Media kits are not just for celebrities and large companies. To get visibility and opportunities for your small business they can be used to introduce you to media influencers, get you booked for speaking gigs and attract your next client.

When launching my first business I had a lot of visibility right away because I build a relevant brand before launching. Once it was up I was instantly able to get radio interviews, articles, special guests, quotes and clients.

When the opportunity to meet with the staff at Oprah magazine came up, I already had a media kit ready for them. My referral asked me to send it by email and that helped me to make the cut. I wasn’t special, I was just prepared, BUT, that only happens if you do it right (and I now have that contact for a lifetime – including her cell phone and personal email address!)

And it’s easy. Here’s a list of what you need. If you don’t have each of these ready at the moment, don’t despair. Just make a plan to achieve them as the year progresses.

1) A Professional Photo. It’s media, so of course they want to see who you are. As a best practice, make sure this isn’t a photo taken by your own digital camera. You need makeup (yes, even men) proper lighting and the right resolution.

2) Your History. Knowing how long you’ve been around and what you’ve been up to helps journalists put things in prospective for their readers.

3) Press Releases. These show what you’ve previously announced that’s newsworthy.

4) Potential Story Ideas. This sheet essentially lists some possible topics that you can discuss. Keep it up to date and be sure to include seasonal ideas as well.

5) Facts and Questions about your subject matter. List surprising or contradictory (true) statistics about your subject matter and prepare questions that potential hosts, interviewers and reporters can ask.

There are many more elements to your press kit, but these are the essentials to get you started. If you have the essentials in place the next step would be to add in video, audio, interviews, clippings, a list of awards, testimonials, reviews, quotes, tips and more!

If you want to get your brand media ready and take the shortcut to boosting your visibility, let Brand Excitement help you. Schedule a time to chat with me now and you’ll be progressing before the next newsletter hits the stands.