What Goes Into A Media Kit?
If you’re looking for ideas on what to include in your media kit, most have a combination of the following information:
1. An introduction to yourself and your business
This is your chance to explain who you and your company are, what you do and what purpose your business serves. Of course, this is easier said than done. Writing about ourselves and playing up our accomplishments can be incredibly difficult — if you’re getting caught up on writing out your professional bio, don’t be afraid to hire a copywriter. An outside source can view you more objectively and pull together your highlights without that layer of self-consciousness.
2. Your mission
Sometimes known as a manifesto, this is your way of differentiating your business from the competition and explaining what it stands for. Differentiation is particularly important because customers have so many choices of who they can choose to work with and after awhile, it feels like a blur. Differentiation is about not being afraid to be unique and when it comes to small businesses, unique is good!
3. Testimonials
There’s only so much you can say about how wonderful you are before you sound incredibly full of yourself! That’s where testimonials come in. Whether they’re from readers, advertisers or clients, testimonials add a sense of credibility to your business. Potential clients want to know why it’s a safe bet to book with you. I used to dread testimonials but with Branch, I got over those fears and we now have two pages’ worth in our media kit.
4. Frequently asked questions
If you find yourself repeatedly getting asked the same exact questions, stop and take note! Having a FAQ in your media kit can alleviate some of the basic email banter that comes with new inquiries.
5. List of notable clients
Remember, a lot of your potential clients have never worked with someone in your industry before. They want to know that they’re making a sound decision and if they don’t have any mutual friends that have worked with you, the next best thing is a lit of clients who’ve taken the leap.
6. Services offered
Are there specific types of projects that you enjoy doing? Highlight them! We love a few things that are a little less common including editorial design and media kits so we make a special mention of those, along with the usual web design and branding.
7. Packages and rates
If you’re not great at talking about money, clearly listing your services with base-level pricing and an outline of what the client receives makes it clear from the beginning what the investment is to work with you (we always say “starting at” and then provide a custom quote when they’re ready). Never surprise anyone when it comes to money — be upfront right out of the gate so your client can make an informed decision.
8.Stats (if applicable)
If you’re offering a service where your stats are of particular importance, include your blog / site numbers along with social media stats. If you can go one step further and do a reader / customer survey and include the best findings from that as well, it will add to your credibility.
9. Processes
Do you have a process you follow every single time? Designers and photographers usually have a specific set of steps they’ve honed to deliver a consistent outcome and a media kit is a great place to list them so customers understand what goes into your work (and that this behind-the-scenes work contributes to the rates!)
10. Contact information
The back page of your media kit should include clear instructions about how to get in touch with you! We include full names and emails along with our mailing address. We’ll have a dedicated phone number once our new office is up and running next year. Make it as easy as possible for people book you!
