Handing Out The Right Kind of Press Kit To Editors Can Make A Huge Difference

When constructing press kits, it's always a question of what form should your press kit take. This is one of the questions most debated when planning a press conference. There are several options for these items that you can choose from and determine what is the best fit for your audience.

Traditional:

Paper Press Kits

Should you have a paper press kit with a folder with all of the information, photos, annual reports, brochures, and anything else that you might put in it? There has been a trend in recent years to move away from handing out traditional ones that hold all of this information. Editors want to carry less and less. At the same time, there is the spirit of the green movement. Having bulky paper ones is considered a bit passé except in certain markets and situations. If you're in a market that is very traditional (academia, for example), there may still be an expectation that a traditional paper press kit is handed out. If so, consider also offering it in an electronic form for those that would prefer it.

Electronic:

The overwhelming response now by editors is that they prefer to have press kits in an electronic form. The time has passed where editors want to carry these big bulky folders back and bulk down their suitcases especially if they're traveling for a press conference for a trade show and attending a lot of press conferences. They don't want to take these on the airplanes anymore and that especially with baggage regulations; they really don't want the extra bulk. So then the question arises, what form should the electronic press kit come in?

CDs

Some companies are opting for CD's. They can easily be handed out with company branding on them. There are a couple of different things that you can think about with CD press kits: size of the CD and packaging. The regular size allows for a larger area for messaging. Companies are widely using the business card CD size because it's a lot easier for reporters and editors to just stick it in a pocket. As far as packaging goes, there is a plethora of options from simple and plain that has the CD cover showing to very sophisticated packaging that can contain booklets and additional information. The choice you make for a CD press kit depends heavily on budget. There are plenty of companies that can produce CDs for you or there is always the option to create them in-house.

Flash Drives

Many businesses are now using flash drives for their kits. The predominant number of editors now wants to have flash drives. It's the most universal form that can be used with practically any PC, Mac, or open source computer. A lot of laptops now are coming without CD drives so that they can be lighter weight, which is another reason many have transitioned from CD kits to flash drives. Practically every computer now has USB ports that can accommodate flash drives. A good thing about flash drives is that they can be re-used. In the spirit of reduce, reuse, and recycle, flash drives are an excellent choice. The one drawback for the drives is that there is little room for branding- enough room for a logo and phone number. They do come in various forms such as bracelets, lanyard, and custom mascot drives. What you do with them also depends on your marketing budget.

Online

A new wave in public relations is simply referring people to a company website. Doing this saves money and can provide you with the opportunity to be timelier with the information that is disseminated. The drawback with online only kits is that it doesn't give a material reminder to reporters about your company once they get back and settled in the office. An online press kit is ideal for press conferences that are web cast only or for technology companies such as web developers. You need consider whether you want it to be password protected or accessible to the general public. This is the main concern with these kits that are online.

Electronic press kits are now the norm and definitely recommended. What form that electronic press kit takes is entirely up to you depending on your industry and your ultimate goal. However, paper/ traditional press kits should be considered when you're in a market that is very traditional.

Lauren L. Darr is the President and Founder of DIY Mmarketing Communications, a brand of Lauren Originals, Inc. She has over 20 years experience in working with companies large and small on their marketing efforts. Her passion is working with small businesses and entrepreneurs to create successful marketing campaigns. You can get a FREE report by Lauren, "The Top 3 Pitfalls of Marketing and How to Avoid Them" at http://www.diymarketingcommunications.com.