Monday, August 8, 2011

How To Create a Kick Ass Media Kit that Glows

Oh hello, fancy seeing you here. Are you here for the all the boob and lady parts talk? No? Oh right, maybe the post where I rant about dickhead doctors or my boy's wonky noggin? Hrmm not that either? OK how about the schmaltzy posts that are obviously written when I'm high on hormones? Wow not that either! Oooh I know why you're here. The kick ass media kit!

If you were at Blogopolis or were following #nnb2011 you might have heard that Andrew Hughes of Reprise Media mentioned that I had a good media kit. He went as far as saying it was better than some of the professional ones he's seen. Woah. That's one hell of a compliment, I had no idea it was coming and it left me blushing (though I was also having an allergic reaction to seafood at the time so maybe it was just that).

If I hadn't been sucking down on antihistamines I would have taken a screen capture of all the tweets that followed and stuck it on my mirror instead of those "You're a wonderful, worthy person" post it notes that are meant to send you down the path of enlightenment. Because a wall of Tweets from other people saying you rock absolutely kicks "Live each day to the fullest" to the kerb.

My inbox has been jam packed full of requests to see it ever since. I have shared my media kit, sponsorship request letters and the like with lots of Bloggers before because it's only fair I pass on the knowledge that was shared with me when I was starting out.

So here we go... this won't be what you're expecting...
Why yes that IS my award smack bang in the centre
so you know right away I'm awesome!
There was one person who was amazingly helpful when I first started looking for sponsorship, who sent me her kit and then looked over mine when I'd put only the smallest of personal touches on it (like my then follower count of 82). That woman is Tina Gray from TinaGray{dot}Me and the PR Friendly Aussie Blog Directory.

It's been about a year since Tina looked over my kit and gave it a nod of approval. In that time it has changed a lot and morphed in to something that is truly my own. The flesh is different but the bones of it? Well they are still the same and it would be dishonest of me to claim that I am some fancy pants media kit creator when it was her framework that I built upon.

Now I bet you weren't expecting an attention whore like me to say that, were you?

I encourage you all to check out Tina's eBook about how to create a media kit and then build on it so that you end up with a finished product that reflects you and your blog.

All I can add was the feedback I received from Andrew about why he liked it. He said I "communicate all of the important things that I needed to know quickly and up front – then all of the detail was there If I wanted".

In my now infamous kit I have all the important stuff on the front page including:
  • a section about my blog written in my usual "blog voice" so up front you know I'm rather tongue-in-cheek. I will admit this less than professional tone could lose me some business, but I want a company to know what I'm like
  • a section about me, also written in my usual "blog voice"
  • a section about my audience demographics and level of reader engagement in a more professional tone (well as professional as someone like me can get)
  • a section about why a company should choose to go with me as a Mummy Blogger
  • a table with all my stats and where they came from 
Yep, all of that one ONE PAGE. If you can't fit that all on one page you're saying too much. If a company likes what they see there, they can flip over and read more. If you make them go searching through a massive kit for the information they need, chances are they'll pop you in the 'too hard basket'.

Over the next five pages (ya-huh, it's loooong!) I have:
  • links to the websites I've been featured on and a list of the magazines I've been featured in
  • a list of the awards I've won (OK so it was only one but it totally deserves a section)
  • a testimony page showing reader engagement and praise for my sarcasm writing 
  • terms and conditions of running a review/giveaway/sponsored post and links to examples of each
  • sponsorship packages currently available and a summary of previous ones
  • advertising rates and payment options
  • contact details
So there you have it. Anticlimactic much?

I wanna say a massive thank you to everyone who linked to me in their Blogopolis wrap ups and of course to Andrew for mentioning me in the first place. My site stats have jumped about 25% because of it and it's both  completely awesome and overwhelming at the same time. My ego is so freakin big right now that I'm needing a neck brace to support my fat head. So, um, in closing, if you're a blogger, go make your Media Kit Glow. If you're a company... you should totally sponsor me to go to BlogHer12 with Zoey and Louisa.

33 comments:

  1. This is fabulous, Glowless. Thanks for being so generous in sharing your knowledge. You know this post will now score you heaps of clicks on a regular basis, don't you? Hehe!! ;)

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  2. That would be a nice side effect :P

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  3. Totally with you on Tina's ebook.  I'll definitely be using that as my starting point when I get to that stage in my blogging life (not for a while yet I'm sure!).

    Thank you so much for sharing your awesome-ness.  And I agree with Kellie, you'll be getting soooo many clicks out of this LOL. But that's ok, you deserve it, considering you've got the best media kit and all ;)

    Thanks chicken!

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  4. Thank you for sharing Glowless ...what you do in life, have a habit of coming back to you...:) have a great day!

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  5. Wooooah !  That's so friggin' AWESOME !  
    I now feel sooo adequately stoopid trying to teach you corporate "lingo" the other day !!!
    You are so on the money !So next time we do a Skype chat, you're gonna teach me tricks of the trade...deal ?  Deal!
    Run with your awesomeness, lovely lady...Just run with it :)

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  6. You are so so so generous, G. Considering you could have EASILY charged money for this, I hope everyone who steals this, remembers to put you in their Will. Or at least, take you out to dinner while they're still alive.

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  7. awesome I cant wait to get started with this post to guide me! thanks Glowless x

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  8. You have inspired me to finish mine! Go the Glow xxxx

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  9. ok, you've made me do it.... adding 'tweak media kit to be as awesome as Glowless's' to my already long To Do list... not sure if I should thank you or not! ;)

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  10. I am going to BlogHer12 as well! 

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  11. Thanks so much for mentioning my ebook, Glowless. I can't take total credit for it either. My information comes from the many generous people on the internet who give their knowledge so freely. I just collated it to make it easy for people to use :)

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  12. Your media kit does glow, it sparkles and shines :) Thanks for this!!

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  13. Thanks for sharing the Glow wisdom!  And I agree, Tina is great and oh so helpful for those of us starting out and are CLUELESS (so if you read this Tina, another big fat thanks from me!) 

    You will no doubt be in demand for Blogher 2012 and I shall dream big dreams that one day I'll attend too x

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  14. Awesomesauce. If I ever get a break from my washing machine, I might think about getting started! Tina's ebook was fantastic. 
    Actually, Tina herself is just fantastic.And I WISH I could go to BlogHer 2012. Maybe in a few years ;)

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  15. Martine@themodernparentAugust 8, 2011 at 2:44 PM

    Sharing is caring.....thanks glow less!

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  16. LOVE. Tina is awesome. And so is this post. Thanks for sharing your tips with us. I can see where mine is missing some key stuff. That and people actually interested in reading it, of course! :D

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  17. Wow. Thanks for sharing your wisdom, it is fantastic (and you should be charging for this) 

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  18. I'm determined to go to BlogHer next year too. Fingers and toes crossed. (I already knew you were awesome before Andrew outed you ... MWAH!)

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  19. Vanessa @ bestbuys4baby.com.auAugust 8, 2011 at 8:05 PM

    You are right, I didn't come for the boobs & lady parts post but enjoyed it nether-the-less.  Thanks for taking the time to share - Vanessa

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  20. See... Giant head of awesomeness! Seriously though, thank you. I had literally no idea and you were so very kind xx

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  21. Thank you for sharing your 'secret'! haha. It's nice to know that it isn't as big and scary as I thought it was going to be.
    I like how you write in your own voice not in some fake 'what the companies want to hear' voice. That was one thing I was a bit worried about.Defiantly going to download Tina's ebook.

    Thank you!!! :)

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  22. Great to read why he liked it. I have just finished my media kit for Mojito Mother and am now going to go back and redo the front page!!! I seem to have everything else in place. 
    Will have to add a front page to y Travel Blog too. :)
    Thanks so much for the helpful advice

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  23. I can't believe I haven't commented on this post - must be because I'm too busy reading your great site- really love! 

    Thank you for kindly sharing your media kit tips, there needs to be a tip jar here so that those who want to can say thanks! 

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  24. I still haven't finished my media kit. Doing my farking head in. Help? x

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  25. Of course baby cakes. Will email you x

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  26. Thanks so much! I just updated my media kit using this as a guide. So very helpful! Much appreciated. xxx

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  27. what a legend you are! its all a bit daunting when you're starting out but get it right first time and never look back! that's the plan anyway ahh plans *sigh*.....enough with the commenting, go write!!

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