Press Kits/Packs, good, bad and what to avoid
Does any one have some advice on what’s some good info to include in a press kit, as well as bad info not to include and just stuff to avoid all together? Maybe even post some links to press kits/packs that are doing it and even some who are not getting it right at all?
Cheers!
a lot of venues i see nowadays are shunning the “physical” press kit. a lot of places/people are accepting a well-done myspace page as a form of a press kit. this is because, if all the information is filled out on the page, you have background info, names, bio, music samples, pictures, pretty much everything that would normally be in a traditional press kit.
This would be a useful topic for the FAQ, if you guys come up with some helpful info on the topic ill throw this in the FAQ 
Thanks guys !
Bento, go FAQ yourself 
sorry couldn’t resist haha
On the topic of Press kits, what’s good to have in them are flyers, reviews, promotional photos, a bio, and if possible, named references (as in people who have made a name for themselves in your city/scene).
One problem with this is that anyone can make a great Myspace and fill it full off lies and bullshit. Im dealing with such a guy at the moment who offers so many services its hilarious. He even offers a Press Release and CV service to professionally write your DJ P.R and his own Press Release has about 20 typos in it. Hes a fucking idiot.
In UK i still think nothing works better than going into the club/bar with your mix cd and a bunch of flyers your name is on in a package and passing a few out to the manager/promoter and if your brave the DJ.
Obviously a good Myspace is essential as a starting point. (i havent maintained mine for months)
I think people in UK are a little tired of Myspace and Facebook .
Whatver works though !!!
Myspace/Facebooks seems played out. I think if you have an actual website that would seem more professional, and that’s something I’m already working on.
What I include in my presskits:
Onesheet:
The onesheet should have a short bio, contact info, basic info (genres, current gigs/residancies), notable info (are you famous?), and it should have an action shot as well as a staged ‘look at me i’m a cool dj’ shot. Anything else is kinda superfluous, but some things can add to it and some can detract. be careful. dont go overboard. the onesheet is probably the ONLY thing they’ll keep.
Demos:
I always include a wide array of demos geared towards what I’m currently doing/marketing. I do a wide variety of genres, so as a result I tend to include 3-4 demos to give people a taste of what I do.
Video Demo:
I include a video demo “power mix.” I record the same 10 minute mix in several venues I play at. I get a friend of mine to shoot the video with my camera. The mix should have 5-10 songs and really showcase your performance and skill as a DJ. I then stich the video together to give it the sensation that it’s larger than life (cutting from one venue to another gives a ‘dj on tour’ feel) mixed with some crowd shots probably from later in the night. Again all to give a larger than life sensation. It’s all promotion. The video demo has sold people on booking me in an instant.
Portfolio:
I mean pictures. Give them some purdy pictures of you. Show them you’re marketable.
Resume:
Speaks for itself. You need a current DJ resume with real names/clubs/etc.
The thing to remember is it’s ALL about marketing. Where are you the most marketable? Are you a performer? Are you really really attractive? Are you super technically amazing, mr. glitch mob? Do you bring amazing gear to the table?
Whatever it is, you find your main thing and exploit the HELL out of it. but just don’t forget about the music.
All great tips. One thing I might add is that your web presence is important. These days they’re going to Google you, so make sure what shows up in their search results is what you want them to see. Of course, the most efficient way to do this is to have a website domain name that’s the same as your stage name; it makes you seem more professional.
For both your web presence and physical press kits, make sure everything is concise, clean and professional looking. Don’t put anything on it that isn’t relevant; they’re not going to read a novel. Uniqueness also makes you stand out. Consider investing in graphic designers. That’s all I can think of right now, good luck!
great tips monica & keyofgrey.
in addition:
press kits are a great way to show your other creative skills. don’t have any? collaborate with a friend with artistic talents. nothing gimmicky, but having a standout folder/package as well as a clean design and great sounding demo cd expresses that you have invested time (and a little money) into your profession; as opposed to doing it as a hobby or just to pass time.
a word on social sites such as myspace, facebook; although they may not be the best way to showcase your DJ prowess, they still can be a resourceful tool. if you are smart, you have used them to include your schedule, a mini-mix, gig pics, etc.,. i think most management at venues know the importance of promoting through social networks by now, if not, explain to them how you use this and that may increase your value to them as well.
ONE SHEET
exactly just that, a one sheet. too much text can be boring, be short concise, thesaureses (and a spell check dictionary, ahem) will be your new best friend. list a few major events or DJs you have played with, this shows you have experience. if you have a myspace, facebook, blog, or other social networking site that you use to supplement your dj ventures, do include. obviously, if your social networking site is filled with unmentionable naughtiness that you would not want to be judged by, then use your commonsense and don’t include. References a plus, good words from a person you DJed with or another promoter/venue go a loong way… most of the time.
DEMOS
research always goes a long way too. It’s alright to give a venue several demos that shows your versatility, however; if you are expressing intent to to promote a night with your style of music, then obviously do that with just one disc. Make sure your CD has your contact info printed clearly on it (along with awesome logo/artwork) AND in your mix you have audible promos with your DJ Name; cheesy example: “your in the mix with DJ Slomojo (background lasersounds and/or explosive gangsta shotgun blasts optional)”
VIDEO DEMO
i have never done one, but agree it could be a good selling point as well. time is def required, for editing, video capturing, sound, etc., then again, friends with these creative means can save the day.
BUSINESS CARDS
should be the 1st thing in your self-promo repretoire.
WEBSITE
get one (a free blogsite can do you justice). if you want to add more bells & whistles:
have a few of your demos available for streaming or downloading.
link to your facebook or myspace page. if you need instructions for website help, with embedding music, html graphics, etc., a quick youtube video search always helps.
hey,
i’ve seen loads of press-kits from superstar dj’s. i used to work as a designer in one booking/club agency. they are usually very simple and include:
sometimes they add previous press material. that’s it!
tho in my presskit i include my own tracks.
Monika made a pretty good summary there. tho i have few points of my own
i would love to discuss
don’t think that business cards would do you any good
video might be nice if you show some REAL skills that not everyone has. but if you just perform a quick megamix or smth as mentioned before i doubt it would get you proper gigs or amaze anyone. i would love to see the video someone mentioned before.
videos work better as a club promotion material (check club exit (Kaunas, LITHUANIA) videos in youtube. they’re true quality!).
and i agree about the flyers. that’s a bit childish.
EDIT: forgot to mention that in my opinion websites are not worth your time + money. they are too complicated, you have to read/check everything, as when you go to artists myspace you already know where to look for what (tracks, dates, contact, additional info…). even the biggest names in the scene you myspace as the main tool for reaching people. + it’s 100% interactive, you can be ‘friends’ with an artist, write him a message and sometimes even get a reply. and it costs nothing.
proper website would cost you a loooooot.
I just got this email from Strictly Hits a day or two ago and thought I’d share:
Last week I mentioned a little about the importance of a “press kit”, and i was very very surprised by number of emails i had asking about more info. What they are? What are they used for? How are they made? These were just a few of the questions. Here’s the deal! What i’ll be talking about is actually referred to in the industry as a EPK ‘Electronic Press Kit’ A press kit can be compared to a resume, but it’s more dynamic with graphics and media included. Most times you will include Bio Information, Logo(s), Entertainment Skills, DJ Experience, Awards, Video Footage, and MP3 Demos. Before you begin to design or hire someone to work on your presskit you must first gather your information and assets that will be needed to complete the project. Assets would be considered your bio, Mp3Demo’s, Videos, Picutres, any and all Awards or Press (these can be features/stroies in a local paper, online dj blog, or anything else where someone else wrote something about you or your DJ’ing), You should also start gathering Quotes from past & present clients. WHY DO YOU NEED THIS? To present your service in the best possible light. This is the ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY, so why would you want to put a club owner to sleep with a resume? You only have one chance to make a first impression, so make the most of it. If you have a little bit of graphic skill you can put together a pretty nice EPK using PowerPoint, but yes it will take time and a lot of work, or you can google EPK and see that you can get a profesional one done starting at $495.00. To solve this problem Strictly Hits has teamed up with a dope graphic designer who “gets what we do” He has agreed to do a 3 Page EPK for only $100.00. If you are interested in using this service just email info@stricltyhits.com and we’ll get the ball rolling.
The bit about websites being expensive is a lie, and you are a liar for saying such things.
I run my website (link at the bottom) out of my house for less than 20 dollars a year, not counting what I pay for regular internet services, and all that is is the price of a domain name.
Sure the website looks like crap, but I spent about 10 minutes making the silly thing. I’m planning on having a friend who’s a visual arts major work with me on designing a new one (I know how to code, but I’m not terribly artistic).
At the risk of sounding like a jackass, you should avoid putting phrases like “THESE ALL SUCK” over the work that you do. You don’t want to scare your listener away or give them a negative impression before they listen to what you’ve done. Leave it up to them to decide if it sucks or not.
On the same token it goes without saying that what’s in your presskits should be your best work, and only your best work. When you turn in school work you don’t include everything you did throughout your educational career, do you? I’d imagine most promoters are more impressed with one solid mix/production rather than 500 works in progress.
Quality over quantity
quite a drastic statement about me being a liar, i must say
what i meant was that it’s expensive to DESIGN/PROGRAM A WEBSITE. proper design and correct programming would cost you
starting from ±600-1000$. and im not speaking about web templates
with cheesy dj-spinning-vinyl images and stuff.
and you said it yourself, that your website looks bad. it’s better to have no website than to have bad looking one. if you do it - do it good from the beginning.
and you don’t have to have a website if you have a perfect myspace.
the best example would be JIM RIVERS myspace http://www.myspace.com/jimriversdj
think out of the box.
@Lambox: Yeah, but i have the tendency to not take myself seriously. Perhaps to the point where its detrimental, but oh well. On the same note, though, these forums are the only real place I could call my website distributed. When I feel I’m good enough to start seriously looking for gigs, the site will look much better, and there will be a lot less links to old and crappy mixes on it. I agree with everything you said, but at the moment the site is just a “See if I can make it work right” project in regards to servers and such.
@aout: You’re right, and having a professionally designed and coded website is expensive as hell, but hosting it is cheap and easy. I don’t know about it being better to have no website than none at all, however. Actually, I take that back. I’ve seen some pretty garish sites that make mine look like the Cistine Chapel.
And as a counter: coding a ‘perfect’ myspace would be just as difficult as coding a ‘perfect’ website. If you know enough about CSS to achieve what Mr. Rivers’ designer did, than you certainly know enough to build something similar from scratch.
EDIT:
And as a side note to defend my ego, I wrote and maintain my site in vi. Bahaha.
Chica.. Impressive post. Just wanted to say thanks for this information!
Cheers.
and