Continuing our discussion about press kits…

Do: Keep your press kits simple and easy to use
Do Not: Get too cute with fancy designs or packaging

When developing your press kit, it’s important to remember that it is first and foremost a reference tool.  It will sit in an editor’s file drawer for up to a year, and she will refer back to it when she needs to.

For that reason, press kits should typically be very simple and utilitarian in their design.  Sure, you can design the folder so it looks nice and represents your brand well.  But it should still be easy to use and file and find.

In recent years, electronic press kits have become more prevalent.  A CD or a USB drive with all of the releases and photos in digital form is the ultimate in user-friendliness.

But resist the urge to “over-design” your press kit.  “Fancy press kits with lots of unnecessary flair, gimmicks, and frilly packaging are a waste of time,” said an editor.  “It’s the information that matters.”

In this age of digital this and social networking that, the lowly press kit remains as one of the most useful tools for generating publicity.  Having a good, well-thought-out press kit can mean the difference between being featured and being forgotten.

Like with anything else, there are good ways to do press kits, and there are bad ways.  Luckily, it’s pretty simple to create a good press kit that will serve you well.

Here are some tips for what to do, and what not to do, when developing a press kit:

Do: Include only essential and “new” information
Do Not: Stuff your press kits with too much stuff

A good press kit contains a few press releases about new products, services or other news, high-quality photography, some company background information and contact information.

That’s it!

Too often, however, companies see the press kit as a chance to get everything they can into the hands of journalists, who for the most part, don’t like it.  “I don’t need catalogs for the company’s entire product line, I only want what’s new” one editor told me.  The editor also said that sending unsolicited product samples is a big no-no.

Instead, you should keep your press kit’s focus on what’s new.  “New information in the form of press releases and information sheets,” said an editor.  “And press releases must be dated.”

More to come…

Despite its popularity, Twitter remains a conundrum to many companies. Many complain they don’t understand it. They don’t know how this silly site where people share the minutiae of their lives can help them build their brands.

The answer is simple. Be creative. Take advantage of opportunities that present themselves.

An excellent example of Twitter marketing is happening right now in my hometown of Milwaukee.Two local bars, each claiming to have the best burgers in town, are staging a contest to settle the matter.

#BURGERCHALLENGE pits three burgers each from Stack’d Bar and AJ Bombers. Customers order their burgers and Tweet their rating on a scale of 1-5. The promotion runs Aug. 31 through Sept. 6 and includes specials on food and drinks. It is taking place exclusively on Twitter. No other advertising or promotion. No strategic planning.  No board room meetings with ad executives.

Organic. Spontaneous. Cheap.

I spoke to the two bars, @stackedbar and @AJBombers, (on Twitter, of course) to ask them about the contest.

As you might imagine, #BURGERCHALLENGE started on Twitter. “We were issued a challenge by @AJBombers so we ran with it and decided to invite all our Tweeps,” tweeted @stackedbar.

That’s what’s great about Twitter. Ideas often just pop up. To take advantage of them, you have to first be present, and second have the ability to run with an idea.

The other advantage of Twitter is enables you to move fast. Both contestants decided early on to keep #BURGERCHALLENGE exclusively on Twitter, partly because they could get it done quickly. “It was happening pretty quickly,” said @AJBombers, “and at its heart [it is] really just a fun idea that all began [on] Twitter.”

So, the question of course is, does all this work? It’s great that these guys (I think they’re guys) are enjoying themselves, but it’s all just fun and games unless it’s actually doing some good.

Both @stackedbar and @AJBombers are looking for exposure for their two, locally owned independent businesses, with increased traffic being a bonus. Judging by the buzz it’s already generated on Twitter, I’d say their first mission is already accomplished. Indeed, @stackedbar agrees: “…the whole thing is already a success!”

But will it generate preference, loyalty and sales for these two Cream City burger joints? Watch this space for an update with post-game reaction from the two contenders. And to find out who won. I’ll give my ratings, as well.

And if you’re in town, by all means, stop by one or both and enjoy a burger and a beer.

Noble a cause as it is, being green has become a bit of a bandwagon.  As environmental issues continue to dominate the news, companies are jumping on, painting their logos green and shouting, “Me too!”

You could do that.  You could institute a recycling program or a carpooling program for employees and put out an ad that says how green you are.

But if you want to stand out and be a leader, go beyond what’s expected and look for new ways to be green.

If you sell electronics, run a promotion in which people can bring in their old TVs to be recycled or properly disposed of.  If you sell cabinets or appliances, go out of your way to work with contractors who minimize waste and use green building practices.

You could even institute a cell phone recycling program by offering to collect customers’ old cell phones and shipping to a recycling service like gazelle.com.

By taking some initiative, you can make it easy for your customers to be green by working with you.

In your haste to market your company’s green-ness, make sure you don’t get ahead of yourself.

Make sure you have an established set of policies and procedures regarding your environmental action.  Once you have your program in place and it’s followed by all your employees, then you can promote it.

If you start marketing your company as green or sustainable before you’ve really achieved it, you could cause more harm than good.

And be honest about it.

Some companies are models of sustainability.  Others might just have a simple recycling program.

It’s important to be honest about the steps you’re taking to reduce your environmental impact.  More importantly, it’s important to be honest about what you’re not doing.

People understand that there are shades of green, and they will give you credit for doing what you can, even if every single decision isn’t governed by environmental impact.  On the other hand, if you make broad, sweeping statements that aren’t backed up by facts, your credibility will become extinct in a hurry.