Electronic press kits, also known as EPKs, have become a standard tool for working musicians. An EPK is essentially a series of webpages that shows potential bookers what your band or solo act sounds like while grabbing their attention and encouraging them to hire you.
They’re not something to just spam to every booking person that you come into contact with–seriously, they hate that–but when used properly, an EPK can be a very effective resource. Here are a few tips for setting up an electronic press kit that will bring in the gigs and showcase your band’s music.
First of all, you need to tell a story. Whether you’re sending the EPK to a tiny bar or a huge venue, you’ll drastically increase your chances of being booked if you can make your press kit memorable. The best way to do this is to tell your band’s story.
Think about all of the hugely popular bands you’ve ever known. They’ve all had interesting stories about how the members got together, what compelled them to make music, how their latest album was recorded, etc. Your band needs to have a similarly compelling story.
This will be in the “bio” section of your band’s EPK. It’s okay to use some humor, but don’t go over the top with it. You should write a professional, helpful bio that tells the recipient exactly why your band is important.
Secondly, keep it simple. Booking agents usually don’t have a lot of time, regardless of the size of their venues. You’ll want to give them all of the information that they need on one page. Use a newspaper article strategy. All the important information should be at the top of the page and include all of your details deeper in the various sections of your kit.
When the booking agent clicks on your EPK, they should immediately see genre information and have an option to play one of your tracks. Have a professional picture of yourself or your band front and center. Pay for some decent web design. If you can’t afford web design services, you can use an EPK website like Sonicbids or Reverbnation to quickly build a professional-looking kit.
Above all else, make sure that your EPK loads quickly and put your contact information right towards the top of the page. You’ll drastically improve your chances of landing a gig if you keep things simple.
When you’ve put together a good EPK, you can use it as a sort of calling card to show people your band’s music. Remember to regularly update it with information about upcoming and past gigs. You’ll start booking a lot more when you put your best foot forward.
Does your band use electronic press kits? Post below.