What Not To Do: A Guide For the Indie Musician
Topic #2: Press Kits
Publications, radio stations, and music venues get an insane amount of packages filled with CDs and information about artists. The effort some of you artists put into your press kits is fantastic, but your efforts will most likely be wasted and could actually work against you. Press kits are simple, and regardless of what you try to do to catch the eye of the person you’re sending it to, it most likely will not matter a bit. The worst thing you can do, however, is repel a potential writer, DJ, or talent buyer/booker with your press kit.
Be frugal and don’t try so hard. If you’re creating your own press kit, that means you’re not at the stage where you have a publicist to do it for you, so don’t spend money if you don’t have to. And honestly, you don’t have to. The primary article that needs to be in the padded envelope is the CD – the music, believe it or not, is the important thing. If you can’t afford sending a real CD with artwork, send a CD-R in a plastic sleeve with a printed tracklisting. Don’t get fancy with colored or glossy paper, and, for the love of god, don’t waste hard earned dollars on folders of any kind – they go right in the garbage.
Also, try not to kill yourself over the content of your one sheet. And yes, make it only one sheet – plain white paper – black print – it’s cheaper to copy. Your bio should sound like it’s coming from another person’s perspective and it should be concise. Where are you from, what do you sound like (yes, it’s good to compare yourself to other artists as a quick reference for the person you’re sending it to), and what makes you different than the rest of the artists sending the same thing? If you have any press quotes, include them. If you’ve played on good bills, mention the recognizable names you’ve played with. Remember that you’re marketing yourself. That’s about it – that’s all you need.
The one thing that will ruin everything? A stupid looking picture of you and/or your band. It’s best not to include one at all – put a band logo or stylized font to represent yourself if you have to. You’re not a major record label, who has the money to sell an image (and only an image) – you’re an artist trying to make it, so you’re going to have to bust your ass, be persistent, and rely on your music to get attention. Send a photo of you and/or your band trying to look cool and your CD may find its way into the ever growing “pay no mind” stack without even ever being heard.
To recap, include a CD and a one sheet in a padded envelope – that’s your press kit. Don’t waste your time, energy, and money doing anything more. For the most part, publicists do it this way, and even the major labels often send the cheapest press kits that will ever grace a desk.
Basically, think of it like picking up a girl or guy. The harder you try, the less chance you end up having because you ultimately seem desperate and a novice. Also understand that you’re one of thousands of artists who are sending out their music. The odds are stacked against you from the beginning, so don’t over complicate it and put such effort into a package that may never even get opened. Most of all, don’t fuck it up with your first impression – also known as your press kit.
Publications, radio stations, and music venues get an insane amount of packages filled with CDs and information about artists. The effort some of you artists put into your press kits is fantastic, but your efforts will most likely be wasted and could actually work against you. Press kits are simple, and regardless of what you try to do to catch the eye of the person you’re sending it to, it most likely will not matter a bit. The worst thing you can do, however, is repel a potential writer, DJ, or talent buyer/booker with your press kit.
Be frugal and don’t try so hard. If you’re creating your own press kit, that means you’re not at the stage where you have a publicist to do it for you, so don’t spend money if you don’t have to. And honestly, you don’t have to. The primary article that needs to be in the padded envelope is the CD – the music, believe it or not, is the important thing. If you can’t afford sending a real CD with artwork, send a CD-R in a plastic sleeve with a printed tracklisting. Don’t get fancy with colored or glossy paper, and, for the love of god, don’t waste hard earned dollars on folders of any kind – they go right in the garbage.
Also, try not to kill yourself over the content of your one sheet. And yes, make it only one sheet – plain white paper – black print – it’s cheaper to copy. Your bio should sound like it’s coming from another person’s perspective and it should be concise. Where are you from, what do you sound like (yes, it’s good to compare yourself to other artists as a quick reference for the person you’re sending it to), and what makes you different than the rest of the artists sending the same thing? If you have any press quotes, include them. If you’ve played on good bills, mention the recognizable names you’ve played with. Remember that you’re marketing yourself. That’s about it – that’s all you need.
The one thing that will ruin everything? A stupid looking picture of you and/or your band. It’s best not to include one at all – put a band logo or stylized font to represent yourself if you have to. You’re not a major record label, who has the money to sell an image (and only an image) – you’re an artist trying to make it, so you’re going to have to bust your ass, be persistent, and rely on your music to get attention. Send a photo of you and/or your band trying to look cool and your CD may find its way into the ever growing “pay no mind” stack without even ever being heard.
To recap, include a CD and a one sheet in a padded envelope – that’s your press kit. Don’t waste your time, energy, and money doing anything more. For the most part, publicists do it this way, and even the major labels often send the cheapest press kits that will ever grace a desk.
Basically, think of it like picking up a girl or guy. The harder you try, the less chance you end up having because you ultimately seem desperate and a novice. Also understand that you’re one of thousands of artists who are sending out their music. The odds are stacked against you from the beginning, so don’t over complicate it and put such effort into a package that may never even get opened. Most of all, don’t fuck it up with your first impression – also known as your press kit.
posted by Monte at 10:36 AM
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