Press Kit

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One of the toughest things to do, as far as getting signed goes, is to earn the chance to present your stuff to an A&R. Once you finally get that chance, the last thing you'd want to do is blow it by not having the best of the best materials you have to offer presented to him or her. When opportunities knock, they won't repeatedly ring the doorbell. They'll just proceed to the next potential resident. Nor will they wait as you get dressed. You need to be ready at all times. In the second installment of this "The Perfect Music Press Kit" article mini series, I'll be showing you how to take that perfect photo that not only conveys your persona but will also be easy on the pockets.

Let's talk about the photo itself. Before you even think about finding a photographer, you should think about exactly what kind of photo you are trying to take. Regardless of the quality of the picture, it means nothing if the photo has nothing to do with you or your music. Brainstorming is the best way to go in my opinion. Grab a sheet of paper and write down everything that you feel relates to your music. If you make up-tempo, out of control rock music, I kind of think about an angry mob or a huge stampede of some sort. Don't worry if your list doesn't get long. You just need some kind of idea so that the picture can be molded around it.

Now grab another sheet a paper and draw out what you would like the picture to look like. You don't have to be an expert artist, you really only need the general idea of it all. Let's say you're using the angry mob example. If there were three members in the group, I'd have you all doing something crazy being part of the mob, but I would still have you all standing front and center. One person pretending to pull their hair out, another screaming ripping of their shirt, and another doing something else off the wall. Now each of you should find a way to incorporate your instruments into all this. With this set up, you give a description of not only your music, but how each member has a hand in the music.

So now you know how you'd want the picture, now it's time to find two important people, the photographer and the graphic artist. Finding these two shouldn't be hard because you could find them at your local colleges and trade schools. Each would be willing to do it for a small fee or even free. Who wouldn't want their stuff in front of someone who may bring more customers their way. Usually, both would just ask for credit for their work, and the opportunity to add it to their portfolio. Since you have everything planned perfectly, you guys won't waste each others' time. It's just that simple. You should have the graphic artist clean up the picture and add all the effects(the mob in the background) and have him or her give you a colored and black-and-white version of it. The black-and-white one is for the actual press kit. Just follow the above steps and every photo shoot will come out perfectly,

With that picture, you should have no problems once they hear that perfect music demo, it's a done deal. You do have that perfect demo right? If not you need to catch up by reading my other article entitled "The Perfect Music Press Kit Part One: Preparing the Perfect Demo." Once you're caught up, you can find the rest of us at the next installment of this mini article series. In the third installment, I'll be showing you how to create a biography that's not too much but not too thin at the same time. I'll see you there.

At fruityloopsindiemusicmaker.com we provide free information for striving independent musicians so that they can excel in their careers. Information is the key to making all the right decisions throughout your career path. Please give the site a visit and check out more free articles here.

Publicists: It is Time to Embrace the Technology of Online Press Kits

So you have a cell phone, a Palm Pilot, an automated office complete with teleconferencing, remote-access, Web site and e-mail addresses. So what? Just because you're always available to the media doesn't mean the media has easy access to your clients. What will your high-tech office be able to do when a reporter wants a press kit at 7 p.m. on a Friday evening? Nothing - except hastily prepare the hard copy kit for a costly overnight shipment.

There is a simple way to eliminate the need for keeping a large inventory of hard copy press kits and reduce your dependency on the shipping company guy: publish your clients' press kits online.

Making the move from hard copies to press kits published online that are always-accessible is essential in today's age of e-mail. The corporate world lives by e-mail; reporters and other media professionals are no different. These people are busy and time is always of the essence when they've got deadlines breathing down their necks. The decision to use your client in a story instead of someone else is contingent on whose information is easiest to get. If it takes all night for your client's press kit to reach their desk, you might get bumped.

I know what you're saying right now. "But, Drew, I e-mail my clients' press materials to the media." Well, that's great, but just because reporters use e-mail doesn't mean they open every stranger's message that arrives in their inbox and it especially doesn't mean that they even bother opening your attachments. Why? Because it's too risky.

First of all, everyone knows not to open an e-mail from someone you don't know; especially if there's an attachment. This is e-mail safety 101. Strange e-mails with attachments usually mean one thing: virus. At least, that's the take of most business's firewalls and anti-virus protection systems. You may think you're making waves by mass e-mailing your media lists with attached press releases, but how many calls are you getting back? Not many, since your important e-mail has been tossed out with the "wasser" worm and those annoying "enlargement" e-mails.

So what's the solution? Reject technology and start snail-mailing and faxing again? No. Embrace technology and publish your press kits online.

Now, an online press kit is not a Web site. Don't be confused by the term "online." Though an online press kit can be displayed online and present information like a Web site, it is really a virtual folder or briefcase that allows you to upload and store your press materials on the Internet. Once in your online press kit folder, these documents and images can be distributed as links - not attachments.

When you prepare your sharp, concise e-mail pitch to the media, you simply insert links to your clients' press kits. When the reporter clicks the link, the document can be opened and saved on their computer. It opens like an attachment, but the documents themselves live online. Instead of piling them onto your e-mail, you're simply providing directions (a link) to get to them. They become part of the e-mail message, so a media outlet's virus protection system won't automatically kick it out of the system.

Virtually anything can be uploaded to an online press kit: press releases, high-resolution images, video and audio clips, graphics and more. Plus, since you have control over your online press kits, you can always be sure they're up to date.

Now you're thinking "Wow, these things sound great, but I bet they are expensive." Not necessarily. Though there are online press kit programs available that cost into the thousands, they usually include extra features you don't really need and will probably never use. Think of the online press kit market as the binder or folder aisle at your favorite office supply store. Sure there are binders with all kinds of extras, but you pass those by for what you need and the price you can live with.

Face it - technology is only going to get better and faster. Don't be left in its dust trying to wave down that brown truck with your emergency overnight press kit. By going online with your clients' press kits, you're not only making them easy to access, but easy to cover by the media. The media loves that - and so will your clients.

About the Author

Drew Gerber is Co-creator of Press Kit 24/7 www.PressKit247.com an online press kit technology. In addition to helping non-profits and small businesses manage their own media relations through technology, Gerber is Co-Owner of Wasabi Publicity, Inc., a PR firm representing causes, nonprofits, and businesses that make a difference. An expert in the art of listening and in building relationships, Gerber can be reached at Drew@publicityresults.com.

What does a press kit look like?

Is it like in an envelope, or a folder, or is it a CD? I mean I think I know what it should contain, but I just dont get it's physical appearance? Help me out here?

Most press kits are going to be in a two-pocket portfolio, like this:

http://img153.imagevenue.com/img.php?image=06584_s0146742_enl_122_794lo.jpg

Sometimes, people will distribute CD / DVD press kits, but they really aren't the best way to go.

It's useful to provide a CD with all the material you are including, so that the news outlet doesn't have to retype anything / has high-quality images to print, but news editors work quickly. They don't want to have to sift through menus or figure out what to look at; they want to pick something up, skim it, then decide what to do with it.

If you just send it in an envelope, it will get lost in the shuffle, if not thrown out.

You want to have a portfolio with a colorful logo on the front of it, so that the editor can quickly sight it from a stack of things and send it where it needs to go.

If you can afford it, you might even want to look into getting a custom printed portfolio; or, better yet, if you have lots of money, get one that's custom-printed and die-cut into an interesting shape. It's more expensive but far harder for editors to misplace / not notice.

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