A press kit is a package of promotional materials that a business owner can hand to a reporter, magazine editor, or potential client that explains what the business is all about in a clear, concise fashion. It’s the answer to the questions, “Who are you?” and “What do you do?” Every business, large or small, should have a press kit ready to go. Your press kits should travel with you to meetings and on business trips so that wherever you may be, you have information about your company at hand.

Much has been written about press kits and what goes in them—letters of introduction, company bios, press releases, positive media coverage, newsletters, a business card—all assembled in a neat package with an attractive, company-branded folder. This method of assembling a press kit is tried and true, but may not make your company stand out from the competition. Fortunately, technology is changing the way we work and promote ourselves. Consider the following ideas to make your company’s press kit stand out:

• Go paperless and portable. Put your entire press kit in digital format, perhaps in Adobe.pdf format on a USB flash drive that has your company’s branding on it. These make great handouts at trade shows and don’t require your clients to carry around a bulky folder along with all of the other paper they pick up.

• Get Flashy. Or, take things a step further and put your press kit in Adobe Flash format. One click of the mouse, and potential clients and the media can enjoy your press kit with sound and video. Be sure to include key materials in .pdf format as well to make it easy for reporters to cut-and-paste bios and mission statements.

• Go online. Even better, put your press kit on the Internet, and make sure it’s compatible for viewing with mobile phones like the iPhone and the Blackberry. No paper, no USB drive, and the info is available anywhere—at the reporter’s desk, in the airport or on the production floor. Print up cardstock bookmarks to remind your contacts to bookmark your website on their web browsers.

Above all, remember that first impressions count. You never get a second chance to make a good first impression. Rely on a professional to help you design, assemble and update your press kit regularly. Contact Trade Press Services today for more information.