Your primary goal in producing your media kit is to ensure that you have made the media person's job easier. They should be able to find all important and necessary information easily, in one place, without having to do any further research. It is also important to ensure that your book is presented in the most professional manner possible. Because the media are constantly inundated with materials, you want to make yours stand out from the rest.

Assembling a media kit can seem like quite an intimidating task if you aren't familiar with the standard materials that should be included. There are certain essential elements that are expected by the media, and therefore must be incorporated into your media kit. The following is a brief outline of what you should include and why.

Table of Contents. Media persons are extremely busy, are most often under strict deadlines, and receive piles of information every day. For this reason, you want to make it easy for them to find information about you quickly and easily. A table of contents will help them identify the specific information they need, without having to search through stacks of paper.

What Makes Your Book Unique? This section is vital so that the media can relay to their audience what differentiates your book from others in the market. This is your opportunity to express the significant benefits of your book. You wrote this book because you felt there was a need for it, so this is your chance to explain how you have filled that need. In doing this you will identify your target market and explain who will benefit from the information presented in your book.

Author Biography. This is the story of you, your background, and how you came to be where you are today. Often the media are interested in the "story behind the story", so don't be shy. Be open and honest about your accomplishments, abilities, knowledge, and talents. You should be sure to write your bio in the third person, making it much easier to tout your assets.

Book Information. This page is where you should list all of the pertinent details and facts about your book. You should include the following information:

• Title: (including subtitle)
• Author(s):
• Publisher: (name and contact information)
• Distributor:
• ISBN:
• Number of Pages:
• Photographs: (number and whether or not they are in color)
• Size: (in inches [ex. 7 X 9] including the type of binding and
• the width of the spine)
• Bar Coded: (yes or no)
• Price:

Endorsements. This is where you have the opportunity to give your book some credibility. Endorsements from high profile individuals and those with strong credentials can be extremely effective in portraying the message that your book was founded on reliable, accurate information.

Promotion. This section will be a list of all of your reviews or media appearances arranged in chronological order starting with the most recent at the top of the page. Here you can also list any ongoing promotions you are involved in with any media or company. You should also mention any media that is currently being planned. If any media have agreed to, and are planning on, reviewing your book in the near future, you can incorporate those specifics here as well. Copies of any media exposure you have received in print can be incorporated into your media kit as well and is another way to increase the credibility of your book.

News Release. This is the most important element of your publicity and promotions campaign because it is the initial piece you will send to the media and the one you use to grab their attention and persuade them to do a story about you. No doubt you know that your news release must have a "hook," something that captures the reader's attention and convinces them to want to learn more. A news release should offer a potential story to the media. When you write it you should not simply announce the release of your new book, you should express the benefits of the book to the reader.

If you have several titles and/or other products, you should create a corporate media kit instead of an individual kit for each title. A corporate media kit incorporates everything your company has to offer. Even if you are only actively promoting one title, a corporate media kit can save you a great deal of time and money. You can highlight the title you are currently promoting in your news release, but including the rest of your company's information allows the media to be as thorough as possible. It also gives them a variety of different story angles to work with, which can definitely be to your benefit.

Once again, your aim in producing a proper media kit is to provide all of the key information that the media require should they choose to write a review of your book, or to invite you as a guest on a show. An attractive, professional and informative media kit is extremely helpful in facilitating that process by making your book stand out from the rest.

Find Out More...

• Creating an Author Press Kit, by Debbie Ridpath Ohi
  
  
• Seven Steps to a Great Press Release, by Elizabeth Hanes
  
  
• Turning Press Releases into Publishing Profits, by Brian Jud