What The Heck is a Media kit and Why do I need One

Let’s do a business checklist!

Do you have a logo?

Social media platforms?

brand colors?

Let me guess you already have those!

So I will just cut to the chase
Do you have a media kit?

Yes? No?

Or Not quite sure?

I’m here to help.

Do you remember when businesses, companies, etc depended heavily on complimentary cards for sharing contact information?

How can I forget! I definitely received a few of those despite being pretty young when it was in Vogue.

Times have changed and complimentary cards are becoming less and less used.

Most people who are interested in collaborating with a brand or a company would simply ask for a phone number or an email address!
But don’t you think that’s a little shabby and unprofessional?
Like how do you do a detailed description of the services you offer in a concise way over a phone call without wasting precious time and energy?

Whether you like to believe it or not, most potential partners would require you to explain the services you offer, provide stats and facts about your company and sell them on a partnership before doing business with you! So how do you provide that information in a simple and appealing way?

What is a media kit?

I would like you to think of a media kit as a “complementary card, revamped” a promotional material that every business needs. It is a graphic illustration that summarizes a brand, product, or service!

That’s the simplest definition I could come up with.
In some quarters it is said to be utilized mainly by journalists and influencers but in my business rule book! Everyone selling something needs a media kit!

Why?

Because it’s a shareable promotional material that makes it easy for you to share detailed information about your business in a compact way.
Most buyers or advertising agencies use it to make informed decisions about whether or not to collaborate with you.

Why do you need a media kit?

As a business person looking to collaborate with potential partners, you need to present your values and brand reach in a simple and professional way!

Whether you are an influencer or a brand, chances are you are on a long list of social media platforms, you need a media kit to help you give this information in a nicely organized manner!

For example, if you’re a caterer, who provides a range of services you need to have your information nicely organized in a media kit.

How to make a media kit

Now that you know what a media kit is, how can you get yours?

It’s pretty simple! With little to no knowledge of graphic design, you can get one done yourself or you can ask a graphic designer to get one done for you!

What should be included in a media kit!

Social media platforms and stats: your media kit should have a summary of the various social media platforms where your business is located, as well as the number of followers on each of them.

Website: do you have a website for your business? If you do, this is an important information you need to showcase on your media kit.

Include your website traffic and statistics, the demographic of your audience as well as their preferences. This helps brands make targeted decisions.
For example, If the brand that wishes to partner with you sells luxurious goods and you are a brand that caters to people on a budget, your audience will not align with their target market.

About us/me: let your media kit tell people know what your business is about, at a glance. If you are a freelancer or an educator share this detail on your media kit. In addition, you can share a bit of what inspired your business, some details about yourself and the values you uphold.

Past sponsors: your media kit should also include the brands you have worked with in the past. This information would give your prospective client an insight into your value and past experiences.

Showing that your company has worked with a number of people successfully, will weigh heavily on the decision of the buyer and propel them to choose you.

Services you render: so what are you offering? Do you write business copies or make shoes? Whatever it is, it is important to present that information on the media kit. Make sure it’s presented in a legible way. So people don’t struggle to decipher what you are offering.

Rates: this is completely optional! However, stating your rates cuts out the guessing game and reduces the back and forth that normally takes place between the seller and the buyer. When your rates are clearly stated it helps your prospective buyers determine if they are within budget and will save you from having some uncomfortable conversations.

Contact information: What’s a media kit without contact information? It goes without saying that your media kit should include your name, email, and phone number for people to reach you.

Free media kit templates!

There are tons of amazing places around the web to get media kit template ideas which you can use as a guide to create yours.

Here are some ideas below.