27 Aug 4 Mistakes to Avoid While Creating a Media Kit
There are so many of these little things that people do which creating their press kit which might seem perfectly innocuous on the surface, but they can have far-reaching consequences. Here are a couple of examples of PR disasters that are sure to be nothing but bad PR.
Mistake # 1: Mismatched elements in your media kit
Your press kit is much like a bedding set – juts like the matching sheets, pillow covers and quilt cover, your electronic press kit (EPK) will contain elements like company background, bios, press releases, multimedia elements, etc. And of these will have to be coordinated. In PR jargon, this would be called branding.
Basically, the look and feel of your digital press kit is an important part of your PR strategy. Make sure that the logo, font style, color palette, etc. are the same throughout your kit.
Mistake # 2: There is a folder full of stuff
Journos are more often than not working on a very tight schedule, so they don’t have the liberty of going through a folder overflowing with stuff. A hard copy version of your media kit should contain 3-4 pages on the left and the same amount on the right. Your business card should be in a slot on the cover of the folder. A tabbed folder is even better so journos can get straight to the meat and potatoes.
The essence is to have all the essentials so they have the right information to go by. Not too much, not too little.
Mistake # 3: You’ve chosen the cheapest paper, printer, bad graphics, etc.
While it is not recommended to spend huge amounts of money on your media release kit, it would pay for itself in the long run if you make a good presentation. Reporters who receive badly put together press kits will not think twice before thinking you are not worth their time. The DIY route to making a professional looking kit is just a bad idea.
Approach a small PR agency or even a design service online and they will put together a professional-quality kit for you. If you can’t afford an laser printer, have them printed at an office supply store online and shipped to you.
Mistake # 4: Using blurry photos and videos
Photos and other multimedia elements are an important part of a digital press kit as well as a physical press kit. Choose printable, high-resolution photos and professionally-shot videos to ensure that your graphics components are visually appealing and engaging.
