Doing a Press Kit to promote a musician

Subject: RE: Doing a Press Kit to promote a musician
From: wysiwyg
Date: 24 Jun 02 - 03:50 PM

A friend of mine is doing not only all of the above for a print presskit, but has made a promotional CD that has all the music, all the press kit stuff, and some video. A website on a CD-ROM.

I have also been getting a few press kits from bands I have seen and want to try to promote here in or town-- it's wonderful seeing all the variety.

~Susan

Subject: RE: Doing a Press Kit to promote a musician
From: Dani
Date: 30 Mar 01 - 09:32 AM

Refresh.... last call!

And thank you ALL for your help.

Dani

Subject: RE: Doing a Press Kit to promote a musician
From: GUEST,willie-o wheres my damn cookie
Date: 28 Mar 01 - 10:47 AM

Having done this from both sides of the fence, always real small-scale, I'll say there's a lot of good advice here. Personally thought I think the most important stuff is the one-page bio which doubles as press release copy. It's true about pyramid-style--get the most important stuff at the top. The 5 W's.

Include a brief comparison or analogy to a better-known performer if appropriate, but don't overdo it. (As mentioned before, avoid hyperbole--the words wonderful, beautiful, nice, brilliant, perfect and especially "world-class".)

I recently received a package in which at least half the bio was a description of the person's friendship with a well-known Cdn. singer-songwriter, who sang some backup on the promotee's album. The rest of the promo was "I never thought I could do this, but xxxx has encouraged me so much, and now I think I can, I was so busy raising a family, health problems, career, blah blah blah..." -- there was a singular lack of a statement of artistic values & purpose other than self-actualization. I won't be booking this person... although I am trying to get around to sending her some constructive criticism. I don't care who your friends are, unless they're touring with you.

The promo package should include (in an 8x11 folder if possible):

1. the bio
2. the photo--
3. the demo CD--the closest to showing what the live performance will be like
4. a few generic posters. (photo & space for venue & info)

Just like sending a resume, try and make sure there is lots of different types of contact info on every piece of paper in there (except the photo). You can't make it too easy for them to reach your star-in-waiting.

Willie-O

Subject: RE: Doing a Press Kit to promote a musician
From: Sorcha
Date: 28 Mar 01 - 01:56 AM

From a "consumer"

"type" of music is always good--Celtic, NewCelt, Blugrass, Newgrass, etc. Photo of instruments helps me. Is it electric, or eclectic?

Don't OverPromote......a relatively famous friend of mine (now deceased)promoted himself shamelessly with the backing of a big hertz radio staion. I (stupidly) endorsed him.

He had promoted himself as a luthier, guitarist, and Mark Twain impersonator (which he was damn good at!) but when he got here, all he did was a ME, ME, ME, presentation. "I made this much money making guitars, I made this much money doing movies, I made this much money selling my guitar company".I was embarassed, and the kids were bored.

BE SURE you know what you are promoting.......and that you want your name attached to it.

Subject: RE: Doing a Press Kit to promote a musician
From: GUEST,kesara
Date: 28 Mar 01 - 01:17 AM

This is an interesting thread. So what is the protocol for touting a Celtic artist, or an eclectic Celtic-rock artist? It sounds like influences here, or maybe just musicianship? If they are actually from Ireland or Scotland, that always seems to get the most prominent mention regardless of their accomplishments.

Subject: RE: Doing a Press Kit to promote a musician
From: Dani
Date: 27 Mar 01 - 08:50 PM

refresh... 'cause I have no shame in begging.

Thanks for all the above.

Dani

Subject: RE: Doing a Press Kit to promote a musician
From: Les B
Date: 27 Mar 01 - 01:19 AM

Dani - you're getting some really good advice in this thread. As a person working for a small arts theater in the American northwest, most of this info is spot on.

Your press kit could include a sample press release with blanks for the pertinent place, date and time. As mentioned above get all the important data in the first paragraph. Newspapers do indeed cut from the bottom up!

Depending on the kind of music your artist plays, there seems to be a certain protocol (which you don't have to follow) for touting them:

Jazz & Blues artists seem to include all the other great players with whom they've toured or recorded.

Classical performers include everyone they've ever studied under.

Country/Folk artists like to list every venue they've ever played.

Artists just starting out, especially in the Country vein, seem to include their play lists, or, for Pop players, who their major influences are; which is a good idea if there's not much else to write about them.

When it comes to photographs, color is not always important. In small town newspapers you still stand a better chance of getting a black & white glossy published, although they will turn a color into B&W. And, it's a lot cheaper to pay for a batch of B&W 8X10's than color.

As suggested above, have a decent photo made that's not so dark and moody it won't print, and make sure the artist is large enough in the frame to be recognized. We have artists just starting out who turn in beautiful scenes of mountains, and, if you really look, there they are, down in the corner, heads smaller than a dime, blending into the bushes. But their name is the "Mount John Doe Pickers" and that's why they took the photo !?!

Although newspapers will print them, I get really tired of seeing a group of sullen, strung out looking yahoos in the entertainment section with no visible clue as to who they are or what they do. Always try to include an instrument or some other visible suggestion of what the artist does in the frame. Of course if the person is drop-dead gorgeous, that's another story.

Always make sure your press kit has good contact information for the booking party - phone, fax, e-mail, touring schedule, who the agent is, etc.

Press kits should be simple but classy.

Enough.

Subject: RE: Doing a Press Kit to promote a musician
From: Amergin
Date: 26 Mar 01 - 05:52 PM

For more pointers maybe you should PM InObu.....He is very very good at promoting his most wonderfully talented band Sorcha Dorcha.....

Subject: RE: Doing a Press Kit to promote a musician
From: katlaughing
Date: 26 Mar 01 - 05:43 PM

No need to go to the library, if you don't want to. Editor and Publisher is online now and has a great searchable directory.

I did all the promo kits for my brother for over 20 years and agree wholeheartedly with all of the above. I would also add that it doesn't hurt to call the mediaperson, too, as a follow up; make sure they got the stuff, etc. I did this once, didn't really have an event to promote, my brother had just completed his third symphony, we had a beautiful handwritten, fully-orchestrated score. I sent out a press release, called around and one of the tv news programs from a network station in Springfield, MA came out to our house and did a blurb on him for their news broadcast.

We used print and radio media a lot, but there is no counting the importance of even a few seconds on television. Each time we got him covered on tv, he would be recognised for months after by people who would stop him and say, "You're that composer they had on tv!"

Another thing you might think about. My neice is doing a CD-ROM of her resume with all the bells and whistles. Her martial arts instructor has a business doing them. Lots of people are using CD's to promote their products. Obviously, you wouldn't use them for a one-time event, but to reach that special dj or impress someone of a hot venue, it might be worth it.

Good luck. If I can help in anyway, please holler.

kat

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: HELP: Doing a 'press kit'
From: Joe Offer
Date: 26 Mar 01 - 04:53 PM

Refresh!

(stolen from Jeri, who's much more clever than I)
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: HELP: Doing a 'press kit'
From: Dani
Date: 22 Mar 01 - 09:24 PM

I love you guys. Thank you. Keep it coming! I'm working as hard as I can!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: HELP: Doing a 'press kit'
From: ddw
Date: 22 Mar 01 - 07:54 PM

Dani,

I used to write a music column for a mid-size daily and I've been an editor for a lot of years, so I'll comment a bit on GtD's post above and try to add a little to it.

First, he's right — a lot of copy editors are lazy and/or grossly overworked, so they don't like things they have to work on a lot. Which makes for two definite no-nos.

1) Don't over-write. Get to the "Who, what, when and where" quickly — the journalistic "why" isn't necessary when you're talking about music unless the event is a charity fundraiser or some such. GtD's also right about the "inverted pyramid" style of writing. The most important information goes up top, then "cuttable" details can follow, from most to least important. That way an editor can just cut where it's necessary.

2) Don't be overly effusive in your praise of the subject. It's a sure sign of an amateur and editors HATE it. Analogies are OK, as are comparisons to well-known performers — describe her voice as being like "Emmylou Harris with turbo" or having a "soaring, Baez-like delivery" or whatever is appropriate — remember, y ou're trying to describe a SOUND to someone who's never heard it. You have to give them an anchor.

But again, keep it short.

3) Include career highlights — major venues she's played, awards she's won, CDs, songs made popular by others, etc.

4) GtD's also right about the photos; if you can only send one, make it color and make it GOOD quality. A professional portrait photographer — preferably who has some experience in this kind of thing — is worth every dime. Stay away from dark, moody shots, even if she plays dark, moody music. They don't reproduce well and they'll just wind up in the trash. Papers want something they can use for a display shot (wider shot, with instruments, etc.) or that they can pull a mug shot (just head and shoulders) out of.

Don't tag agent, booking info, web sites, etc. on the end. Put them in the letterhead, preferably in an eye-catching but not gaudy typeface and color.

And, above all, know who to sent it to. The best press kit in the world won't help a singer if it winds up in the sports editor's hands. Go to the library and get the LATEST edition of Editor and Publisher and look up the entertainment editors.

Good luck,

david

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: HELP: Doing a 'press kit'
From: Geoff the Duck
Date: 22 Mar 01 - 07:16 PM

For many years I was involved in organisations who relied on obtaining free publicity via local radio and newspapers. During that time I learned a few rules from personal experience and observation. Many of them have been confirmed in conversations with others I have met.
If you are targeting the "press" there are a few simple factors to consider.

1) Newspapers like a photograph. An article with a picture is more likely to get in than one without.
2) Copy writers are lazy - if you send something that can go straight in without them having to actually write anything themselves it saves them time and effort.
3) Copy writers know nothing about music - especially the ones who do the music column - they are usually there because they can't manage to compose a believable horoscope. Something pre-written and short will go in easily (see point 2). If it is too long they may try to edit it or re-write. If they do this they will inevitably miss out all the important information like the name of the performer, what they play or the type of music they sing. Make sure they NEVER have to even consider altering what you have written to make it fit a smaller space.
4) Frequently if an publicity release is longer than the space available, they will simply print from the start, up to the end of the available column. Anything you have written beyond this point simply disappears. It is very annoying when they tell their readers all about the performer and then omit where and when they are playing.
The usual remedy to this is to make certain that ALL important information - names, dates, times, places, who to contact for information etc. is written in the first two paragraphs. You can then follow with a more detailed biography, but if some of this is cut at least you have SOME useful information in the paper.
5) If your performer has some unique "selling point" emphasise it. When doing publicity for the Topic Folk Club, (Bradford, UK) in the early '80's, I frequently had to invent a biography due to lack of an artiste's own blurb. It is often not easy for a "Folk" performer - plays guitar and sings traditional/their own songs. How do you make that read differently for the 100th performer who fits the description?
Quack
GtD

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: HELP: Doing a 'press kit'
From: Bert
Date: 22 Mar 01 - 06:17 PM

Lots of valuable advice here

Read under 'stacking the deck'

Subject: HELP: Doing a 'press kit'
From: Dani
Date: 22 Mar 01 - 05:52 PM

I've offered to help someone put together a 'press kit' to promote herself and her music. Now what? My area of expertise is writing and editing. I've looked at plenty of websites, but know nothing about the business of music.

Those of you who've done this before, and ESPECIALLY those of you who receive and deal with information like this, would you give me a hand? Tell me what should/should not go in it, what it should look like when it's mailed out, what gets favorable/unfavorable responses.

I know lots of you are at the same place as the woman I'm doing this for. She's on the cusp of being able to make a living doing the music she loves, and seems to have plenty of courage (not to mention talent - I love her music and the spirit she performs it with)!

I hope to entice her into this ragtag community, but in the meantime am asking your assistance. She's making this huge leap of faith, and I know some of us know all about that ; )

If you feel more comfortable, pm me anytime.

Thanks, y'all.

Dani