Creating A Media Kit
A media kit is an information packet about your organization, or for a specific initiative or product. The kit's goal is to grab the reader's attention, make a lasting impression, provide quality information, and generate future interest in your organization.
Media kits can be paper, digital, or both. Paper is less frequently used now unless the quality of the materials is high and visuals are included. A digital press kit is increasingly common—many organizations have a dedicated Press Room area on their websites where their kit and breaking news are posted. For a great example, see the Candid's (formerly Foundation Center and GuideStar) Press Release page. Find out how your audience likes to be contacted and what their needs and interests are. If there are guidelines for submissions on a publication's website, follow them. In the previous sections, you created and prioritized your organization's messaging with a mission statement, elevator pitch, talking points, and About Us statement. Now it's time to draw on them to create the two most critical tools for any media pitch:
- The Pitch Letter is an attention-getting introduction to your organization that integrates your elevator pitch, a news hook, 2-3 talking points, and media contact information.
- The Press Release tells a newsworthy story. You should include a short About Us statement or organizational biography at the end.
Beyond that, the contents of the kit can vary depending upon the event, audience, and situation that you're creating the kit for. Your goal is to inform a source of the most relevant and current information they need to tell your story, not everything that you've ever done.
Tip: Keep everything you've ever done in an archive for future reference: press releases, newsletters, flyers, etc. If you have logos or headers that you will need again, make sure to keep them in an easy-to-access file.
Here's a quick summary of potential elements for your media kit:
Media Kit Checklist
The media kit checklist is also available for download.
| Element | Description |
|---|---|
| Pitch Letter | Attention-getting introduction to your organization that integrates your elevator pitch, a news hook, 2-3 talking points, and media contact information |
| Press Release | Document that tells a newsworthy story, hooks and all. A short About Us statement or organizational biography is always included at the end |
| About Us | Narrative describing the organization's background, important events, awards, research, supporters, etc. |
| Fact Sheet | List of specific organizational features, statistics, and benefits |
| Recent Press | Listing of recent news coverage or interviews |
| Recent Publications | Bibliography of publications or abstracts if that's more appropriate due to length |
| Biographies | Key staff, individuals, and scientists |
| Images and Logos | A CD with high-resolution images for print, or links to logos in different formats from a Press Room page |
| Product Information | Describes products or services your organization provides. This could include workshops, events, summits, survey results, learning resources, curriculum, and more |
| Presentation Links | Videos; audio, including podcasts and radio interviews; PowerPoints; and webinars |
| Promotion Material | Recent awards, grants, and partnerships; a newsletter, flyer or brochure |
| Testimonials and Endorsements | Quotes you've solicited from experts, partners, etc. stating the impact your organization has had on them or the field. Always get approval to use quotes or testimonials in promotional material |
A best practice for communications is to create a media contact list for all the Media Outlets you've identified. Go to the next section to find out more about available media outlets and how to create a contact list.