Creating A Press Kit

The definition of Press Kit from the Random House Dictionary is "a packet of promotional materials, as background information, photographs, or samples, for distribution to the press, as at a press conference".

One of the most important steps in marketing your band or act is developing a strong press kit. Press kits can introduce your band to media contacts, talent buyers, booking agents and record labels.

Your press kit should be creative, succinct and should accurately represent the image of your band.

You can not only create the press kit in a printed version but also as an electronic press kit online. This has been found to be a very successful action.

A Press Kit typically consists of the following elements:

- Band Biography
The bio should include a brief history of the band and its accomplishments. If you're a new band don't make things up, just list your influences and a brief musical history of key members. Avoid over-selling your band. Never use statements like "the greatest band since..." You can always list influences but keep the list short. Include anything unique that sets your band or act apart from others. Hopefully music journalists will use this as a foundation for any articles or reviews on your band, so help them make it interesting.

- Press clippings
Include any favorable reviews of recordings or live performances. Make sure press clippings are presented in a visually appealing format. If necessary, re-type them with correct attribution in the same font.

- Band Photo
The photo should be black and white so it can be easily duplicated in weekly entertainment newspapers. Make sure to include booking information at the bottom of the photo as well as a logo if you have one. Venues can use this to create ads for upcoming shows featuring your band, so it is important that the picture represents the band. Creativity is important even in your promo photo. There are several promo photo cliches to avoid: band against - brick wall, chain link fence, train track, in an alley etc.

- Quote Sheet from music professionals (including club talent buyers, radio, press, music professionals). The quotes you include should hopefully highlight the quality of your music, skill at marketing concerts and your level of professionalism.

- A CD with your two best songs.Remember that most people are busy and get plenty of CDs in the mail so you've got one song, two at the most of your very best songs to really make an impression.

For resources at your fingertips for designing the graphics, How-to articles, presentation tips and supplies, the latest live job listings, free marketplace and more, stop by the free Musician Band Resource page at Help 2 Succeed.


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Creating Press Kit Information
Brought to you by Help 2 Succeed
www.help-2-succeed.com/main

Decisions, Decisions...

Before you set out to create the press kit for you and your band, the very first thing to do after you decide that you are going to make your music your work, is to create a plan of action.

It helps to dream big and with that huge dream, state your overall purpose that you have for creating music.

A statement such as "Creating Music in Order to Make money" is not going to get you very far.

A statement such as "Creating Music That Makes People Feel Happy" or "Creating Music That Inspires Others to Create" or "Creating Music That Invokes the Idea That a Person Can Acheive His/Her Dreams" will get you a long way in your endeavor.

Putting the dreams down on paper is the very first step to making the dream come true - and this is done long before you create your Press Kit.

A stated purpose and a general layout of the steps to do are vital to the success of any venture, whether it's a project around the house, a business idea that you want to bring to fruition or any type of dream that you want to achieve - getting the basics written is the first step.

A bright idea, no matter how out of this world, can be accomplished if a person sits down and works it out. Keep it simple. It is not necessary to get complicated or verbose about your ideas or purposes.

What is needed is to create a simple statement of purpose, then a concise layout of the steps that you can do to accomplish it.

For example, to name the purpose of being a successful working musician, consider the following questions in order to write your purpose:

1. Are you creating music to help people in any way? or inspire others? or to help yourself to express emotions that are important to let others know about?
2. Why music? Why not working in a factory? Why would you want to get famous as a singer/musician?
3. What is it that you are looking to acheive with your music?

Write out your purpose, work on it until you have it just right. The next article will be about how to write your plan.

To Your Success!
ILIA



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Creating Press Kit Information
Brought to you by Help 2 Succeed
www.help-2-succeed.com/main