If you’re like most musicians, this is what happens when you’re trying to decide if you should sit down to revamp your press kit:
The process can feels so time-consuming and overwhelming that many musicians procrastinate for months (sometimes years!) and potentially miss out on getting the opportunities that will help move their career forward.
But what if I told you that you can improve your press kit today in as little as 15 minutes?
Here are five quick ways you can fine-tune your press kit to help you get the gig:
1. Scan for clarity
It’s easy to lose sight of the fact that you’re creating this press kit for someone else (usually a presenter).
In both formatting and content, your press kit should be the refined sugar of the gig getting world. You reader should be able to process it quickly.
Do a quick sweep of your press kit and ask yourself this question on each page:
“What message do I want my reader to take away from this page?”
Your press kit isn’t a platform to express your wildest, most creative ideas or to try to sound clever. It’s purpose is to help your reader understand who you are, what you’re about, and how you will benefit them.
Do this quickly—no need to let it bog you down. You’re simply asking yourself, “Is this clear?”
2. Omit needless words
When it comes to press kits, brevity is your friend.
The people reading your press kit are inundated by requests, so make it as easy as possible for them to scan your materials.
Remove repetitive words, cliches, and roundabout ways of saying things.
Here are a few examples of phrases you can shorten:
I came to the realization that—use “I realized”
For the time being—use “currently”
In the event that—use “if”
For the simple reason that—use “because”
With the exception of—use “except”
3. Check for consistency
Are your fonts, colors, and links uniform throughout?
Does your tone stay the same from page to page?
Are you consistent with the names, capitalization, and italicization of institutions, newspapers, and venues?
An example we see a lot: New York Times vs NY Times vs The New York Times. (The last one is correct.)
Follow a few standard conventions to ensure your press kit looks professional.
4. Add your contact information (everywhere)
Your name and email address should be on every single page of the press kit.
This way, if a specific page jumps out at them—or if the pages get separated for any reason—the reader won’t have to dig for your information.
It’s all about simplicity.
5. Infuse it with personality
Experiment with your voice to ensure your press kit comes across as authentic yet promotional.
How promotional?
You have to walk a fine line.
If you’re the type of person who is typically bombastic and confident, keep your adjectives and flowery language in check.
If you’re usually shy about self-promotion, make sure your press kit is truly showcasing your strengths.
Understand the tendencies you have surrounding self promotion, and push yourself a little out of your comfort zone for maximum effect.
What are your press kit questions?
Wondering how you can improve your press kit? Leave a comment below and we’ll help.
