An Electronic Press Kit or EPK is essentially a portfolio that showcases an artist’s work. It is a collection of music, videos, press, and other information about the artist. All artists should have an EPK to share with venues, press contacts, or other interested parties.
An EPK serves the purpose of communicating the artist’s story and body of work in a concise and digestible format. It should give people a quick snapshot into who the artist is, what kind of music they make, and how to reach them for more information. Furthermore, it should be representative of the artists own unique personality and brand.
Every artists should make sure to include these seven things in their EPK.
Biography
Writing a great bio is a skill. The bio should be a compelling narrative of who you are as an artist. It should be concise and well-written without any spelling errors. Provide enough detail to get the point across, but keep it short enough that you don’t lose the reader’s attention. It is ok and even encouraged to boast about your accomplishment here, but stick to the facts. Try to focus on the things that make you interesting and differentiate you from other artists.
Music
This is your most important asset (at least it should be). The music is the actual product you are trying to sell. Be sure to highlight your best work in an easily accessible format like a direct link to an online music player. Avoid MP3 files or anything that must be downloaded. The people on the receiving end of your EPK won’t want to waste their time downloading files.
Images
Include high-quality, professional images in your Press Kit. Make sure they are suitable for use in news articles or on show flyers, as recipients of your EPK may ask for this. Great photos of an artist can be very memorable. They should essentially capture your personality and brand in a photograph. A picture is worth a thousand words.
Video
Videos should be engaging and align with your overall style or brand. Videos are probably the best tool for communicating your artistry in a virtual format, so use them accordingly. It is a way to showcase your music, visual style, and performance skills all in one. Be sure to include links to at least one music video and one live video. The music video should showcase your creative personality, and the live video should give people a sense of what your live show experience is like.
Press
Good press helps build credibility. Highlight any positive press write-ups with links and noteworthy quotes. If you have received a lot of press already, only include the best or most prestigious publications rather than listing everything. A press kit is too cluttered with links or irrelevant quotes may actually be less appealing to read.
Social Media
Include links to social media profiles that you are currently active on. Make sure your social profiles are complete and accurate if you are going to point people to them. If you have a significant social media following, you may even want to list the number of followers you have. Although it’s not always a great indicator, some people may look at followers as a proxy for actual fans or how many tickets you could potentially sell in a given market.
Contact Information
Clearly list your contact info so people know how to get in touch. If you have other people on your team like a manager, booking agent, or publicist you should list their contact info as well. Make it as easy as possible for people to reach you if they want more information. You don’t want to turn away potential leads just because they don’t know how to contact you.
Final Thoughts
Your Electronic Press Kit is often the first impression people have of you, so take the time to make sure it is professional and thoughtful. Creating your EPK should also be an iterative process. As you change and develop over time, so should your Press Kit. Think of it as a sort of musical resume that you send to potential employers to score that next big gig or record deal.
