Media Packs
Media packs may also be known as press kits, media information or a number of other similar terminologies. They allow you to introduce your organisation to the media and to give them key material that they can use when writing their stories.
Where to use them
- At any event where you are interacting with the media, but especially exhibitions, conferences, ‘fam’ tours and receptions
- Online within your media or press centre.
What to put in them
When writing a story most journalists have very little time, so thinking about how you present the most important information about your organisation is important. Filling the media pack with lots of promotional material and a copy of the latest annual report is not going to help them. So think very carefully about the things you want them to write about. They might include:
- Key fact sheet about the company/organisation
- Board of Directors
- Senior executives
- Number of employees
- Number of offices
- Number of countries in which you operate
- What you do
- Who you own
- Your clients/who you work with
- Financials, revenue, turnover, latest quarterly returns, share prices
- Your products/portfolios
- If relevant, individual fact sheets about key products giving their features and any statistics about them
- Possibly more detailed information about the key Board/Executive members i.e. Chairman, Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer with photographs
- Most recent press releases
- Any key speeches made by senior executives
- Investor relations presentations
- Other media coverage – press clippings (only the best and most recent)
- Media contacts list.
On your website
- Links to other key parts of the website
- Video clips
- Photo library – of products, sites, people
- Social media connections/chat rooms
- Blogs.
Other items
If you are going to an exhibition, reception or conference then you might want to add:
- A small number of very good quality marketing brochures
- Possibly a small corporate gift
- Samples of your product
- Place them all in a specially prepared folder or smart bag with logo.
Wherever possible put as much of your media pack onto a CD-Rom, DVD or memory stick. Make sure that any programs you use are mainstream and will not require the journalist to download software to access.
Ask them. The internet and your website has made it easy for you to ask people what they want. So in your ‘Press Room’ or ‘Media Centre’ ask visiting journalists if there is anything they would like to see there which is not currently available.
There is a big difference between knowing the theory and making it happen. For help in implementing your communications practices email us now.
