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How effective have Press Kits been for getting gigs?

LowNloud1

LowNloud1

Commercial User
Jun 11, 2012
711
1,100
Wilmington NC
www.facebook.com
Disclosures
I am a hobbyist making stone picks that I sell but mostly give away. They made me do this anyways.
#1
I've been reading the excellent tips on creating a band press kit. TB has never failed to help.

I am interested about using them to get gigs at local clubs.

Has anyone had success dropping them off to a local bar and getting a response? If so, any idea what percent received a response?
 
#2
I've never had a local club call my band on the strength of our press kit. (Which might be just be the case where I am, so don't take it as gospel.) But agents will routinely ask for your press kit. As will radio stations, local TV channels, newsedia, and some venues. (Note: if you're a wedding band they're de rigeur however. Wedding planners and reception halls will almost always want to see your "kit" before they'll even talk to you. Probably because your band's "look" is at least as important as your sound when it comes to doing weddings.)

I don't know whether a publicity/press kit will really help you get work that much or if they're more used as a weeding out device to separate the more professional bands from the "night out" variety. But they're not hard or expensive to put together - so it never hurts to have one.
 
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#3
^ I'd say a professional video is the key sales tool for wedding bands, and most of the top-tier event bands have at least a couple $K invested in their video promo materials.

For local bar and club bookings, it partly depends on the size of your market. In small and mid-sized scenes, an EPK isn't a bad thing, but it's not usually the crucial factor if you've been around for a while. Club owners tend to know what bands are pulling large crowds just from word-of-mouth. (Kitchen and bar staff tend to form a community, and they tend to be tied into local music. So if your band's been killing it in a couple clubs, word gets around. A good EPK can help get your foot in the door if you're new and have no buzz, but that's clearly a fall-back suit rather than trump.)

In any case, booking demos should document exuberant fan response, then your musical style(s) and mad chops (in that order).
 
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#4
EPK's are great. without even seeing the band you can get an idea of who they are, what they look like, what gigs they have played, how many releases they have and so on.

i highly recommend onepagelink.com they allow you to upload videos and pre approved images so event organizers and promoters can use them without you needing to email them every 5 minutes for links to photos or videos. cheap and effective.

Invalid Link Removed
 
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#6
Since I became "a manager" (use that title loosely) for my band a few years ago, I came to realize that all venues/agents are different.

Some places want an actual hard pressed kit with a CD. I know that's dark ages stuff, but then again so are some guys managing bars. Some are fine with the EPK.

My best experience though is with the clubs/agents that just want some youtube clips, mp3's, or your Facebook page for reference. I've booked several gigs just through Facebook messaging, texts, and email contacts. In general I have found that the places that are using electronic means for the majority of their correspondence are better organized, better with promotion, and easy to deal with.

My two cents is to be prepared professionally for all three circumstances if you want to find the best gigs for your band.
 
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#7
The days of the old drop off press kits is pretty much dead. Go with a EPK. Have a video (preferably live) and info on the band. Most venues have little time for you so a quick online EPK gets us gigs.
I can't remember the last time I dropped off a press kit or CD to a venue.
 
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#8
bassbully said:
The days of the old drop off press kits is pretty much dead. Go with an EPK. Have a video preferably live and info on the band. Most venues have little time for you so a quick online EPK gets us gigs.
Click to expand...
This has been my experience. Wasn't like that a few years ago. Things change quick. Definitely save gas with a EPK.
 
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#9
I'm putting a band (back) together and am likely to be in the booking role, so I'm interested in this. From the last couple of bands I played with, I never saw any situation where a physical kit was needed or helped. I joined an oldies group where one guy went around dropping off kits and waiting for the phone to ring. Nothing ever happened. I don't think he was doing any follow-up calling, but even if he was, I definitely did not get the impression any venue manager was taking the time to read through the kit or pop the CD in. One group had a great website; you could walk in with a tablet and pull up the site to show people your videos and demos on the spot. Much more effective. The group that gigged the most did it by social networking, and not the online kind; the BL hung around the venues and built relationships and got the band invited to play there because people knew him and trusted the band to deliver.
 
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#10
Bars? Never. Unless they ask for one save your money. E-press kits work better anyway because you can include video of your band.

Now, for the corporate/private party circuit they are crucial. Make sure all the booking agents in the area have a few.

Make sure your Web site is a good E-press kit. If you aren't going to do it right, don't bother with a Web site.

But the BEST thing you can do to drum up bar business is have your friends call the bar or mention you guys while they are in the bar.

Call would go like this....

Bar "Stinky's bar and grill this is Amber."
(Why is it always Amber by the way?)

Friend "Hey who do you guys have playing tonight?"

Amber "Oh we've got The Toots Roots."

Friend "Do you guys ever have (enter your band name here)? Those guys ROCK!"

Enough of those and you'll be in there. If the bar owner has never heard of you forget it. But if Amber tells him that all kinds of people are asking for (enter your band name here) then when you call he'll answer.

Shirt version. Press kit and Web site for private/corporate circuit, yes. Bars? Nah.
 
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#16
LowNloud1 said:
I've been reading the excellent tips on creating a band press kit. TB has never failed to help.

I am interested about using them to get gigs at local clubs.

Has anyone had success dropping them off to a local bar and getting a response? If so, any idea what percent received a response?
Click to expand...

We had a digital press kit that we emailed around, we got a couple people talking to us because of that but I'm not sure if we ever actually landed any gigs because of it.

@marko138 was hour haus because of the press kit?

anyway good old fashioned boots on the ground turned up more results for us, that and being complete ****heads and just cold calling these places.

make sure you have a good product first.
 
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#18
two fingers said:
Bars? Never. Unless they ask for one save your money. E-press kits work better anyway because you can include video of your band.

Now, for the corporate/private party circuit they are crucial. Make sure all the booking agents in the area have a few.

Make sure your Web site is a good E-press kit. If you aren't going to do it right, don't bother with a Web site.

But the BEST thing you can do to drum up bar business is have your friends call the bar or mention you guys while they are in the bar.

Call would go like this....

Bar "Stinky's bar and grill this is Amber."
(Why is it always Amber by the way?)

Friend "Hey who do you guys have playing tonight?"

Amber "Oh we've got The Toots Roots."

Friend "Do you guys ever have (enter your band name here)? Those guys ROCK!"

Enough of those and you'll be in there. If the bar owner has never heard of you forget it. But if Amber tells him that all kinds of people are asking for (enter your band name here) then when you call he'll answer.

Shirt version. Press kit and Web site for private/corporate circuit, yes. Bars? Nah.
Click to expand...

toots roots 4 life dog
 

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