Press Kits

Electronic Press Kits

Written by Kristin Marquet for Gaebler Ventures

It does not matter how many employees your business has, an electronic press kit is crucial to the success of your business. Press kits contain information used to publicize a person, company, event, or brand.

It does not matter whether your business has two employees or two hundred, electronic press kits are crucial to its success.

Press kits are packets of information used to publicize a person, company, event, or brand. Press kits usually come in a traditional print format or an electronic format - CD, DVD, USB thumb drive, email or a website. Today, web based press kits are most common as they are most cost-effective.

Electronic press kits contain the following elements:

• Letter of introduction known as a pitch letter tells the reader why he/she should care about what you are talking about, trying to publicize or sell
• Corporate backgrounder contains the company or individual's historical information
• Company fact sheet set up in a two column format lists the mission, vision, purpose, principals, and product/service descriptions
• Product/service information sheet including product/service reviews and testimonials
• One page biographies of key executives, individuals, artists, and any other relevant shareholders
• Previous press coverage and clippings including interviews, articles, and feature magazine and newspaper write-ups
• Previous radio and television interview clips
• In the event an editor, journalist or television producer wants to do an interview with you or your company, include a list of frequently asked questions
• High resolution images of key executives, logos, products
• Press release(s) detailing the current news - expansion of a product line, the introduction of a new service, or a merger between your company and another company
• Collateral marketing materials - advertisements, brochures, sales letters, etc

Tips to remember:

Correct information: If you send an electronic press kit to your media contact list, make sure you know your audience, (i.e. media contact names, title of publication, contact information and any other relevant information.)

Know your Audience: Be familiar with the demographics and tone of the publication, radio, or television show you pitch. The letter of introduction's tone should be consistent with the tone of the publication or television show you contact.

Professionalism: Electronic press kits should be visually pleasing, professional looking, and tailored to meet the specific needs of your audience.

Be considerate of the media's time: Pages that take a long time to load or that are difficult to navigate are frustrating and can potentially turn the media away. Make it easy by placing your PR contact or your contact information on the front page.

Search Engine Marketing: Your electronic press kit should be optimized with relevant keyword and keyword phrases. If journalists Google a certain keyword or keyword phrase, your electronic press kit should come up on the first two pages of results. Journalists will probably contact you before they contact your competition.

Kristin Marquet will be receiving her MBA from Harvard University in Fall of 2010. She has worked in the marketing and public relations field for over 10 years.

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