Thought this might help some of you who have questions about press kits and their uses.
1. Creating Your Press Kit
2. Who Do I Send My Press Kit To
3. How Do Press Kits Work
4. Press Kits vs Electronic Press Kits
5. Submitting My Press Kit To the Ohio Hip Hop Awards
1. Creating Your Press Kit
Press kits are an important tool for any artist trying to make a first impression within the music industry. Typically press kits are a collection of promotional materials that can be mailed or emailed to create that impression. Items such as albums, mix tapes, singles, maxi’s, photos, fliers, biographies, video clips, magazine articles, published interviews, contact information, and so on constitute a good press kit. Amassing this collection might be easy but presenting it may prove more difficult. Remember, you are not the only artist out there so you are always competing with other artists to get that record deal, tour, or interview. The more professional and creative your presentation the better chance you have to impress the recipient. If your bands name is frost try to make your press kit look like its frozen, if you are trying to portray a criminal image, put your bio in a judicial case folder – try to catch the attention of the person reviewing the kit at every detail. Make them want to look at it more than once, don’t just submit a press kit, submit an experience.
2. Who Do I Send My Press Kit To?
Press kits can help you get interviews, bookings, and everything in between. Of course record labels accept press kits, but so do magazines and promotion companies worldwide. Promoters who hold festivals and tours can often use press kits to rule out opening acts in different cities. They also can be sent to all media outlets, concert venues, bars, as well as local circular newspapers (you know, the weekly’s that have concert listings and music articles.) In addition most award shows and showcase competitions require press kits for up and comming artists.
3. How Do Press Kits Work?
Press kits can and should be used to inform the industry of new projects, tours, albums and even music video releases. Sometimes a simple press release will do, but when you want your recipient to fully visualize your marketing scheme, send in a press kit. For example, artist “Stone Zombie” is releasing their highly anticipated album “Rocking Dead”. Included are pictures, a promotional video, the album or snippets from the album, a t-shirt, and information on booking the band. Not only is all this content included, it is also collectively presented in the same creative manner. Everything from the package it was sent in to the cover of the album shares the same promotional theme. This gives your press kit a complete and thorough appearance that will intrigue those reviewing it.
4. Press Kits vs. Electronic Press Kits (E.P.K.’s)
Traditionally press kits have been in physical form and sent in through snail mail to industry professionals, but in the twentieth century almost everything is going digital, including press kits. E.P.K.’s offer the artist or management team an easier route to present information with a substantial reduction in costs. The information once collected can be sealed in zip folders or created through web sites that offer E.P.K. services such as sonicbids.com. Even web sites like Myspace.com and Facebook.com are becoming more and more like personal E.P.K’s for John Q. Artist. However, be cautious that sometimes the easy way is not the best route. Since almost anyone with a computer and a little free time can put together a MySpace, some companies may ignore your submission. This is especially true of MySpace and other social networks, that often times are regarded as spam. Digital submissions also lack the perception value of something that can be held and inspected by the recipient. Without a doubt, the majority of E.P.K’s pale in comparison to a professionally created press kit.
Submitting My Press Kit to the Ohio Hip Hop Awards.
Submit your EPK press kit to submissions@ohiohiphopawards.com
You are eligible for nomination if your promotions were released or achived between July 1st of the previous year and July 1st of the current year you are submitting for.
Oh and most importantly….
….Have a nice day.
@Majesticoh10
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