A press kit is a collection of public relations material given to the press or to a prospective business resource. Used most commonly in product marketing and the music industry.
Product Press Kits
When marketing a product, a press kit will be collected including press releases, product data sheets, photographs and advertising pamphlets. The press kit will then be distributed to the press, to distributors or resellers, to product or company representatives, or to major prospective clients.
Band Press Kits
If you are in a band and you want to start making money off of your music, your press kit is your best friend (or worst enemy if it is bad). You will send your press kit to prospective labels for releases or even recording deals, to venues for shows, to booking agents, and to the press. The press kit is used both to entice contacts (like agents or venues for shows) and to provide people with resources for promotion (like flyers for duplication or music to radio stations for air time).
Include EVERYTHING you can, without overwhelming anyone with any one piece of information. Stuff to put in your press kit, in order of importance:
- Recorded Music - the best you have. If you have releases, include a free copy. IF you have recorded a demo, include a copy. CDs are best, tapes are okay, records are alright. Do not send DATs and do not send URLs to your stupid MP3s - people get too many kits a day to go get your music. Put only your best stuff in, but strike a balance between quantity and quality. Include crappy recordings of live shows, if the shows are worth note, but don't only put in crappy recordings. Don't send eight thousand minutes of music. If all you have is a basement recording on your boom box from a practice four months ago, record something else!
- Description of your recorded music. Type up a brief description of what you've sent. Include a detailed track list. Add a statement (small and at the bottom) that says: "The recorded music in this press kit is intended for promotional use only and may not be redistributed, duplicated, broadcast or sold without express written consent of the band."
- A band bio. Where are you from, what do you do, what do you listen to, what kind of people are you? Maximum of a page, make the first couple of paragraphs general so it can be used for promotions.
- Pictures - send a page or two of pics, not loose photos. Put them all on one piece of paper.
- Reviews of past shows/releases. Send a cross section of what you've had - a couple of bad reviews make you look honest and let bookers and labels know who you work for and who you don't. Don't just send the review, include the date and name of the publication. Limit yourself to less than 10.
- Promotional goodies. We love this stuff! Send stickers, t-shirts, buttons, patches, whatever! It's not just to butter people up, either - you'll find stickers get put in visible places, like behind bars (the kind that sells drinks) or on stages or at record stores.