Does An Interior Designer Need A Press Kit?

The terms press kit or media kit float around often when the topic of PR comes up. You may wonder what exactly they are, and if you need one. Let’s dig into this a bit.

Many people use press kit and media kit interchangeably, but no matter what you call them, there a couple of fundamentally different kinds.

MEDIA KIT

A media kit is a packet of information that magazines and a lot of bigger blogs use to sell advertising and sponsorships. It usually includes information about their audience and reach, the types of ads and promotions they are offering, and pricing. Sometimes it includes an editorial calendar, which is the only connection with PR, otherwise it is a sale tool.

PRESS KIT

A press kit is also a packet of information, but it’s designed to provide background and content information to the media. Journalists use it when they are looking for content to write stories and articles. 

Brands and companies use press kits to release comprehensive bundles of information to the media. For instance, in my old life when I worked for Kohler, we’d create press kits for all the tradeshows we attended. They included press releases with product information and images of all the new introductions to make it easy for journalists to find the info when they were writing about kitchen and bath products.

What does that mean for you? Whether or not an interior design business should have a press kit is certainly up for discussion. Compiling a well-organized press kit is time-consuming. I definitely only recommend it when it’s worth it and has a certain shelf life.

My best advice would be: If you are a solopreneur or small shop, you probably don’t need one. On the flipside, if you are a bigger business and possibly have your own product lines or retail location, it’s not an absolute necessity but a good idea. It will ensure that you are ready when a media opportunity arises. I would recommend an evergreen kit that has relevant background on you and your business, and then you can add current information as it comes up.

BTW, this doesn’t mean that you are off the hook for being able to provide the media helpful, well-organized information as a small business owner! It only means that it does not have to be neatly packaged into a formal press kit.

Here is a list of content you may want to consider for a press kit, or otherwise:

• Company Backgrounder
• Management/Staff Bios
• Info on Products/Services
• A Selection of Important Press Releases (if available)
• Case Studies/Notable Projects
• Noteworthy Press Coverage
• Industry Awards and Accolades
• Images
• Contact Information

I hope this helps clear up a bit of the “press kit” mystery. If you have any questions, I’m happy to answer them.