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A media kit tells journalists, radio and television people about you, your work, and the value of that work. At the advice of a marketing firm I compiled a media kit for my anticipatory grief book. To get the most for my money I narrowed the contact list down to publications, organizations, and stations that would be interested in the book.I bought 100 school folders on sale at a local office supply store. The folders were yellow, a color I purposely chose because it stands out and symbolizes happiness. If you only need a dozen kits or so you may use clear plastic folders or three-ring notebooks for your kits. But I was making my kits on the cheap.The next issue was a cover visual. I had a good working relationship with a graphic designer who was talented, and better yet, affordable. She turned the cover of the book into a sticker. My office supply store printed the stickers for a nominal fee. I glued a sticker and business card to each folder.Of course, the contents of my media kit were the most important. Since I had some marketing resources on hand I put them in the kits. I photocopied new inserts and color coded them for easy reference. The inserts were chosen to show my writing track record and credibility. Each kit had:* A color photocopy of the media release for the book* An article about the book from the local newspaper* A "Library Journal" review of one of my previous books* A "Detroit Free Press" review of one of my previous books* A reprint of an article I wrote for "Minnesota Medicine"* Two ezine articles I wrote about anticipatory grief* A special bookmark* A yellow postcard with a sunflower on it and ordering informationI purchased large brown envelopes for the media kits. The post office was kind enough to give me a roll of "Priority Mail" stickers. Priority mail cost more, but thought it would make my kit stand out from the hundreds of other kits on editors' desks. Before I mailed a media kit I entered the name of the organization, address, and contact person on a log.Though it took several months, the media kits generated results. I was on two Canadian radio stations, about 10 American radio stations, and participated in a four-part series on anticipatory grief. Articles about the book appeared in several Minnesota newspapers and one Arizona paper. Jim Agnew listed the book on his BookPicks website, it was cited in an internet health newsletter, and reviewed on the American Hospice Foundation website. In addition, I was asked to speak at six conferences.Should you make a media kit for your book? Only you can answer this question. Your answer depends on the kind of writing you do and your budget. A media kit is more than a marketing tool, it can help you see your work more clearly. Making a media kit for one book may lead you to the next.Copyright 2006 by Harriet Hodgson
Article Source: http://www.content.onlypunjab.com
www.harriethodgson.com www.healthwriter.blogspot.com
Harriet Hodgson has been a freelance nonfiction writer for 28 years. She is a member of the Association of Health Care Journalists and the Association for Death Education and Counseling. Her 24th book, "Smiling Through Your Tears: Anticipating Grief," written with Lois Krahn, MD, is available from www.amazon.com. A five-star review of the book is posted on Amazon. Another review is posted on the American Hospice Foundation website under the "School Corner" heading.
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