Creating Digital Collateral (Media Kits, Info Packs & PDFs)

 
Creating Digital Collateral (Media Kits, Info Packs & PDFs)
 

Why and how to create 'digital brochures', such as information packs, media kits and other brand documents for your customers

Whether you're a restaurant owner, online retailer, photographer, coach or dog groomer (I always like to include that last one... dogs need to feel pampered too!), having a digital document/PDF/pack with everything your customer needs to know about you can be extremely useful!

Table of Contents


    Why is an info pack/media kit useful?

    First of all, I've found that it's actually pretty useful for getting your own head together about your products/services and processes!

    You can't tell your customers one thing and do another, so it's important to really think through everything you include in your document to make sure it is going to be consistent with your practices.

    What else?

    • Have a quick, 'pre-made' response for enquiries on-hand and ready to go

    • Streamline your client communication because you no longer have to repeat yourself!

    • Refer service clients to the document if they're unsure of anything during the service

    • Refer product customers to the document if they're unsure of anything post-purchase

    • Showcase your best work/products without sending people to your website

    • Speaking of which, it's super handy if your website is under maintenance!

    • Look like you've seriously got your sh*t together as a professional


    What’s the difference between an info pack and a media kit?

    What do I mean by an ‘Info Pack’?

    This is typically used to send to client and customer enquiries, giving an introduction to yourself and what you do.

    In terms of size/length, it could be anywhere from 3 to 10 pages long (I probably wouldn’t suggest longer than that to keep it short, sweet and maintain peoples’ attention!).

    What do I mean by a ‘media kit’?

    It’s the same principle as the above; you want to give an introduction to yourself/your business and what you offer, BUT more from a collaboration perspective.

    For example, you would send a media kit to a brand that wants to sponsor you, or the host of a podcast you want to feature on, or to an event that wants to have you as a speaker.

    Think of it almost like a business/brand CV!

    Media kits are also useful for bloggers and influencers, who may want to show advertisers or sponsors more about the audience they have.

    These are typically shorter and designed to be quick & easy to digest (1 to 3 pages).


    What should I include in my info pack/media kit?

    It's really up to you how you lay it out and what you want to include, and it also depends on what you're selling, but here's some basic ideas:

    Info Pack

    • Front page (includes your logo, the name of the document and the year)

    • About page (basic summary of your business, and a bit about you if you like!)

    • Services/Products page (what your business offers)

    • Process page (how you work, or what your project process looks like)

    • Previous Work page (some portfolio examples, product images or testimonials)

    • FAQ page (include some questions you get regularly)

    • Contact page (clear, easy to read contact details and where to find you)

    As you can see, it can be laid out much like a website would be. In which case you might be wondering why you even need it, but trust me, in the event that your website goes down or needs maintenance, you will appreciate having it. 

    Also you may occasionally get enquiries from people who haven't been on your website, and a PDF document can sometimes seem like less effort than browsing around a website, so it's nice to have on-hand for people you suspect may want quick, to-the-point information. It can also feel a little more personal than sending someone a link!

    Media Kit

    • Logo and tagline (it's important to make sure the whole document is branded too)

    • Short summary (a short paragraph about who you are & what you do)

    • Bullet point 'offerings' (what service/products you offer)

    • Statistics (eg, products sold, website visitors, social following)

    • Previous work examples (two or three short examples of previous work, or people you've worked with)

    • Contact details (bold and easy to read, where people can find you)

    An example of a Media Kit I created for Jam & Clotted Cream


    How can I create an info pack/media kit?

    There are several tools you can use to create your digital documents; you just want to make sure you can export your document to a PDF file. You should always send documents to people in this format because (unlike Microsoft Word or Apple Pages documents) the layout won't change depending on what tool or computer or software version you open it with - it will always look the same.

    Some tools you can consider (you can export all these to PDF):

    One of my favourite resources for professional templates is Creative Market*. You can buy easy, professionally designed templates for InDesign, Canva, Google Docs or any other kind of software you prefer!

    I’ve listed a few of my favourites below:

    Welcome Pack / Info Guide by January Made Design*

    Info pack
    Services & Pricing Guide info pack
    Podcast media kit

    What other brand documents could I create?

    Some examples of other documents and digital PDFs you may want to create for your business include:

    • A Welcome pack (this is typically sent AFTER a client has signed up with/hired you, welcoming them to your service, and providing a more in-depth view of your process including payments and requirements - this may be something you customise a little person to person)

    • A Guide document (a guide to using your product, making the most of your services, or getting started with a tool or resource)

    • A Send-off or ‘Goodbye’ pack (for me, this includes details on how to use a website or details on how to make all future branding consistent - it could also include upsells for other products or services)

    • Portfolio flyer (a one-page PDF with a few previous work examples and a testimonial or two... surprisingly useful!)


     
     

    *Indicates an affiliate link, but I only recommend tools & products I love and use myself!

    Rosanna

    With 8 years as a Squarespace Circle Member, website designer and content creator, Rosanna shares tips and resources about design, content marketing and running a website design business on her blog. She’s also a Flodesk University Instructor (with 8+ years expertise in email marketing), and runs Cornwall’s most popular travel & lifestyle blog too.

    http://www.byrosanna.co.uk
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