Use What You've Got and Create a Great Media Kit

Eureka! An editor wants to do a story on your business and needs more background info. Do you have a media kit to send them? If not, read this article and never be caught off guard again.

(PRWEB) April 3, 2004 --Your phone rings. It's an editor who wants to write an article about you and your business. You chat briefly. You're ecstatic about the publicity opportunity. Then, the editor asks, "May I have a copy of your media kit?" You say to yourself, "My what?" The editor wants your media kit to prepare for the interview. You are also informed that it is needed ASAP and that you can fax it, email it or point to your media kits location on your website. You calmly tell the reporter youll get it right to them. You hang up and begin your panic attack, because you DON'T HAVE A MEDIA KIT.

At least, that is what you think.Believe it or not, you probably already have the beginnings of a great media kit right at your fingertips. All you need to do to create one is use what youve got.

A media kit consists of the following items:
-bio
-company profile
-company history
-brochure(s)
-backgrounder
-fact sheet(s)
-photos (hard copy or disk)
-press release
-article clippings
-business cards
-logo(s)
-pitch sheets
-testimonials
-staff bios
-contacts

Recognize any of the items on this list? I bet you have most of the items already. Here are the ones that are most important:
-bio
-company profile
-company history
-brochure(s)
-backgrounder
-photos
-business cards
-press release
-contacts

If you have these and a few of the others, great! If not, dont worry. As long as you provide the most pertinent information, youll be just fine. Neatly place the items in a nice folder and get your kit out the door fast.

If you dont think you have the most important components to begin building your media kit, here is what you can do

1. Try locating the items.
Begin with your business plan. The company description section of your business plan should contain a paragraph or two that can function as your company profile and/or history. Your business plans executive summary can function as a nice bio, or you can use your resume instead. Company milestones and major events can serve as a great backgrounder.

After you have gone through your business plan, pull out a photo album or take a framed photo and have it scanned. If you are not alone in the photo, use cropping tools to cut everyone else out of the picture.

Your business cards, company brochures and company contact information should be within arms reach.

Once you have finished, neatly place the contents into a folder and immediately send it to your media contact.

2. Create the items. If you cant find the items in a business plan, computer file or laying around, you'll have to create them

Create the basics (bio, profile, backgrounder, contact list and business cards). Get a friend to take your photo. Once you have collected the items, neatly place them in a folder and get it out the door.Now you have a great media kit.

Ayana Glaze is a freelance copywriter and PR consultant and owner of Write Source Communications. She resides in College Park, GA. Visit her site at www.ayanaglaze.com for more articles or contact her directly via email at ayana@ayanaglaze.com.