This document provides guidance on how to create an effective media kit to promote your brand. It explains that a media kit serves as a resume or showcase for your brand and its purpose is for promotion and monetization. The key components of an effective media kit are the strategic "NUT" which outlines who you are, what you offer, and what makes you unique, and the tactical "BOLTS" such as photos, logos, topics, media coverage, analytics, ads/rates and more. It provides tips for new brands on showcasing work, engagement and growth. The overall message is that a professional, tailored media kit can help get your brand in front of potential partners and clients.

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How to create a media kit
Your Showcase for Brand you

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Why do I need one?
MONETIZE

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What is a media kit?
- Is this a press kit?
- This is your resume (of sorts)
- Bragging rights
- Boasting
- Eyeballs
- Potential
- PROMOTIONAL

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What it is not
! Not a place to lie or exaggerate
! Not a place to whine
! Not a place to vent
! Not a place to showcase failures (unless they are spectacular
failures)
! Not a place to hide

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The Strategic NUT
! Who are you?
! What are you offering?
! What makes you UNIQUE and different from the 70,000 other
food/travel bloggers out there?
! What is the difference that makes the difference?

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The Tactical BOLTS
! Photos of you, your food, your blog, your travels, your books,
your apps, your food line …
! A logo – or a shot of the distinctive look of your blog
! Key topics you write about
! Key areas you are in expert in
! Links to media stories about your work (or short excerpts)
! The eyeballs – visitors, social media, reader demographics
! Top Ten Lists (yep, these work)

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The Tactical BOLTS
! Ads and rates
! Positioning of ads and links (devil is in the details)
! Giveaways (got a great example? Showcase it here)
! Payment terms
! My mamma said (or not)
! It is all about the “look”
! If mailed – contact information

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If you are new
! Numbers are good, percentages rock too
! Focus on specificity of content
! Be clear about your intentions
! Be specific about assets in production
! Showcase your work – food, photos, recipes, writing
! Endorsements work

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Advice from the field
! If your numbers are not that high:
! talk about engagement.
! Do you have an active community of commentators on Facebook
that interact daily/weekly, etc?
! How often do you pins get repined?
! Set up a simple spreadsheet to help you track numbers and figure
out what your percentage of growth is.
! For example, I am relatively new to Google+ but since spending a
little time there, my circles have grown steadily by about 30% each
month. The actual numbers are still relatively small but I focus
on the growth rate instead of just the actual number.

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The Intangibles
! The feel and the sensibility
! What Kraft would buy is not the same as what a winery will buy
! Know your audience
! “If you're a natural food cook then Kraft Dinner isn't going to
pitch you. Likewise, Bob's Redmill might not be a good brand if
you're all about budget-friendly meals in minutes. A lot of PR
firms pitch blind, so this helps say "no" in a nice way and gets
you to "yes" faster.”

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The Potential
! Add upcoming assets
! Add upcoming press info
! Make sure you are showcasing a future as opposed to just
glorifying the past

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Versions
! In one word – YES
! Wine?
! Food?
! Travel?
! Easy?
! Hard?
! Yes for each.

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Tips from the field - 1
I have used the kit with clients that have resulted in
sponsored posts for them. I'm not really sure how much
my kit "sealed the deal" but it was definitely helpful in
keeping the conversation open.
Brenda

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Tips from the field - 2
If two blogs are similar but one has a media kit and one
doesn't, which blog would you want to work with?
Charmian

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Tips from the field - 3
When I get a rather generic PR email, I send them my media kit
and ask how we can work together. Some never reply because
they realize my brand isn't a good fit or they are looking for free
labor in exchange for "exposure." Other's like what they see
and we begin negotiations.
Charmian

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Samples
! We will look at some samples that I will now pass out.

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Best practices
! A media kit is a tool, you need a strategy
! Kit needs to look professional
! People want to do business with people
! Always, always, always follow up. Always. No two ways about
it.

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QUESTIONS?
! You are assuming I have answers?