Do you need a Press Kit to Market your Music?
With more and more people getting vaccinated and COVID-19 restrictions being lifted, live music is finally coming back!
Things are getting more relaxed here in South Carolina, and this past month I saw my first live show in over a year.
If you’re a musician looking to get back into the swings of things and perform in front of a crowd again, you absolutely should put together a press kit.
Read on to learn what you should include in your press kit!
Press Kit Must-have #1: Contact Details
Your press kit is going out to promoters, event planners, agents, and venues who may want to book you, so you should make it easy for them to contact you!
Make sure your contact info is up to date and specify which contact method you prefer. For example, if you know you hardly ever check your email, indicate in your press kit that they should contact you by phone.
Press Kit Must-have #2: Links to your music
Whether you release music on Spotify or post performance videos on YouTube, make sure you include links to your music in your press kit. The people you submit your press kit to are going to want to know what you sound like before they reach out to book you for a gig or hire you for other services.
If you perform your own music, you can update your press kit to include a link to your latest song, so people can get a feel for where you’re at musically right now.
Press Kit Must-have #3: Your bio
Use your biography to give background info, highlight your past experience and achievements, and to alert people about current or upcoming performances and services.
If you have a recent press quote, include it in your bio to show that people are talking about your music and love what you do.
Of course, proofread your bio before finalizing your press kit to make sure it looks and sounds professional. You could even ask a friend review your work too!
Press Kit Must-have #4: Website and social media links
Agents, promoters, venues, and potential clients will want to know more about you, and your website and social media pages are great places for them to get to know you.
Your website gives them a more in-depth glimpse into what you do and who you are, and your social media shows them how you interact with your audience while giving them a glimpse into your life as a musician.
Since everyone who has your press kit will know your URL and social media handles, make sure to keep your site and all your profiles updated.
Press Kit Must-have #5: A great template
After you’ve compiled all the information you need to include, it’s time to put your press kit together!
I put together this free template to help you market your services and to make creating your press kit less stressful. All you have to do is insert your photos and paste your information into the template.
The shadow violet watercolors in the background of the template were created by me. Shadow violet is an amazing pigment that breaks apart into several colors as it dries and floats across the page as if it’s alive. In short, it’s sure to catch the attention of whoever you send your press kit to!
Start customizing your template!
Written by Toria Smith for Jamie Hansen Art.