Band Press Kits are an important
part of an artists or bands career and sometimes, dependent on how well they
are put together, can mean success or failure. Band press kits are used for a
variety of things including music promotion, music publicity, booking agents,
and band promotions. There are many things that make a press kit successful;
however, in my opinion, in order to achieve that success there are a few
guidelines that you should always follow.
One of the first guidelines that I
would always follow when making a press kit for an artist that I am working
with is to ensure that you include a detailed biography about the artist or
band. This biography should include every member of the band as well as an
in-depth look into each of their backgrounds. The more detail you go into, the
better; however, refrain from making the biography’s more than a paragraph or
two per-member. By giving the reader a insight into the background of the band,
it allows them to have a better grasp on who you really are, and who you can
potentially grow to be.
The second guideline that I would
follow to ensure the success of your bands press kit would be to include a band
picture as well as a Demo CD. If your band does not have both of these items
done yet, I would refrain from presenting a press kit to anyone in the industry
as it comes off like you are unprepared. According to Artist
House Music, the band’s picture should capture what someone would expect
when listening to the music. No matter how visually appealing or well laid out
the press kit is, the demo is most important part. If the demo you have is not
professional sounding or is presented incorrectly, you’re sunk (Aritst
House Music, 2013). The companies you are submitting these press kits to
want a “product” they can mold and market right off the bat and without those
two items, your band becomes a so-called employee that still needs training, of
which they are not looking to hire.
The third guideline would be to
ensure that you include your booking and contact information. Be sure to incorporate
the following information in your press kit; Multiple Contact Names and Phone
Numbers, E-Mail Addresses, Fax Numbers, and Web Addresses. This information is
a vital part of any press kit simply because it is a means of communication for
the “buyer” to contact you about your artist or band.
Finally, what do you do and how
long do you wait after you have submitted your press kit to contact the
“buyer”? In my opinion, follow-up calls should be done about two weeks after
you have submitted your press kit. According to Entrepreneur, these
follow-up calls allow you to ensure that the person actually received the press
kit as well as allowing the recipient to ask questions or schedule an
interview. Sometimes giving the appropriate people a follow-up call will
improve your chances of success (Entrepreneur, 2002).
There are many different things
that you should pay attention to when you are preparing a press kit. However,
by being well prepared and insuring that all the information is included in a
professional manner, you and your artist will have a bigger chance of becoming successful.
References
Artists House
Music. (2006). How Do I Create a Press Kit. Retrieved on September 9, 2013,
from; http://www.artistshousemusic.org/expert/how+do+i+create+a+press+kit
Deviantart.net.
(2013). Band Press Kit Image. Retrieved on September 9, 2013, from; http://fc04.deviantart.net/fs47/i/2009/229/5/1/Band_Press_Kit_by_emtgrafico.jpg
Entrepreneur.
(2002). The Ingredients of a Press Kit. Retrieved on September 9, 2013, from; http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/57260
