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What You Should Have For Your On-line Press Kit
Copyright © 2002 - 2010 by Susan Harrow. All rights reserved.
An on-line press kit gives journalists everything they need
when they need it. As you know journalists and producers are
always on ridiculous deadlines. I once spoke to a
freelance journalist who complained, "I called this source
an hour ago and she still hasn't returned my call." Their
sense of time is compressed from being in a pressure cooker
24/7 to get their articles filed on time. So you don't have
to live that kind of life get all your materials ready ahead
of time.
Here's what you need:
- Bio or Backgrounder.
- Photos, Logos or Images.
- FAQ or Fact Sheet.
- Story Ideas.
- News/Publicity.
- Video.
- Articles.
- Your Books.
- Spokesperson Credentials.
- Contact/Buy Information.
If you don't have all these yet, don't worry. Build as you grow.
1. Bio or Backgrounder.
Your bio establishes you as an expert in your field and
gives the media a sense of your talent and skills. Give a
quick thumbnail of the essentials in a paragraph and then
expand it with more details. I suggest providing headers for
each paragraph for easy reading. Include all your skill sets
broken down into categories for easy skimming.
See my bio here
2. Photos, Logos or Images.
The media want to see you, of course, particularly TV
producers. Do you and/or your products make a good photo op?
Make available (professional photos only) in both high
resolution for magazines and newspapers and easily
downloadable small files as JPGs for the Internet. If you
have action photos and a logo for your business include
those as well. Here's a
fine example for products
3. FAQ or Fact Sheet.
This is a quick list of statistics, research, and factual
information that shows your subject in a national
perspective. You want to let the media know that your topic
is of urgent importance.
See how it's done here
4. Story Ideas.
Stating story ideas gives the media a jumping off point for
interviewing you. While they may not use the exact subjects
you list it gives them a sample of the kinds of topics you
can address. I like how Sandy Sandler goes against the grain
of buying high tech toys by saying, "Craft projects using
the Bowdabra can help unleash a family's creativity along
with their dependence on technology for fun. Brain research
proves creativity and problem solving abilities are enhanced
and nurtured by hands-on, sensory activities for children."
Who knew something as simple as tying bows could be
broadened to include creativity?
Notice the breadth and
scope of these.
5. News/Publicity.
Where have you been quoted, profiled or featured already?
Put the logos or images of the media outlets right there on
your website. Link to the articles or get permission to put
them on your website in their entirety.
Take a look here for a linked list.
BJ Gallagher highlights hers in a "Latest News" section. Look at
Lissa Coffey's site for the use of images. She also has
some nice media raves on this page. It's reassuring to the
media when their colleagues weigh in about guests. This is
the one field where no one wants the virgin.
6. Video.
Post a short (two to four minute) video in Quicktime or
Streaming video so it can be accessed on all platforms.
(Macs can't open Windows Media Player). Any producer who is
serious about booking you on a major national show wants to
see how you perform. They really only need about 30 seconds
to yay or nay you.
7. Articles
Where have you been published? Articles add to your
credibility. The more recognizable the publication the
better. If you're a columnist you have even more clout. Take
a peek at Lisa Earle McLeod's syndicated newspaper columns
at
ForgetPerfect.com.
8. Your Books.
List the books that you've written published by a
recognizable publisher. While self published books count to
you, in this realm they count very little. If you're a
speaker and sell your titles at the back of the room and
have sold at least $3,000 copies you'll begin to have a
semblance of credibility. Be sure to mention how many copies
sold if it's significant.
See an example here that has
impressive awards, clear visuals and crisp testimonials (and
it sure doesn't hurt that one of the books boasts "as seen
on Oprah").
9. Spokesperson Credentials.
If you're positioning yourself as a spokesperson potential
clients want to see who you've represented and they also
need to know you're a facile talker who can improvise.
Here's
Jonni Kennedy who has done a nice job of visually
depicting her clients. In her
bio she says "In addition to countless trade shows,
webcasts, videos, infomercials, and voice overs, Jonni is a
seasoned broadcaster with appearances on The TODAY Show,
CNN, Regis Live, Crossfire, Cartoon Network, FNN, Fox News,
Home Shopping Network, and MSNBC, among others. You know
from her background that she's had plenty of experience in
front of a camera and speaking before substantial audiences,
though she doesn't have any videos up on her site yet.
10. Contact/Buy Information.
Make it easy to get in touch and to buy. Provide an 800#,
website, email address, ISBN numbers, quantity discounts,
bulk sales, availability, guarantee etc. I'm always
surprised at how many people forget these most important
details. If you're giving away money or products to
charities let it be known. Make it simple for the media to
give their audience the best ways to buy your products or
services.
You can learn the formulas for creating these materials in
my book
Sell Yourself without Selling Your Soul.
Create your on-line press kit so you'll be ready for any
media opportunity--even if it comes in the middle of the
night. For a free demo, call 888-513-5302 and ask for Drew
or, send an email, or
click here.
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Susan Harrow, CEO of
http://prsecrets.com, is
a top media coach, marketing strategist and author of
Sell Yourself Without Selling Your Soul® (HarperCollins),
The
Ultimate Guide to Getting Booked on Oprah, and
Get a 6-
Figure Book Advance. Clients include Fortune 500 CEOs, bestselling authors and entrepreneurs who have appeared on
Oprah, 60 Minutes, NPR, and in TIME, USA Today, Parade,
People, O, NY Times, WSJ, and Inc. |
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