because everything is there in black and white. When I worked as a newspaper reporter, I sometimes copied entire paragraphs of information found in media kits, particularly when I was on deadline. It was convenient. And I didn't have to spend time calling the source to ask for more information, or double-check numerous facts. If you don't have a media kit and you're on a tight budget or have little time to create one, relax. You can start out small, then add to it as time goes on. I advise many of my clients to eventually build an entire wardrobe of contents, then decide what goes inside the media kit depending on how they are going to use it.

Media kits also show that you're media-savvy and understand how the news game is played. They can be used for far more than just the media. Use them as marketing materials to share with potential clients. Take them to trade shows. Give them to your sales people to use on sales calls.

To learn more about media kits see Special Report #8, "Media Kits on a Shoestring: How to Create Them Without Spending a Bundle"

Posted by Rachael at 04:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Perhaps the one thing that can make or break your company website or online Media Room is hard-to-find addresses, phone and fax numbers and e-mail addresses. Don’t hide this information under a “Contact Us” key. Post it right out there on the home page, or on every page of the site.

Provide the PR person’s telephone number, fax number, cell phone or pager number, an e-mail address and, if you’re really helpful, a home telephone number. If your PR person isn’t comfortable with so much personal information out in cyberspace, one option is to provide some of this information behind a password, although the media generally hate having to jump through this hoop.

If using a password, make it easy for journalists to sign up for it. Remember, journalists are on a deadline and will often need to contact someone within your company outside regular business hours. If your contact information is not readily available, the media will not hesitate to pass you over for a story.

For more ideas on constructing a media-friendly Media Room and some great examples of companies’ successful media rooms, check out How to Create an Online Media Room and Keep the Media Coming Back

Posted by DK at 10:23 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Before you build your online Media Kit, think about what you want to accomplish. Your Number One goal should be to include anything that will make a journalist’s job easier and faster. Provide lots of free information, including articles and speeches written by company executives, a list of your products and services, with product photos, a Q&A sheet, links to related sites, etc.

More sophisticated web sites even give the reporter the option of searching archived company news releases on a particular topic, then reading the releases that come up after the search. Remember that journalists are usually on deadline. They shouldn’t have to wade through mountains of information to find what they are looking for.

Journalists love anything and everything that makes their job easier. For more a more in-depth look at how to make your online Media Kit everything a journalist wants, check out How to Create an Online Media Room and Keep the Media Coming Back

Posted by DK at 09:19 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Poor-quality electronic photos, whether on your company website or in your online Media Kit generally turn off visitors, especially the media. You can post images to the web the 72dpi format that most web-based image files are set at. However, because of the compression formats for web-based images, they are not ideal files for print media.

If you want to make print-ready images available at your site, you should link to a high-resolution version of the image that will only download to the visitor’s system once they've clicked the link. Journalists appreciate this forethought on your part and will come to you more often if they know you’ve got great pictures that are already formatted for them.

Pictures are worth a thousand words, yes, but only if they are the right kinds of words. To find out what else goes into an online Media Kit, check out How to Create an Online Media Room and Keep the Media Coming Back

Posted by DK at 01:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Just as each different type of media outlet (radio, TV, newspapers, magazines) communicates their stories in different ways, each has a different set of needs for information in a media kit. Tailoring your media kit to fit their needs not only saves you from having to send out unnecessary materials, it also makes you look great in their eyes because you're sending them exactly what they need.

Radio

The radio bookers hardly do their research a lot of times, so a lot of times if you do provide good interview questions, they will practically read right down the list. You also want to provide some backgrounders for them so that if they actually are doing their research, they can read up on it and feel knowledgeable. They usually will not look over the product or the book all that carefully. They may not even get into it all. You just want them to be able to look at it, do a talk show, and sound credible based on what's right there.

Newspapers

Continue reading "Tailoring your media kit to fit the recipient" »

Posted by DK at 03:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)