Have you ever dreamed of your small business being featured in the local newspaper? Thought about how cool it would be if the media showed up to your next product launch? Wondered how to get your company the press it deserves without shelling out cash for glossy magazine ads or radio commercials?
Most small business owners have pondered how to get some free publicity. It’s doable — but you can’t just walk into your local newsroom empty-handed and expect to be taken seriously. If you want the media to stand up and take notice, you’ll need a small business media kit.
What Is a Media Kit?
A media kit is an overview of your business that can be shared with the press, independent bloggers or podcasters, potential partners or investors, and anyone else who wants to know more about your business and (hopefully) help you in your journey.
You can’t realistically slap a media kit together in a single afternoon. You must put plenty of thought and care into the contents and design if you hope to be taken seriously. Remember: This document is introducing perfect strangers to your small business. First impressions matter!
What Should Your Media Kit Include?
You can include several elements in your media kit. Some, such as a business overview, are non-negotiable. Others, such as links to past press releases or other media mentions, are recommended but optional.
At a minimum, your media kit should include:
- An introduction to your brand, products and services
- Contact info, such as address, phone number, social media pages, etc.
- A quick bio of key players, including your board of directors (if you have one), company founder, CEO and any current investors
- Photos and videos of your products and services
- Customer testimonials
- Links to your logo in various sizes
- Awards you have won
Don’t forget to add a clear call to action. After all, the whole purpose of the media kit is to get the media interested in your small business! Make it easy for them by providing a dedicated media contact who is able to handle inquiries, interview requests or anything else they many need.
5 Tips to Make Your Small Business Media Kit Stand Out
Now that you have the basics out of the way, it’s time to make your media kit stand out from the dozens (or hundreds) of others that the press sees each week. These tips will help:
- Spend some time looking at examples of media kits from bigger brands. You can find some inspiration here. Alternatively, visit some of your favorite websites and check out their media kits.
- Use bullet points, charts and graphs whenever possible. While you hope the recipients of your media kit will pour over every single detail, the reality is that they might only have time to give it a cursory glance. Be sure that glance counts by making the information easy to digest.
- Consider including a chronological timeline of your business from conception to today. Include important milestones such as hiring your first employee, breaking a sales record, winning an award or expanding your products and services.
- Stay consistent with your brand elements — colors, fonts, voice, tone, etc. Yes, your media kid should be a professional document. But if your brand as a whole is light and whimsical, an uber-stodgy media kid will create a harsh disconnect.
- Make time to regularly review and update your media kit. It’s a living document, not something chiseled in stone. It should be kept up-to-date and ready to send at a moment’s notice!
Ready to Stop the Presses?
Done correctly, a media kit can forge a bridge between your small business and the people with the pull and influence to promote it to the masses. Don’t neglect this powerful tool!
Need some help designing your small business media kit? Mischa Communications is on the job! Get in touch today!