Press Kit

Image is everything. Well, in this industry image means a lot to how other people form opinions about your band. Part of creating a successful image is presenting your band to distributors and other industry professionals in as professional a manor as possible.

A press kit is a band or artist's way of providing those unfamiliar with your music pertinent information about your bands history, your current release, and sales information regarding the product you are trying to sell. Press kits are what a resume is to the rest of the job market, as it is a way for music industry professional to weed out the people that don't present themselves in a professional way. A press kit contains three important components, which I will explain in further detail below: a one-sheet, a bio page, and a glossy band photo.

One Sheet

The one sheet really is the sister of a traditional resume. It contains concise and poignant information about the band, current release, genre, format, and price. These pieces of information tell the distributor and the retail stores, where to catalog your CD, what they can sell it for, and what format it is (CD, cassette, or vinyl-record). There should be a brief profile of your band, and the current release summed up in no more than 3 sentences. This is your initial opportunity to convey the sound, energy, and appeal of your band.

In addition to the basic information about your CD is a section called “selling points”. This section is what can either convince a distributor to carry your CD or to simply pass on the project all together. Selling points are usually presented in bullet form and list reasons to convince the reader why your album will sell. The type of information to include on this section is, unit sales of past releases, affiliations (such as who you've performed with, guest-appearances, producer credits), proposed advertising campaigns (how much you intend to spend, how and where you will be advertising, and markets that you have a known fan-base), and any press reviews or feature articles on your band. This is where you need to really sell yourself, and create an allure for your band. It's best to stick to factual information, as misinformation can undermine your bands credibility and ultimately damage your reputation.

click here for sample of One-sheet

Bio

Your “bio”, short for biography, is a plain sheet of paper with a more in-depth history of your band. A bio should be no longer than one-page and should include a band logo at the top of the page as well as the band's publicity contact information. When writing your bio, typically it is best to start with a very general and intriguing opening line that will peak the reader's curiosity. The opening paragraph should be about your band's ‘roots” and should play into some generally accepted theme (i.e., local boy defies the odds, band survives intense personality conflicts, family legacy of music, etc…). The second paragraph should draw from the band's past musical history, introducing the reader to the road from your first recorded demo, to your first legitimate release, making sure to include provocative details that lend an sense of “destiny” to your progression. The final paragraph should be about your current release, referencing current commercial artists so as to implant a preconceived idea in the reader's mind before they ever hear the music. Towards the end of this paragraph, you should resort to cliché-like writing and make the closing sentence sound like a sales pitch you might hear on the radio. By slowing building from a titillating opening line, to a progressively more specific body, and closing with a strong sales pitch, your reader should be interested in hearing about this new band that's on it's way to the top.

click here for sample of Bio

For help writing your bio, you should refer to Writing Worth Reading by Nancy Huddleston Packer, John Timpane

Glossy

The final piece in any standard press kit is your black & white, band photo called a glossy. In the bio, and one-sheet, you were explaining the appeal of your band. You glossy is your way of showing the appeal of your band. First, you should hire a professional photographer or at least a photography student to take a series of photos in a variety of settings. Carefully select the photo that best conveys your band's image, making sure to stay consistent with your on-stage look. Have this photo printed out with your band's logo, and any label and publicity contact information. While image alone rarely takes a band to the top, a bad image can definitely affect the marketability of good music.

clcik here for sample of glossy

All of the above contents should be sent along with an opened CD (do not leave shrink-wrap on) and any other promotional items your band may have, such as stickers, flyers, etc…

Now that you have a basic idea of how to professionally present your band, read about how the distribution structure works.