The beginning of the year is a good time to reassess your press kit to make sure all of the information is accurate. Here are a few of the more typical items that may need attention:

• FAQ page: Are the questions and answers you provide for your product or service the most appropriate? You may find a Q&A that's no longer a major concern or an issue you no longer need to address.

It's easy to get tied up in your Key Message Point or the complexity of a question when trying to respond to the Media. Unfortunately, you can often miss the opportunity to keep your company or organization's brand front and center.

When we conduct media training, either to groups or one-on-one, we encourage our clients to "brand the bite." It's really pretty simple. 

Include your brand (company name, slogan, etc.) in your sound bite or response.

If one of your media relations New Year's resolution is to issue more press releases this year, you might be wondering just when is a good time to send out a press release? The usual response is something like, "When you have something to announce to the public." 

True enough, but how do you know when that "something" is newsworthy? Frankly, it's tough. News judgment is going to differ from editor to editor. But, if you think that enough clients, customers and investors would benefit by knowing what you have to say, you're on the right path.

To give you a little more inspiration, here are 10 reasons to issue a press release. Ponder each of these in the context of your business or organization to see how they can apply to you:

We're honored to be featured in The Daily Herald Business Ledger. The focus of the column is that our choice of words and how we say something can make a world of difference, especially in business or when it comes to dealing with the media.

For instance, we write, "We counsel our clients to be careful when choosing their words speaking to reporters. Avoid the jargon and acronyms of your industry. Don’t get bogged down in statistics. Above all, speak to the tone of the event."

Further along in the column, we add, "We are defined by the words we use. Integrity applies to our conversations and emails just as much as it does to our corporate ethics statements."

We strongly suggest using the column to help set the tone for the new year. Read it here. And please feel free to let us know what you think. 

How much publicity and attention your firm or organization gets this year is largely up to you. You have more control that you might think in whether you get earned media in 2013.

First, start with a plan. Don't make media an afterthought. Sure, some of the best stories just happen, but many stories result from laying out a plan early in the year. What are some of the major announcements that you know will occur? What are some of the events at which your key people will be featured? Start to plug those dates into the calendar.