How to Assemble a Professional Press Kit for a Band

A professional and informative press kit is a must for any serious band or performing artist. It is your resume and can get you great gigs, as well as lose them if done incorrectly. The right elements and information will present you in the best light and will make booking gigs, getting appointments or auditions a much easier process.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Pictures of you or your band
• Audio tracks on CD
• Video clips (if available)
• Copies of reviews or articles
• Pocket folder
• Anything else that you can find

1. Assembling a press kit is not difficult, but it requires that you include the important information and nothing more. Start out by getting a pocket folder or similar folder to hold your kit. If you have an artistic flare, or a good graphics program, it's always nice to put your band name on the front of the folder.
2. Include a clear, professional looking picture of you or your band, preferably an 8" x 10". Not only will this be a way for the venue owner to see what you look like, but it can be used for advertising or posters.
3. Include a one-sheet bio/fact sheet about your band which lists information such as your name, address, contact phone numbers, website url, management contacts (if applicable), short band bio, recent tour highlights, availability, and any special requirements that you will need to perform. Some venues also like to know what you charge, but this is optional. Keep it short so you don't bore them.
4. Include reviews. If you have had show, or your music was reviewed or an article was written about your band, include copies of these in your kit. Copy each review or article to a single sheet of paper and include the name of the publication in which it appeared and the date. Do NOT include calendar listings, classified ads or venue ads announcing your upcoming shows. Try to pick 2 or 3 good reviews. Don't go overboard.
5. Include a CD of 3 or 4 of your best tracks and be sure to label the CD with your band name. This allows you to guide the person receiving your press kit to your best work. If you send a 10 or 12 track commercial CD, they will listen to the first couple of songs and then move on. If these aren't your best songs, you might miss an opportunity. If you have video clips, include these on a DVD or CD-R so that they can check you out on stage.
6. Put all of these items in your folder and include a short introductory letter. Once you've completed this step, you have a simple, professional and effective press kit that will help you get your foot in the door.

Tips & Warnings

• Keep it short! Venue owners or booking agents get hundreds of kits each week and they only spend a few minutes on each.
• Double check everything for spelling or grammatical errors.
• Make sure that your CD or DVD plays error free before you mail it out.
• Be sure to label everything with your band name and contact information because sometimes these items get separated.
• Don't make your kit over-sized, pink, smelly or any other way to get it noticed. This annoys booking agents and will get your kit tossed.
• Don't send your press kit registered, certified or signature required. Again, this can result in your kit getting lost, rejected or tossed.
• Wait at least 2 weeks before you call to follow up on your kit. It sometimes takes venue owners that long to get to your package.
• Don't annoy venue owners or booking agents by calling everyday. Be courteous.