Press Kits That WOW!

by Lisa Bacon

If you are serious about wanting to be featured in traditional print media aka your favorite magazines, then a press kit is a must. Most people tend to skip this part of building your business but it can be a huge missed opportunity. It can give you the chance to show off your creativity and products to a huge audience. It can also give you the street cred you need to take your business to the next level.

Putting together a press kit doesn’t have to be difficult or costly. By including the essential information, the sky is the limit for how it is presented. Because you want to stand out from all of the other press kits… uniqueness is the key!

This is where all of that awesome creativity comes in!

Use your product as the centerpiece and build your press kit around it. Including a sample (even if it is a small one) is extremely important so that the writer can physically touch your products and get excited about sharing them with others. If you aren’t able to include a product sample because of cost, make sure you include fabulous product shots that will make someone feel the need to contact you for more information. The recipient has to be intrigued and excited enough about your press kit to take some sort of action…not just toss it in the pile with all of the other maybes.

You also want your kit to match your branding and really highlight your business and what your message is. For example, if you have an eco-friendly product, use eco-friendly or recycled materials for your kit. A strong message like that can really resonate with the recipient.

Here are the basics of what should be included in your press kit.

1. Personalized Cover Page

This can be a handwritten note or a formally typed letter. Whatever you do, just make sure that it is personalized for the recipient.

2. Company Bio

Exactly what it means…a little bit about your company history. Why did you start your business? What need are you trying to fulfill with your products?

3. Product Info

This can be a little catalog, postcard with product info, or a hang tag on a sample…it just needs to include details about your products. What are the benefits to your customers? What is the product made from or how is it made?

4. Press Release

I don’t think this is absolutely necessary but it would be nice to give the recipient an angle in which to feature you. Press releases are intended to get someone interested in your story and want to tell others about it. There has to be a reason for them to write about you. Are you launching a new product line? Does your product fulfill a unique need in society? If you are going to include a press release, it has to be something newsworthy.

5. Contact Info

Yep, this seems a little obvious but I have seen people forget to include their contact info! You should list a contact name, email address, phone number, website address, and physical address (if applicable).

Here are some unique press kits that will inspire you to get started on building your own…

The Nimbus Factory – I love the simplicity of the kraft folder and all of the little goodies that are included…very unique to their brand!

Jenn Mason – I love this press kit because it shows a lot of her artistic work but also includes some fun samples.

Show Pony – This one is slightly more product rich so not everyone will be able to give this much away. I love that they also have a place on the website where the pres can order their own kit.

Notes from a Cottage Industry – Who says you can’t bribe writers with delicious treats? I love this idea but only if it goes with your branding theme.

Lovely Pieces – I love this one because it is super simple but looks gorgeous! Just by adding a custom sticker (in this case, it is made from fabric), you have a completely unique kit.

Indie Craft Experience – ICE went completely crafty with their press kits but because they are promoting a craft show, it matched their branding perfectly!

Birddog Press – I saved my favorite for last! This one has all of the bells and whistles that a really great press kit should have. It includes samples, it matches their brand to a tee and it is completely unique with lots of handmade details.

At some point, you may also need to have a digital press kit for your website. With all of the free software out there, building an online kit can be a breeze.

I am Lisa… also known as Mom, wife, designer, photographer, laundry procrastinator, and chocolate addict (among many other things). I live just south of Atlanta, GA with my husband aka “The Baconator”, my two crazy kids, a cat that thinks it’s a person, a dog that thinks it’s a cat, and a kitten who is slightly confused by the whole situation.