Indie App Press Kit Sprint: Produce a Journalist‑Ready Asset Pack in 90 Minutes

Journalists and newsletter writers want three things: an obvious story, fast access to high quality assets, and a clear contact. Your kit should be a compact utility: a one‑sentence hook, a one‑paragraph story, 2–4 raw screenshots, a high‑res icon/logo, a short founder bio and quote, one‑pager PDF, technical notes (platforms, release/launch date), and a single zipped assets folder or /press URL.

Skip long corporate histories, longform timelines, and gated downloads. If a writer needs more, they’ll ask — but if your primary materials are slow to load or buried, you lose momentum. Host an always-available /press or /media page and include a single ZIP link so you’re one click from usable files.

Run this as a focused session with a timer. Split 90 minutes into three phases: 30 minutes — write tight copy; 30 minutes — assemble assets; 30 minutes — produce outreach list + craft the pitch email. Working in short timed blocks forces decisions and delivers a usable kit rather than polish paralysis.

Concretely: (1) 0–30: Write your 1‑line hook, 1‑paragraph story, 3 short founder quotes (15–25 words each) and a one‑page PDF that combines them; (2) 30–60: export 2–4 raw screenshots at native resolution (no phone frames), export icon and logo at 2x/3x sizes, produce a single ZIP and upload it to your site or cloud; (3) 60–90: build a targeted outreach list (20–40 personalized targets), choose an outreach script and two follow‑up cadences, and prepare a simple readiness checklist for send day.

This timetable reflects what writers and app marketers actually prefer: concise, raw files and a clear pitch. Make final edits to copy only if they materially tighten or clarify the story — otherwise ship.

Give raw screenshots without device frames. Editors often want raw PNG/JPEG files they can recompose; framed mockups add work or look like marketing assets. Export screenshots at at least 2x the display resolution and include the original resolution files for desktop and mobile variants. Provide a single ZIP with logical folders: /screenshots, /icons, /video, /press‑images.

Include clear filenames and a tiny README.txt in the ZIP that lists the image contents, preferred captions, and any trademark or usage notes. For App Store marketing and other platform rules, follow the platform guidelines (for example Apple’s marketing and screenshot specs) so any assets used on product pages comply.

Targeted list beats blast volume. Use a short manual research pass to collect 20–40 highly relevant targets: specific newsletter authors, bloggers, or freelancers who've recently covered apps or the category you serve. Record name, outlet, a recent story to reference, and the best contact method (email preferred). Relevance and personalization are the gates to replies.

The pitch should be copy‑first and actionable: 2–4 sentences in the email body with a clear value proposition (story angle), one supporting data point or metric, and one clear ask (reply for an embargo, a link, a review unit). Attach or link the ZIP and include the one‑pager PDF inline. Keep the entire email under 150–200 words. Follow up once with new value (a timely data point, a customer quote, or an exclusive timeframe) and a second short follow to close the loop.

Before you hit send, run this readiness checklist: (A) Asset ZIP uploaded and tested (download and open files), (B) One‑pager PDF attached and visually scannable, (C) Contact list has verified emails and a note about the target’s recent work, (D) Founder availability is scheduled for interviews, (E) Short embargo rules (if any) are clear.

Use these two cadences depending on how close you want to seed coverage. The Conservative Cadence (targeted, relationship first): initial pitch → 5 days follow up with additional value → 10 days final “last chance” brief note. The Faster Cadence (time‑sensitive launches): initial pitch → 48–72 hour follow up → final 5‑7 day nudge. Respect the writer’s time: after the third message, pause outreach for that contact.