R.E.S.P.E.C.T. for the Promotional Kit

An adage I live by and tell my clients often is you simply must invest time and money in your promotional materials if you expect anyone to invest their time and money in your career. Sadly, this very simple rule is often swept under the carpet.

Your goal is to show "your house is in order."

When designing the launch of national products, teams of experienced marketing people sit around conference tables for hours deciding which words and images fit their intended target audience to perfection. Creating an image and a perception of value is the primary goal behind the promotional kit. The press kit or promotional kit should look a little bit like a newstand magazine with predetermined goals behind it.

1. The intended reader should be compelled to pick it up and spend some time going through the information.

2. The content should be tailored for the intended reader. One size does not fit all.

3. The content should move the reader to take action.

I've recently seen music industrialists slap together a list of what goes into a promotional kit. And I don't use the word slap lightly.

Biography
Quote Sheets
Press Release
Photographs
Business Cards
Cover Letter
One Sheet
The most omitted item: The CD/DVD/EP

If it is slapped together like a poorly made sandwich, I guarentee everything you've spent time and money on will end up in a round file sooner than later. To help you with the design of your promo kits, I'll  put out a series of short blog posts detailing the best way to craft each element in your promotional kit.