How to Make a Press Kit
- This article was taken from Mahalo at http://www.mahalo.com/How_to_Make_a_Press_Kit
“The press kit (or “promo kit”) is an essential tool not only for the professional band, but for any group hoping to gig regularly or shop themselves around to record labels, managers, agencies, etc. Luckily, putting one together is not too onerous a task. This page will go over what you’ll need to include in your press kit to get your band noticed—and listened to.
Demo
The demo is a recording of 3 or 4 of your band’s best songs (preferably on CD). It is used to give the listener a good idea of what your band sounds like, so it is the most important aspect of the press kit.
1.) Cover songs are usually only used for demos of cover bands. If you write your own music, you probably should not have any more than one cover song, if any, on your demo.
2.) Demos are your first impression, so they should be your absolute best songs that define your band’s sound the most.
3.) Don’t save the best for last. Your strongest song should come first, followed by your next strongest song, etc.
4.) The first song shouldn’t take longer than about 30 seconds to get to the chorus or hook. The people listening to your demo do not have much time and probably listen to hundreds of songs a day. They will skip to the next song if they’re not immediately sucked in, and won’t bother listening to more than a few tunes.
5.) Though the song quality matters more than the recording quality, you should do what you can to ensure it is the best sounding demo you can make.
6.) Remove any shrink wrap that may be on the CD. The last thing anyone wants to do is wrestle with plastic wrap before they can listen to a demo.
7.) Clearly written on every demo should be: the band name, song titles, website, and contact info.
Cover Letter
Include a personalized cover letter when you send the kit.
1.) Address the letter specifically to the person you’re sending it to.
2.) Use it to introduce yourself and your band and explain why you are sending your press kit to them. If they asked you to send it, mention that—they talk to so many people, they may not even remember.
3.) This might be a good time to explain why your band would be a great fit for their label/venue.
4.) Keep it brief. Simple is better.
5.) For an added touch, print it on paper that includes a custom letterhead with your band logo and contact information.
Band Photo
Take a good, clear band photo. (Creative Commons photo by Jenny Bauman)This should be a cool-looking 8×10 photo (color or black and white) of your whole band.
1.) Hire a photographer or ask a friend with photography skills and a nice camera to take your picture.
2.) Try a variety of backgrounds, position band members in different ways, and bring a change of clothes to get a diverse photo set to choose from.
3.) Everyone’s face should be clearly seen in the photo. Consequently, live shots are not often good candidates.
4.) Dress appropriately and make the photo reflect your band’s image/personality.
5.) To mass-produce photos for your press kit, try using a site like ABC Pictures.
Band Bio
Your bio is a brief background and description of your band. Keep it simple and to the point, and entertaining or funny if it fits your band’s image.
1.) It shouldn’t be more than about three paragraphs or longer than one page (unless you are an established band who has been around for a long time).
2.) Get the important information out of the way in the first paragraph: your band name, where you’re from, what style of music you play, and what popular artists you sound like, etc.
3.) Don’t say you play a ton of styles, even if you think you do. People would rather hear exactly what you sound like and who you sound like. Don’t say you don’t fit into any musical genre—you do, even if you think you don’t. Ask a friend to give an objective opinion of some artists they think you are comparable to.
4.) Don’t lie about accomplishments, but don’t be modest either. If you have something impressive to say, say it!
5.) Give a little background about who is in the band and your band history. If you’re a brand new band, it’s OK (and inevitable) that it’s short.
6.) Use spell-checker. Typos won’t reflect well on your band’s attention to detail.
Fact Sheet/Venue List
If applicable, include a list of accomplishments in bullet form such as:
1.) Impressive CD sales numbers
2.) A string of sold out shows
3.) Radio play, etc.
Include a list of any venues your band has already played. If you’re a new band, you can omit this altogether.
Press Clippings
Gather any press coverage your band has received. This includes:
1.) Album/performance reviews
2.) Articles and interviews
3.) Online articles
You do not have to include the full article. Make a page or two of clippings, blurbs, and headlines. If someone wants to read more, they can ask you for the full articles.
Contact Info
Even though we already established that the demo is the most essential element of the press kit, your contact information is a close second.
1.) It is absolutely necessary to have your contact info on every element of the press kit: demo, photo, bio, etc. Things get separated, so if anything gets lost, you’ll want your contact info to be available anyway.
2.) Include the contact person’s name, phone number, email, and your website address.
The Presentation
Making the press kit look slick and eye-catching is never a bad idea. Keep everything to the point and easy to read quickly, since most people reading your press kit will just be skimming it over. Decorate it with your band’s logo if you have one, and do what you can to make whoever is looking at it actually want to listen to the music.
Print your materials on as few pages as possible. Use nice paper, and use Kinko’s or another print service to make many high-quality copies. Package the kit in a folder with your band’s name and contact info on it.
Remember that you will be updating the information in your press kit from time to time. Therefore, it is not desirable to make hundreds of copies at a time unless you know you will be sending them all out immediately.”
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