Electronic Press Kit

ABOUT AN EPK

Check out below for advice on how to create a EPK

What is an EPK?

If you have never had one before, an Electronic Press Kit (or EPK, for short) is a document that should showcase what your band is all about. It should have clear links to your music, website and social media, acting as a central point for you to introduce your band and what you’re about.

The most important thing to think about when creating an EPK is how it is going to be viewed from the other side of the fence. Put yourself in the position of a promoter, potential manager or agent… what information would you want to see?

What to include in an electronic press kit for musicians:

Links to your audio

Soundcloud, YouTube, Spotify – Wherever your music is, make sure it is listed in your EPK. Promoters and agents (before anything else!) are going to want to hear what you sound like. If you’re an original act, you should prioritise your latest single, or whatever you are trying to book shows to promote. It’s worth remembering that some acts actually offer a free download as part of their press kit. 

  Make sure to include clear links to your music on YouTube, Spotify, Soundcloud or anywhere else

High-res Photography

Professional pictures of your band are essential for any EPK. Promoters will use the images for posters and on any entertainment agent’s roster.

When coming up with a concept for a photo-shoot, try and think of something distinctive. While there are certain “Classic” themes that will always work (shots of rock bands looking moody up against a graffiti wall is a good example), far better to try and come up with an original concept. Hiring a professional photographer will really help with this.

It’s also a good idea to include a PNG image of your band logo that promoters and venues can use on promotional materials for an event.

Website & Social Media

Your website should offer additional, in-depth information that clients or potential managers can read, so make sure it is listed in your EPK. Any and all social media links should also be included and remember to keep them updated regularly. Promoters and agents love to use social media to keep a track of how hard-working, busy and popular bands are.

While having a lot of Facebook likes or Twitter followers may look impressive, the most important thing to have on social media is an audience that engages with what you post and is likely to turn up to your shows. For this reason, resist the temptation to buy “Fake” likes. No promoter is going to be happy if they book a band with 122,000 Facebook likes when they can’t even get 10 people to their hometown show on a Saturday night!

A big following and great engagement on social media can boost your chances of a booking. 

Biography

Your biography should act as the main text block for your EPK. List your band’s achievements and recent shows at notable venues. Talk about bands you’ve supported and any endorsements you have, while giving some general background on the band and it’s members.

It’s always a good idea to start a biography with a recent press quote, if you have one. General advice always says that you should have both a large and short biography prepared – Your EPK should contain your long version.

This is a very important bit of reading for anyone who wants to know about your band, so make sure to check spelling and grammar and get it proof-read to make sure it looks and sounds professional.

Press Quotes & Testimonials

If you have any favourable reviews to hand, make sure to include a select quote from each one (linking to the source). Any testimonials from other figures in the industry are also a good thing to include. If you are a function band, it is also really important to have some quotes from previous clients. Anything along the lines of the (example) quotes below:

“Putting on a raucous show from start to finish, this band are
definitely ones to watch for 2017”
The Local Gazette

“I really want to thank the band for putting on an amazing show at our wedding, people
have been talking to us about them ever since!”
Tom Groom, 2016

 Positive press quotes can catch the eye of a promoter, but always back them up with links.

Videos

A great way for original acts and function bands to get more shows is to have some high-quality video footage.

For function bands, this consists of a promotional video. Some shots of you performing live, with some overlaid information about your band is typically the traditional way to go, but the more original, the better. Any potential entertainment agent will want to see an eye-catching promo video.

For original acts, while storyboarded music videos can look fantastic, when it comes to your EPK, a live video of you performing will be of much more use to any promoter or potential manager.

Links to YouTube videos are absolutely fine.

Contact Details

While it is important to include up-to-date contact details for all band members, agents & managers, make sure to specify at least two which are to be treated as the preferred point of contact.

Once you’ve completed your EPK, you have to make it available. Try creating a Dropbox link that you can send, or have a function to make it downloadable from your website. 

Do you have any questions about creating your band’s EPK? Or some more advice on putting together a press pack for your fellow musicians? Let us know in the comments and make sure to share these tips!