Turning A Press Kit Into An EPK

Every artist needs a press kit, and while most are familiar with the major parts (bio, pictures, discography, upcoming gigs, fact sheet, press clippings, etc.), you set off into a different realm when you go to the next level - the electronic press kit, or EPK.

In the old days a press kit was all hard copy that you'd have to send in the mail or deliver personally, but today your kit can be delivered either via your website, in an email via a PDF, or even on a CD or DVD. That said, you can take your press kit to the next level and truly make it an EPK with some powerful additions that are outlined in one of my books, The Musician's Video Handbook. This covers how to create all the different types of videos that an artist or band might need, and there's an entire chapter dedicated just to EPKs. Here's a brief excerpt regarding of some useful additional EPK elements that you can add.
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"An EPK is just a press kit in electronic form. All of the above documents (bio, press clippings, etc.) should be made available in PDF, Word or RTF files that can be placed either on a disc or a flash drive or made downloadable online. You can also consolidate them all into a single file if it’s not too long (more than 10 pages or so) and the individual details are easy to access. Here’s what should also be included:

Videos - You need multiple types of videos - interview elements with the artist or entire band, and if it’s a band, individual interviews as well (we’ll cover how to make these in a bit), your most recent music videos, any music video that you consider a “hit”, and a clip of a song from a show. It’s best to make two versions available - one with smaller web-ready files (we’ll go over how to do this in chapter 12), and if you’re an act that’s breaking nationally, another version that’s available in hi-res via FTP download.

Music - Your songs can probably be found online already, but make it easy for whomever is reading the kit by adding links to effortlessly find them. If you’re sending a hard-copy kit, include a CD of your latest releases, and a song or two from any previous releases as well. If you’ve done music for commercials or a soundtrack for a movie or television, include that as well but be sure that you have the right to do so before you include it.

Links to Interviews - If your EPK is on the web, include any links to interviews that you might have done, either audio, video or just text. This leaves it up to the discretion of the reader of the kit just how much she wants to listen to or read, and also keeps your kit lean.

Web-Ready Graphics and Banners - Be sure to include any graphic you might have of promo material or swag, including adverts, T-shirts graphics and the like.

Web Links - If the EPK is online but not on your site, or you’re delivering a hard copy kit, but sure to include a link to your website, as well as links to any social media presence that you have on the web such as Facebook fan page, Google+ page, blog, Twitter, Reverb Nation, etc.

Fan Endorsements - If you have rabid fans that do crazy things like paint themselves up with your logos, get tatoos of your likeness on their backs, or are just super enthusiastic, that could make for an interesting clip. Just make sure that the fans (3 or 4 is all you need) are completely enthusiastic and really special or this element isn’t worth pursuing."


You can read additional excerpts from this book and others at bobbyowsinski.com.

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Help support this blog. Any purchases made through our Amazon links help support this website with no cost to you.

You should follow me on Twitter for daily news and updates on production and the music business.

Check out my Big Picture blog for discussion on common music, engineering and production tips and tricks.

After The Album Is Finished

CD Baby's excellent DIY Musician blog recently had a post regarding the steps to take when your album is finished. I liked their suggestions but decided to put together a few of my own based on the article.

Here are 10 steps to take after your CD is completed.

1. Get some photos taken. If you don't have the album artwork together, then you may need photos for that. But even if that's well in hand, you're going to need new press photos. Get them shot by a professional ASAP. Check out this article for advice on photos.

2. Update your press kit. You do have one, right? If you do, update it to reflect your latest release. If not, time to get started on it. Check out this article on electronic press kits for more info, as well as this article.

3. Update your website. Once again, it's time to reflect the fact that you have new music to offer. Updating a site takes time, so the sooner you get to it, the better. Before you begin your update, check out this article on the 7 mistakes that bands make on their websites.

4. Determine your distribution. If you aren't signed to a record label, now's the time to get with Tunecore or CD Baby to help make your music available to the world.

5. Determine your release schedule. If you've just completed an album, ask yourself these questions: When is the official album release date? What will be the first single and when will it be released? What will be the second and third singles and when will they be released? Check out this article for a new look at release schedules.

6. Submit your album to Gracenote and All Music Guide. Gracenote is the service that recognizes the songs on a CD when you put it into your computer. All Music Guide provides all the pictures and bio info that you see on iTunes. Submit to both so people get all the details they need when they play your CD.
Click here to find out how to submit your music to Gracenote.
Click here to find out how to submit your music to All Media Guide.

7. Plan your social media campaign. This includes email blasts to your fans as well as posts on Facebook, Twitter and Google+. You want to determine just when everything will happen, in what order it will happen, and who's responsible for getting it done.

8. Create some videos. Many people get all of their new music strictly from videos on YouTube. Get a video out ASAP even if it's only composed of a picture and the music. Real videos take time and you can release the official video later. Get something out there now.

9. Book your album release party. If for no other reason, it's a good reason to have a party and celebrate the fact that you've accomplished something that took a lot of work. That said, it's also the best way to get the word out about your new album, especially to the local press.

10. Play to support the album. It's time to get out there and play for people to expose them to your new music. Some artists and bands gig to support the album while others use the album to support their gigging. Decide which category you fall under, make a plan on what you're going to do, and follow it through.

There are more things that you can do, but these are the bare minimum. Remember, just because you've made an album, the world won't beat a path to your door. You have to be proactive in getting the word out.

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Help support this blog. Any purchases made through our Amazon links help support this website with no cost to you.

You should follow me on Twitter for daily news and updates on production and the music business.

Check out my Big Picture blog for discussion on common music, engineering and production tips and tricks.

The Elements Of An Electronic Press Kit

Sooner or later, every artist needs a press kit. Clubs, agents, journalists and anyone who needs background info on you needs all the info on you they can get, and the press kit is the best way to get that to them.

While a hard copy press kit may come in handy occasionally, an electronic version called an Electronic Press Kit, or EPK, which can be delivered either on the web, in an email via a PDF, or even on a CD or DVD, is more the norm these days.

My latest book, The Musician's Video Handbook, covers how to create all the different types of videos that an artist or band might need, and there's an entire chapter just on EPKs. Here's a brief excerpt regarding its essential elements.
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Regardless of whether it’s hard copy or electronic, a press kit has the following elements:

A Bio - This means a bio of the artist or every member of the band. The ideal bio should be short and stay relevant to music only - don’t include anything about that cool birthday party you had or where you went to high school unless that was really something that made a major impact on your music.

A Backgrounder -  This is a history of band, meaning how you got together and all the high points of your career so far. Also include the style of music and your influences.

Press Releases - If you’ve ever done anything newsworthy enough to require a press release, make sure it’s included in your kit. If this is hard copy only, include a copy of just your most recent release. If it’s electronic, include a page with a table of contents that links to all of your releases.

Press Clippings - Any reviews or article mentions should be included. In a hard copy kit, you’d print out any online reviews. In an EPK, you’re better off to consolidate them into a PDF with links back to the source. If you’re lucky enough to have so much press that it overwhelms the other material, just take the best quotes and consolidate them into a single document.

Hi-Resolution Pictures - Hi-res photos are an absolute must. In a hard copy kit that means 8x10’s (the size of the print) of the artist or band, and maybe even 5x7’s of individual members of the band as well. I also recommend including a shot with the artist engaged in some action (like singing or playing) because editors that have no intention in using a photo in an article will frequently make an exception and use one if the action is interesting.

Logos - If you’re a solo artist like Prince or a band like Nine Inch Nails that has a logo, make that available in both high and low resolution.

A List Of Upcoming Gigs - Even though this gets outdated quickly, it’s useful to include since a writer, club booker, editor or A&R person might be intrigued enough to want to come check you out.

A Discography - A discography includes any records that the artist or band released or played on (be sure to list separately).

Fact Sheet - A fact sheet is a series of bullet points that tells the story and the interesting facts about an artist in as brief a time as possible.

Contact Info - The most important part of the kit includes all the contact info for PR, booking, and management. Any requests for interviews or more information should go to your PR person. If you don’t have a real one, list the contact in the band who’s best suited to respond.

Collateral Advertising Materials - This includes anything that might be interesting like PDFs of posters, free tickets, discount coupons, postcards, or anything else that might be promotional. If you’re sending a hard copy, include any swag that you feel you might want to give away including branded T-shirts, bottle openers, lighters, etc.

Lyric Sheet - If your lyrics are something that you’re particularly proud of or makes for a good story, include them with the kit, but not if you might be in any way embarrassed by them or if they might be a detriment to how you’re looked upon by the reader.

Electronic Press Kit Additions

An EPK is just a press kit in electronic form. All of the above documents should be made available in PDF, Word or RTF files that can be placed either on a disc or a flash drive or made downloadable online. You can also consolidate them all into a single file if it’s not too long (more than 10 pages or so) and the individual details are easy to access. Here’s what should also be included:

Videos - You need multiple types of videos - interview elements with the artist or entire band, and if it’s a band, individual interviews as well (we’ll cover how to make these in a bit), your most recent music videos, any music video that you consider a “hit”, and a clip of a song from a show. It’s best to make two versions available - one with smaller web-ready files (we’ll go over how to do this in chapter 12), and if you’re an act that’s breaking nationally, another version that’s available in hi-res via FTP download.

Music - Your songs can probably be found online already, but make it easy for whomever is reading the kit by adding links to effortlessly find them. If you’re sending a hard-copy kit, include a CD of your latest releases, and a song or two from any previous releases as well. If you’ve done music for commercials or a soundtrack for a movie or television, include that as well but be sure that you have the right to do so before you include it.

Links to Interviews - If your EPK is on the web, include any links to interviews that you might have done, either audio, video or just text. This leaves it up to the discretion of the reader of the kit just how much she wants to listen to or read, and also keeps your kit lean.

Web-Ready Graphics and Banners - Be sure to include any graphic you might have of promo material or swag, including adverts, T-shirts graphics and the like.

Web Links - If the EPK is online but not on your site, or you’re delivering a hard copy kit, but sure to include a link to your website, as well as links to any social media presence that you have on the web such as MySpace, Facebook fan page, blog, Twitter, Reverb Nation, etc.

Fan Endorsements - If you have rabid fans that do crazy things like paint themselves up with your logos, get tatoos of your likeness on their backs, or are just super enthusiastic, that could make for an interesting clip. Just make sure that the fans (3 or 4 is all you need) are completely enthusiastic and really special or this element isn’t worth pursuing.

-----------------------------------

Follow me on Twitter for daily news and updates on production and the music business.

Check out my Big Picture blog for discussion on common music, engineering and production tips and tricks.

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