Media Kits

In the previous post, we talked about the benefits of having good quality letterhead and notecards in your marketing toolbox. Even if your business can’t afford high-end, professionally printed pieces, as long as the paper is decent and everything looks like your brand, it’s better to at least have something!

This month, it’s all about Media Kits.

What is it?

A Media Kit is a grouping of materials inside a folder, envelope or container that will tell a potential customer or member of the news media all about your company. A typical Media Kit usually contains the following:

- an “About” piece that gives some information on the company, like how long it’s been in operation, who the key players are, what the company does, etc.

- a “Process” piece that explains how your company works should a customer decide to do business with you. A design firm might create a flowchart or break down the design process into steps so it makes sense to a layperson. It would outline where and when the initial meeting would happen, how payment takes place, when revisions are submitted, when the cabinets and appliances are installed, and etc.

- a “Testimonials” piece with praise and comments from past clients. This is very important, as consumers are far more likely to make a decision on a purchase based on the opinions and feedback of fellow buyers.

- a “Gallery” piece displaying examples of your work; for business owners in creatively-driven fields like the arts or design, potential customers want to see photos of products and projects! Pictures of a finished kitchen, examples of colorful tile or photos of tile as part of a finished space are far more appealing than just blocks of text.

- a “Press Release” that talks about something new with your business. People (especially the media) are always looking for a newsworthy story or angle to write about. Even if your press release isn’t picked up by the media, it’s good to have in a Media Kit because it’s a great vehicle to announce something new and exciting to potential customers.

Media Kits are also known as....

In marketing-speak, Media Kits are also referred to as Press Kits, Informational Packets, or something similar. They have many names, but serve the same purpose.

Why is it important?

Media Kits are great to have on-hand if you’re out on sales calls, meeting with a potential client, exhibiting at a trade show or to actually send to the news media to let them know who you are. The above contents we listed don’t necessarily have to be in your Media Kit, but most or all probably should be in some form.

Since we preach brand identity and consistency, we recommend simply printing Media Kit pieces on letterhead if that’s what your budget allows for. The most important thing is that you’re consistent. Keep using your logo, brand colors and fonts over and over and over.

If you don’t have the time or budget to get fancy, elaborate containers for your media kit pieces, a simple folder or large envelope will do the trick! If you have a rubber stamp with your logo or some simple stickers made up, you can easily make plain folders your own.

Lastly, be sure it’s easy to contact you. Ideally, every piece in the Media Kit should have your address, phone number, e-mail address and website address (if applicable) listed, so if the pieces get separated someone can still get a hold of you without too much effort. Don’t forget to include a business card!

© 2010 Trebuchet Communications