All about the press kit 101 (Part 2)
And other interesting links
I don’t know what to write in this section anymore. I feel like I’ve been in a repeating Groundhog Day for the last six months.
LaterCon is happening again this year - it’s a free virtual conference covering general social media topics. I watched a few lectures last year and I think it would be best if you’re starting out in social or are looking to explore one of their topics in more detail.
I hope you’re as well as you can feasibly be.
All about the press kit 101 (Part 2)
If you need a refresher on the who, what, whys of a press kit, I covered it two weeks ago. In this part, I cover what you can do to expand your press kit. This is assuming you already have a press kit and/or you have additional time to beef it up.
For every new item you put in, they don’t always have to exist as a separate document. For example, you can put founder bios together with the one-page fact sheet you had previously created, turning it into a two-page info sheet.
Press section
Surprisingly enough, a basic press kit doesn’t have to include a press section but it’s definitely helpful. This is where you put recent news coverage. You’ve likely seen this in the form of “As Seen In” and then logos of the publications. You can go this route and add on a pull quote from the article or go with a basic article title list with links.
If you do press releases, you should add them here and update as you release more. Do one press release per document and store them in a folder.
You might find that journalists are asking the same questions over and over again. This is where a FAQ section would be helpful. And to help journalists out even more, some companies like to include possible story angles. This doesn’t mean that the angle will be used-you’re only giving ideas that may prompt other angles.
Another helpful tip here is to add ready-made quotes. Maybe they don’t have time to interview someone but need a quote on how your company has influenced the community around them. Create some quotes (of course, make sure these are actually coming from the source and not made up unknowingly attributed to them) that you think are relevant to possible story angles.
Testimonials & Clients
You can talk all about your company but it all still wouldn’t be as convincing as the social proof that is testimonials. This is where a list of well-known clients/partners would be helpful and if possible, testimonials from them. The testimonials should be short, just a few sentences. If you have a testimonials page on your website, you can link out to it.
Multimedia Enhancements
Previously, I mentioned common photos that are needed and now we’ll talk about what more you can include in this section.
If you often receive requests to film your products for a news segment or you want to supplement your established videos, add in some b-roll that video editors can use.
This is going to be tedious but for each photo you have in the kit, add in notes about what product is featured, names of people in the photo, and location(s). This will help prevent mistakes in names and spelling.
More Company Info
How much more company information can you put into a press kit? So much more. For each of your founders, investors, and/or executive team, include a short bio and accompanying photo. The bio should list the basic facts a journalist would need to talk about them, such as year joined, years in industry, major accomplishments at the company, job title, etc.
Specific to some coffee companies is an annual transparency report. This can exist as a text document linking out to the report or a collection of report PDFs.
For extra credit, enhance the press kit look with branding. Use company letterhead or colors, match the fonts to your brand’s, and design the fact sheets to be a little more attractive. For some examples and inspiration, check out Canva’s media kit templates.
And that’s it! I hope these two articles gave you some clarity around a press kit and inspired you to create your own.
Quick text updates & links on what's new on the networks
Instagram rerolled out QR codes. It’s testing the expansion of Guides.
Twitter gives you more context on who’s DMing you in a request.
Surprisingly, no relevant updates from Facebook.
Helpful links on how to improve your digital marketing
How to Optimize Your Social Posts for the Visually Impaired
Discover tips and tools to make your social media content accessible to people with impairments.
www.socialmediaexaminer.com • Share
Navigating call-out culture: What to do when your brand is in the hot seat
No brand is immune to call-out culture, but brands can regain consumer trust. These steps will help your brand get on the right track.
How to Support a Social Cause on Social Media
More than ever before, people expect brands to support a social cause on social media. Find out how to do it in a meaningful and effective way.
Anything I've enjoyed reading recently
Employers pay tipped workers $2.13 an hour. Why? Reconstruction-era racial discrimination.
How COVID-19 Is Rippling Through the Coffee World
Jeff Koehler interviewed dozens of professionals around the world to examine COVID-19’s affect on coffee from seed to cup.
Should Coffee be Saved? An interview with Lucia Solis
Coffee fermentation experted Lucia Solis explains the devestating effects of COVID-19 for coffee farmers, and whether coffee can be saved.
www.thecoffeecompass.com • Share
An update from my container garden!
It's a phildendron selloum! On my wishlist and a baby- their leaves can grow outstandingly large.
At this time, I'm open to: one-time coaching session clients or future project work (2+ months).
What'd you think?
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