What Items Are Expected in Online Press Rooms?
A staple of every public relations representative should be an online press room, which at one time was called a media kit. They are designed to provide information to journalists beyond what is noted in a press release. For the journalist, they are helpful because they answer many of the questions reporters and editors might have. Media kits could be used to entice investors or get additional customers. They also give your product a professional look, which is important when building relationships with journalists. Be careful what to include.
When you are promoting a new product, a book, a movie or something else, you might want to create a media kit and online press room. These tools are good when you have a lot of information you want to convey to the journalist, but you want to make sure you are putting the right information in them. Media kits also can be used to entice customers and investors to your product. Read this article to know the right items to put in your media kits.
Press Release – All press rooms have at least one press release. Some have more than one. It depends on what you are promoting. For example, if you are announcing a new book, you might want a release about the nuances of the book and a release that touts any reviews you have received or special events you have planned to promote the book. If you have a new product, your release would discuss the benefits of your product over the competition.
Biography – Media kits and online press rooms should include biographies, especially if they are for authors or entrepreneurs. These help journalists flesh out background material on the inventor, author or important person who is key to any story. They also help journalists get spellings and credentials correct.
Background Information – To promote movies, books and products, journalists need background information. Therefore, your online press rooms and media kits should include a one-page fact sheet about what you are promoting. For books, include the book cover and information on the title. For products, include a picture of the product and its benefits in more detail than what you include on the press release.
Pictures – All media kits should include both high-resolution photos and low-resolution photos. For books, include pictures of the author and book cover. For products, include pictures of the inventor and product. For movies and other promotions, include pictures of the director and screen shot of movie trailers. For other promotions, such as events or fundraising, put in pictures of key personnel and the event.
Interview Questions – It helps journalists and investors if you provide a list of interview questions. Journalists use the questions to steer the conversation with the authors or inventors and might spark ideas for what else needs to be clarified. For investors, these questions help them pinpoint the key points of the product. Usually, the questions are basic enough that they would be asked whether they are on the sheet or not. They also could become your frequently asked questions for your Web site.
Reviews or Awards – For authors, you should include copies of reviews your book has received. For product manufacturers, you should include copies of any awards your product has received, especially in key industry associations. Authors also might have won awards from writing groups, business organizations or civic clubs. These reviews and awards show how well-received your book or product is. Investors look at these awards and reviews to decide whether something is worthy of their hard-earned dollars and earnings potential.
Statistics – These are important if you are trying to get fundraising or investments. Investors need to know how good your sales are. If you are publishing a business book or another nonfiction book, you need to show the projections for your industry. If you have a product, you would want to show the sales of the product and potential sales.
Although most media kits are digital now, some are still mailed in nice presentation folders. Journalists usually throw away the folders and keep the essential information. When they go to the online press room, they choose the fact sheets they need and ignore the rest. You might not know which information is most important, so be sure to include it all.
What Items Are Expected in Online Press Rooms? – THE NEXT STEP
Faselis helps you to distribute your press releases to the right trade journalists. You can use Faselis Online Press Room integration to add the press releases on your online press room automatically.
by Louise Harris
