Applies to
Microsoft® Office Publisher 2003
Microsoft Publisher 2002

Whenever you embark on a marketing campaign to attract the attention of newspapers, radio, or other media, you'll need a media kit. You may want to announce a new office, project, or partnership, or detail your company's involvement in a conference, charity event, or other activity.

A media kit is a collection of key information that conveys to members of the media who you are, what you do, and why they should care. In addition to including relevant content, your media kit should support the consistent identity of your organization.

It doesn't have to be fancy, but it does have to be clean, attractive, and relevant. Be sure to proofread every element thoroughly—members of the media whom you contact will keep your media kit on file for future reference, so you want to make sure that the information is reliable and correct.

Fortunately, Microsoft Publisher makes it easy to put together a simple yet professional media kit. You just have to collect a few items that you can create yourself with Publisher, such as:

• A cover letter
• A brochure
• A press release
• Business cards
• Your company mission and history
• Biographies and credentials of key personnel

Then, put those items in high-quality presentation folders, which you can purchase at an office supply shop. Folders come in a variety of colors, and some have embossing, die-cuts, extra folds, or pockets. You can customize the folder with a label on the front that matches your company identity. Finally, package the media kits in mailing envelopes and send them out.

Consider using the same Master Design Set in Publisher (for example, the Studio design, shown in the samples above) to create your company letterhead, business cards, brochures, and labels. That way, you can be sure that your media kit— and all of your marketing communications—will convey exactly the image of your company that you intend.

Cover letter

Your cover letter should be fairly short, introducing you (if you're the contact person), your company, and your media kit. Try to address the cover letter to someone, as opposed to Dear Sir/Madam. Often you can find the appropriate names on the Web or by calling the media outlet.

Use the Mail Merge feature in Publisher to address your cover letter. The Mail and Catalog Merge Wizard (in Publisher 2002, the Mail Merge Wizard) leads you through the mail merge process step by step.

Brochure

If you already have a printed brochure, include one prominently in your media kit. If you haven't yet created a brochure, you can do so easily with Publisher. Create a brochure to provide information on your products or services, describe a special event, or highlight your company's unique skills.

Press release

A media kit should always include a press release so that members of the media can quickly grasp the relevance of your material. Your press release should inform the media of something new— a new product or service, awards you've received, or a new partnership with another company. Templates on Microsoft Office Online includes some sample press releases that can help you get started.

Tip   A great way to reinforce your company's image is to print your press release on your letterhead.

Business cards

Publisher makes it easy to create your own business cards, or even customize a set for the media.

Company mission and history

Include a brief company history, printed on your letterhead. Unless the company history is very colorful or of historical or local interest, keep it to one or two paragraphs.

Biographies and credentials of key personnel

Make sure that your media kit includes a biography detailing the credentials, education, and experience of your company's key personnel. Be sure to mention publication or production credits, patents, inventions, partnerships, or important contributions to relevant projects. Be truthful—sometimes members of the media will contact local business people to comment on issues within their industries or realms of expertise, and you'll want to be able to give cogent responses. Becoming a resource for your local media is a great way to generate buzz about your company.

Folders

Most office supply stores have an array of folders for you to choose from, many of which feature embossing, die-cuts, great colors, and beautifully textured paper stocks. When you go to the store, take along a business card, sheet of letterhead, or other marketing material to help you match the colors of your design with the folders.

Tip   Be sure that the folder you choose slides easily into a standard-size mailing envelope.

Labels

To further bring out your company's identity with your media kit, customize your folders with a label that you design and print with Publisher. Publisher includes a number of preformatted label publications specially designed to be compatible with Avery labels for your desktop printer.

Tip   Check to see whether the Master Design Set that you are using for your other publications includes a large shipping label.

To create a label

1. Start Publisher.
2. In the New Publication task pane, under New from a design, click Publications for Print, and then click Labels. In the right-hand pane, click the label type you need.

   Note  In the New Publication task pane, under Start from a design, click Labels. In the right-hand pane, click the label type you need.

   Tip   You will probably want to choose one of the larger-sized labels, such as the Avery shipping label, for the front of your folder. Be sure to match the label template with the correct Avery label number.

3. In the Publication Designs task pane, select Color Schemes and Font Schemes to choose colors and fonts that match the rest of your marketing materials.
4. Click the placeholder text, and then type to replace placeholder text with your own text.

   Tip   If you've stored your business contact information in a Publisher personal information set, it will appear automatically.

To control text size in placeholder text boxes

In most cases, text resizes automatically to fit within a placeholder text box. However, you can adjust this setting.

1. Click the text box.
2. On the Format menu, point to AutoFit Text, and then click Do Not Autofit (if you are using Publisher 2002, click None).
3. Select the text, and then choose a new font size from the Font Size list on the toolbar.

To replace a placeholder logo with your own logo

1. Right-click the logo placeholder, and then click Wizard For This Object.
2. In the Logo Designs task pane, click Logo Options.
3. Under New or existing, click Inserted picture.
4. Click Choose picture, locate the image that you want, and then click Insert. Publisher will automatically size it to fit.

   Tip  If you have included your logo in a Publisher personal information set, it will be added to new publications automatically.

Other items you can include

Item	Description
Photos	If you have professional photos of key personnel or products, include them in your media kit. Be sure the photo includes all the necessary contact information. If that information is missing, create labels to stick on the back. The label should include: Name and title of the person or the name of the product Your company name Company contact person and his or her phone number Brief caption describing the subject of the photo Copyright notice (if necessary)
Interview	Consider including a variation on a press release — an interview with a key person in your organization. Some print journalists rework media kit interviews or combine them with a phone interview for a feature article. For general media outlets, such as newspapers, magazines, and radio and television shows, keep the responses understandable and relevant to a layperson. For industry-targeted media, however, don't be afraid to let your expertise show.
Newsletter, article, or essay	If you have a newsletter, or have written articles or essays relevant to your industry, you may want to include copies in your media kit. Provide information on obtaining reprints or permission to reuse the article, so the person reading the article knows who to contact.
Public service announcement	A public service announcement (PSA) is a variation of a press release that is written specifically for radio. PSAs are particularly helpful if you're trying to call attention to an event or a time-sensitive community project. Estimate that every word takes one second to read aloud. For example, 30 words require 30 seconds on-air. Always list the number of words in the upper-left corner of the PSA, and try to keep the announcement short. Tip   Don't forget to print your PSA on your letterhead.
Other media	If you're including an audiocassette, audio CD, CD-ROM, videotape, or DVD as part of a media kit, be sure to create labels and inserts for them. Publisher makes it easy to create all sorts of media labels that match the rest of your marketing materials. Note  Videotapes must be mailed in bubble envelopes or wrapped in bubble wrap. Never use a fiber-filled envelope— the dust from the fiber can get into a VCR and damage the playback heads.

See Also