Having done some time as a news reporter, I can speak first-hand to the value of an effective press kit. Reporters are busy, or rushed, or lazy, or sometimes all three: They don't want to have to dig for information about your company. And, since they can easily turn to another organization as a story source, they won't.

Given the ease of online publishing, there's no excuse for a company not to have a current, effective press kit. But why are press kits missing from so many Web sites? What's their real value? What must absolutely must be in your press kit? And what should you leave out? What are the details that make a difference?

Last week, veteran PR expert Gail Z. Martin hosted a MarketingProfs virtual seminar about how to put the power of a press kit to work for your organization. I interviewed Gail about the highlights of that broadcast, as well as the nitty-gritty we couldn't get to in the 90-minute broadcast.

Q: So Gail—broad question to start: Why should companies have an online press kit?

A: Most reporters rely on the Internet for research. So do a growing number of customers, potential partners, suppliers, and vendors. An online press kit is an important way to make sure your story gets told correctly to all your important constituencies.

Q: Should every company produce a press kit as part of their Web site?

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