Press kits are not always necessary. In many cases, a simple press release will suffice. But when the issue is a bit more complicated than usual, when you want to brand your event or when you're involed in an extended media campaign, a press kit becomes invaluable.

Press kits can be distributed at press conferences or one-on-one interviews. They can be mailed to a reporter ahead of an event to bring him or her up to speed on the issue. They can also be adapted for editorial board sessions, giving the editors the materials they need to understand and, ultimately, support your position or issue. But don't stop there. Go digital.

It doesn't take much additional work to create a digital press kit that can be accessed off of your website. Most of your materials can easily be saved as PDF documents along with photos, head shots and multimedia clips.

With a digital press kit, bios and FAQs can be quickly updated or replaced. New files and images can be added. You can also include digital copies of logos to make it easy for reporters to include in their stories.

All of this becomes instantly accessible, making it easier for a reporter to do a story and get you the coverage you desire. But don't stop there. Put the digital press kit on a flash drive with your logo on it and hand them out at the press event along with the paper version. Most reporters will appreciate the easy access to your files, and they love the free flash drive.