STEP 1: The Bio
Create a one-page bio that is succinct and interesting to read. I strongly advise hiring a bio writer (if you can afford one, this should cost between $100 - $250). If you are not ready to pony up the cash, enlist an outside source to help you out. I find people who are great story tellers make great bio writers.
TIP: Many music journalists write bios as well as articles so if you read a great profile on a band in a local paper, on a blog, in an online ‘zine, or in a music magazine don’t hesitate, track that writer down and ask them if they write band bios. I recently read a great article in Alternative Press and called the writer who gave my band a DIY rate of $175. It was professionally written and the band can now use it for the next year of touring. I suggest updating your yourself bio every few months to keep it fresh and current.
Waleed: A bio does not have to be extensive. I want a general idea of the bands history and some key shows (but please not a whole show history) I love the “recommended if you like” line. I know some artists hate to compare themselves to others but I definitely like that – It makes the sorting process easier
First and foremost include your musical description towards the top of the page. Create an introduction that sums up your sound, style and attitude in a few brief sentences. This way if a writer is pressed for time, he can simply take a sentence or two from your bio and place it directly in the publication. If you try to make a writer dig deeply for the gist, that writer will most likely put your press kit aside and look to one of the other 30 press kits that arrived that week.
Avoid vague clichés such as: melodic, brilliant harmonies, masterful guitar playing, tight rhythm section, etc. These are terms that can be used to describe any artist and music.
TIP: Try to create a bio with the assumption that a vast majority of music writers may never get around to listening to your CD. Also, writers are usually under tight deadlines to produce copy - so many CD's fall by the wayside. But that doesn’t mean that you can’t get a great calendar pick or photo inclusion.
STEP 2: The Photo
It is very tough to create a great band photo. In the thousands that I have encountered only a few have had creativity and depth. I know it can seem cheesy to arrange a photo shoot but if you take this part seriously you will deeply benefit from it in the long run.
Create a photo that is clear, light, and attention grabbing. Five musicians sitting on a couch or backed against a brick wall is not interesting. If you have a friend who knows how to use PhotoShop, I highly recommend you enroll him or her to help you do some funky editing.
MYTH: We need to have 8 X 10 photos
TRUTH: Postcards are more versatile and newspapers will download the photos they will run directly from your website!
8X10 Photos used to be the industry standard but they are no longer the norm. My company recommends that band print 3X5 or 4X6 double sided 4/4 color postcards. They look great and professional and extra postcards not used in press kits can be sent to people on your mailing list, or you can give them away at gigs.
Postcards should have an image of the band on one side and an image of your album cover with the URL of your website on the other side. You can also include your release date of an upcoming album, your contact numbers and a quote about the band’s sound from the media or from your bio.
There are many great inexpensive printers online. We order our postcards from:
http://www.jakprints.com
http://www.1800postcards.com
Waleed: The best types of photos are ones that are crop able in a vertical or horizontal format – sometimes when I have to fill a hole in the magazine I may need a photo that will fit it into any frame. I also like photos that have room around the photo – this way I can put text around the photo. I want a photo that depicts a band in the way they are – a junkie band should be in a junkyard a clean band should be in a cleaner atmosphere – environment wardrobe and location are all very important as is creativity. I get an overkill of fisheye lenses and over kill on oversaturated colors – try not to copy too much of what is going on.
TIP: Don’t make journalists hunt around for the photos – they will go to someone else’s site to grab them. Downloadable COLOR photos should be readily available on your website and at least 300 dpi and easily findable and downloadable with less than 3 clicks. Put the band members names L-R under the band photo to give journalists a point of reference (many publications publish photos with all band members names L-R so save the writers the trouble of having to ask for the names.
STEP 3: The Articles, Quotes & CD Reviews
Getting that first article written about you can feel daunting. Two great places to start are your local hometown papers (barring you don't live in Manhattan or Los Angeles), and any music website that you like.
TIP: You can archive additional articles on your website and if a writer wants to read more than that he can visit your site for further information. If you don't have anything written about you not to worry, this will soon change.
TIP: Use Google as a resource to find them or work backwards and search for indie bands that you would compare yourself to. Call or e-mail the reviewers that wrote about them, politely introduce yourself and ask if you can send them your CD for consideration. This is a much better technique than the old school method of getting a “media list” and blindly mailing precious materials out in bulk.
Always Follow Up
Kristi: 75% of all bands don’t follow up with me aggressively enough – I often am on deadline and I will ask a band to call me back in a week and most never do.
I keep new CDS in 3 piles in my office:
1. The one I am about to write about this b/c it is assigned.
2. I really want to pitch this to editors b/c I think they will like it.
3. I don’t know what these CDs are and no one followed up with me on these so I never get to them.
There could be some wonderful and appropriate CDs sitting in my office that I could write about but if no one pitched me on them they usually get overlooked.
Waleed: I think it is important to follow up on all mailings. 75 %– 80% of indie bands that send me stuff never follow up and those CDs always fall through the cracks .
STEP 4: The CD
The CD artwork, like the press kit, must be well thought out. You should customize your press kits so that they look in sync with your CD. This way when a writer opens up a package the press kit and the CD look like they go together. Do not bother sending out advance burns of your CD unless the writer requests them. Full artwork is always preferred.
Kristi: I enjoy getting full artwork CDs – advances and burned CDs are not as intriguing. Presentation is very important.
Waleed: My Micro pet peeve is - I do not like CDs that do not have jewel cases (or at least spines). If a CD is in a baggie or a thin sleeve it makes the CD impossible to find.
TIP: Put your phone number and contact info in the CD so if it gets separated from the press kit, the writer knows how to contact you. Also, "Recommended Tracks" stickers are great for the press (suggesting no more than two or three selections).
TIP: Don't waste precious CD's! Unless you are sure a writer actually writes CD reviews (few newspaper writers are given the space to run them these days) don't waste your hard-earned dollars sending out CDs.
Waleed: I like well organized packages as well that are stapled together – so I can take a minute to get through it and flip through cohesive info – and please put as much contact info EVERYWHERE – on the CD on the bio and on the photo. We get a lot of glossies with no band name on them and we sometimes stack photos separately for our photo editors. If and there is no name or # or URL on the photos they will never get used.
>> CONTINUE TO PART 2