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How To Improve Your Press Kit
by Christopher Knab - Fourfront
Media & Music - December
2001
Back to Music
Business 101
Quote Sheets
Quote sheets can be a useful addition to a demo/promo/press kit.
It is simply a document that lists positive comments about you or your music, made by various professionals in
the Four Fronts. They give the gatekeepers at distributors and stores, radio, the print media and live venues an
easy to read glimpse of what other industry people have to say about you.
You should select solicited comments from some of the following professions:
- Producers or Engineers who recorded your music.
- Club and other live performance bookers
- Writers from various music, or entertainment publications
- Music and Program Directors, and DJs from radio stations
- Record store managers or clerks
- Other respected musicians
Note: You can
ask loyal fans to make a comment, but only use one or two of the best quotes from these people.
After you have selected the best quotes you could get, simply select the best 6 or 7 quotes and type them up on
a sheet of 8 1/2 x 11 paper, preferably on your own artist or band stationary, and title it something like “ What
People Are Saying” or “A Few Comments About My Music.”
Clippings or Press Clips
As your career develops, and the reviews of your records and concerts increase, be sure to save as many of them
as you can. When you have a dozen or so collected, put together a small collection of these ‘clippings’ or ‘press
clips”.
There are a couple of ways to arrange clippings:
If the reviews are small (capsule reviews) of live shows, or record reviews, then cut out and arrange several of
them on a sheet of paper in an attractive way. Larger reviews can be reduced, copied, and pasted up with several
small reviews all on one page.
If longer reviews have been written, or feature stories and cover stories start to appear, then the whole article
should be copied. 2 or 3 of these can then be put into your kits. Do not go overboard on these clips. There is
nothing more annoying than getting a demo/promo, or press kit filled with a dozen or more clippings.
Folders and Envelopes
Whenever you have an opportunity to present something to a professional in the music business, you should remember
two things:
1) What type of information does the person receiving your information need from you to do their job?
2) Does the folder or envelope that contains your kit reflect the professional image you want?
The first impression your music makes is a visual impression. In other words, if the package your music arrives
in looks unprofessional, you music may never be listened to.
The professional gatekeepers in the Four Fronts see hundreds of promotional packages a month, and after years of
dealing with these packages, it’s very easy to tell what artist or band has their act together professionally,
and who doesn’t.
However, different styles of music demand different images. You should become familiar with what kind of image
is appropriate for your music. For example, what might be an appropriate image for an alternative rock band, or
a rap group, might be completely inappropriate for a country act, or a pop artist. Basically, the more mainstream
your music is, the more professional the packaging of promotional materials should be.
Don’t go overboard in your eagerness to please. A folder can be a 35cent folder, with the band or artist’s logo
used as a sticker placed on the front cover of the folder or envelope. The promo materials included inside should
be neatly written and laid out. A package that looks “too slick” can work against you as much as can a poorly designed
package.
If there is any doubt what kind of promotional materials should be put into your kits, think of the possible ingredients
that could go into the kit. Those promotional materials are like the tools you have in your home repair toolkit.
You have different tools, but you rarely use them all at once. Same with what you put into your folders and envelopes.You
have created a bio, a fact sheet, a photo, press clippings or quote sheets, and cover letters. In addition to all
those items, you may also created a list of song lyrics, a stage plot for your live show presentations, or an equipment
list. So, do you use them all?
My tip on what to put into a promotional kit is this: Ask the recipient of your kit what they want you to send
them. It’s as simple as all that.
Note: This column
is an edited version of a longer chapter on publicity issues for independent musicians to be found in my new book,
'Music Is Your Business' available NOW from the Music Biz Academy bookstore.
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Christopher Knab is an independent music business consultant based in Seattle, Washington, and
author of the book, 'Music Is Your Business' available from the Music Biz Academy bookstore. He is available for private consultations on promoting and marketing independent music,
and can be reached by email at: chris@chrisknab.net
Visit the FourFront Media and
Music website for more information on the business of music from
Christopher Knab. |
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