Before a Reporter Calls: Why Your Des Moines Business Needs a Media Kit

A media kit — also called a press kit — is a curated package of materials that tells your business's story to journalists, investors, and partners without requiring them to dig for it. The Public Relations Society of America found that 75% of journalists use media kits when researching stories, meaning businesses without one risk being passed over before the first email is ever sent. For West Side businesses competing for local coverage in a growing metro, that's a gap you can't afford to leave open.

When a Reporter Googles You, What Do They Find?

Picture a reporter working on a story about thriving neighborhood businesses along Des Moines's West Side. They find three candidates. Two have organized media pages — company backgrounds, leadership photos, and recent press releases. The third has a homepage, a Facebook page, and a contact form.

Which two businesses make the story?

As Foundr explains, if a reporter can't find a media kit, they'll turn to Google to piece together what they need — meaning your business loses control of its own story from the start. A well-prepared media kit eliminates that guesswork and makes saying yes to your business the path of least resistance.

Bottom line: The easier you make a journalist's job, the more likely they are to include you.

Isn't a Media Kit Just for Big Companies?

If you run a small nonprofit or a solo retail shop on the West Side, it's easy to assume media kits are a tool for corporations with full communications departments. That reasoning makes sense on the surface — but the data says otherwise.

According to Mailchimp, press kits help small businesses define their brand story, facilitate media relationships, attract potential investors, and make it simpler for partners to evaluate working with you. The format scales down easily; the same logic applies whether you have five employees or fifty.

The practical shift: if you've been waiting until your business is "big enough" to need a media kit, you've already waited too long.

What Goes in a Media Kit

A media kit doesn't need to be elaborate — it needs to be complete. Here's what every business should include:

• [ ] Company overview — who you are, what you do, and when you started. Two to three paragraphs, written for someone who's never heard of you.

• [ ] Key team bios — short profiles (3–5 sentences) for founders, owners, or executives a reporter might want to quote.

• [ ] Recent press releases — copies of announcements you've issued in the past 12 months. No press releases yet? An "About Our Founding" blurb works as a placeholder.

• [ ] Product or service information — a clear, jargon-free description of your offerings. Think FAQ, not sales page.

• [ ] Media coverage clippings — links or PDFs of any earned coverage: local articles, interviews, recognition, or awards.

• [ ] High-resolution logo and photos — downloadable images reporters can actually use in print or online.

• [ ] Contact information — a dedicated media contact (even if that's you), with email and phone.

In practice: Build the kit assuming the reporter has five minutes and zero prior knowledge of your business.

Journalists Won't Just Reach Out — Here's Why That Matters

You might assume: if a journalist is genuinely interested in my business, they'll email me. That's a reasonable instinct. It also explains why many small businesses get overlooked.

Studies show that most journalists research independently rather than wait for responses to cold outreach. And the math is humbling: the average pitch response rate sits at just 3.43%, with 86% of pitches rejected for lack of relevance. A ready, organized media kit sidesteps that friction entirely — the journalist finds what they need, confirms you're a credible source, and moves forward on their timeline.

Bottom line: A media kit works for you while you're focused on running your business.

How to Package and Share Your Kit

Once you've assembled your materials, save everything as PDFs. PDFs maintain their formatting across devices, can be shared securely via email or a Drive link, and open without special software on any operating system. They're also straightforward to clean up before sharing — Adobe Acrobat is a browser-based PDF tool that lets you trim and resize pages directly in your browser; if any of your documents need margins adjusted or pages cropped, check this out.

Host your completed kit on a dedicated "Media" or "Press" page on your website. Keep the link visible — a footer placement or a spot on your About page works well. When a reporter finds you, they shouldn't have to ask for anything.

Start With What You Have

Building a media kit takes an afternoon, not a month. Start with a paragraph about your business, a team photo, and one recent press release or announcement. Add coverage clippings as you earn them — and as earned media coverage builds, each mention becomes a credibility signal that paid advertising simply can't replicate.

As a member of the Des Moines West Side Chamber of Commerce, you're already connected to a network of businesses and community partners who can help amplify your story. The Chamber's dual membership with the Greater Des Moines Partnership extends that reach across local, state, and national marketplaces — and a polished media kit ensures you're ready when the next opportunity lands.

Frequently Asked Questions

What if I've never gotten any press coverage?

Skip the clippings section for now and focus on what you do have: a strong company overview, team bios, and product or service information. A media kit without coverage is still useful — it gives journalists the context they need to decide whether you're worth covering in the first place.

A gap in coverage is a reason to build the kit sooner, not skip it.

Does a digital media kit replace having a website?

No — they serve different audiences. Your website is for customers. Your media kit is for journalists, partners, and investors who need structured background information quickly. A media page on your existing site is fine; it doesn't need to be a separate property.

Think of the media kit as a fast lane for people who already know they're interested in you.

How often should I update my media kit?

Review it at least once a year, or whenever something significant changes — new leadership, a product launch, a rebrand, or notable coverage. Outdated bios or stale press releases can undermine credibility faster than having no kit at all.

Set a calendar reminder to review yours every January before the new year picks up pace.

Should I send my media kit proactively, or wait for journalists to ask?

Both. A media kit hosted online works passively — reporters find it during research. You can also attach it (or link to it) when pitching story ideas to local outlets like the Des Moines Register or local TV stations. Having it ready means you can respond immediately when interest appears, rather than scrambling to pull materials together.

The kit that exists is more useful than the perfect one you're still planning.