Press Kit Triggers Publicity: Consumers Choose Products Recommended by Reporters

January 21, 2011

Money strapped consumers ignore suspect advertising and rely on media’s stamp of approval to purchase.

Professional marketing gurus to small business owners are finding that high end and expensive advertising campaigns no longer guarantee a sale. Savvy consumers, burned by hype, empty promises and unsubstantiated claims are on the lookout for a recommendation from a trusted source. According to Helen Coronato, program director at www.TheWeekendPublicist.com and nationally recognized author, publicity is the key to getting your product out in front of the pack.

“No amount of advertising could have done for my career what my appearance on The Today Show did,” says Coronato. “With all of the competition in publishing, being able to effectively talk about my book on national TV gave it instant credibility and value.” And getting media coverage is no accident. “You have to have a way for the media to find you and then have something newsworthy to talk about when they do.”

The internet has changed the way press kits are written and distributed. Once used only by media insiders and PR gatekeepers, today’s press kits are expected to be written in an easily digestible format which follow professional standards and speak to personal benefits. “Unfortunately, most people don’t even have a press kit; they don’t recognize, or just don’t know, the professional advantages to taking the time to craft one,” Coronato explains. “And many who think they have a press kit actually have a long jargon-filled advertisement. The media isn’t interested in helping you sell your product. They are committed to telling their readers newsworthy information.”

Effective press kits demonstrate why a product or service is newsworthy. When editors and reporters see news value in a press kit, the featured product or service benefits from increased visibility, free publicity and implied endorsement. “My Weekend Press Kit events give entrepreneurs, authors and small business owners the tools and templates they need to effectively connect with press and media in a newsworthy way,” says Coronato. “If you want to become a recognized expert in your field, you have to learn the critical difference between a sales pitch and a story pitch and then package it in a professional press kit. Content is king. Learn this, and your product will reign.”

For more information about self promotion strategies that really work, please visit www.TheWeekendPublicist.com. To learn more about Helen Coronato’s upcoming projects, please visit www.HelenCoronato.com