How To Make An Effective Press Package- Part 1
By Craig Cook

I just finished a stint as a panelist and industry representative at the New York International Music Festival where I received over 100 press packages from bands around the world. I’m amazed at the variety of materials I received; from quality to quantity everyone has a different idea as to how a press package should be prepared. Some of the most professionally packaged pieces lacked essential information, as opposed to unsightly but effective packages that had all the vitals, yet lacked any identifying or compelling design. I spent a good majority of my face-time with artists and managers explaining what makes an effective and endearing presentation, often having to explain that different types of packages are necessary depending on the intended recipient. It was this experience that led me to start this new column for Cityzen.tv entitled Tricks of the Trade. This first installment will focus on effective press package design.

The Press Package: What Is A Press Package & Why Are They Necessary?
Ok, lets start with the basics… What the hell is a press package and why do I need to put one together? A press package is a formal presentation from an artist or band to an industry representative. The press package should be designed to help an industry contact orient to your project and gain an understanding of your status as a performer. A standard package includes photography, press quotes, information about recordings, contact info, a short bio and a listing of select live performances/tours.

Included with your press package should be a sample of your work. Musicians and film-makers should submit two copies of their demo, ep, full length, dvd or vhs if the package is going to press. This is endearing to editors, as the company gets to keep one copy in the archives while the writer/reviewer is allowed to keep their review copy. It is a complete waste of time and energy to ask a writer to return media after they have reviewed it so that the editors can have a go. When submitting a package for management, agency, distribution or label consideration one copy will usually suffice. Photographers, artists and writers; submitting a portfolio with each and every press kit is costly and usually unnecessary. Choose a few representative works to highlight and submit them along with information about viewing the body of your work online or in person.

Before you submit your work to any company, do your homework! Follow submission guidelines carefully or your work will not be considered. Also, believe companies when they say that they do not accept unsolicited materials; if you send it, they will dump it.

Press packages are vital in the entertainment industry because one must always be on the lookout for new networking opportunities, and bringing your contacts up-to-speed quickly ensures that everyone is on the same page. Press packages are also effective when courting journalists for reviews or interviews. Often, the press package that you deliver to a label representative or management contact will be quite different from the one that you deliver to a press representative.

Designing Your Package: Make It Easy - Make An Impression.
Designing an effective press package takes a considerable amount of effort. One must balance the volume of information they wish to present with design elements that will leave a lasting impression. At the same time, a press package should be easy to decipher and organized in such a way that important info is presented clearly. Too thick of a package will often go unread, while a package with little to offer by way of facts is quite useless.

Companies use different filing systems to manage their press packages for easy reference. Some use file cabinets or binders, others have alphabetized shelves and leave packages in their original folders or envelopes. Keep this fact in mind when designing your package or you can be sure that the only place that it will end up is in the garbage. Use standard 81/2 X 11 paper for all of your materials. If you use anything larger, your package may not fit into filing cabinets or binders; anything smaller, and your presentation may be lost in a jumble of paperwork. Interesting shapes and sizes may seem cool to you, eye catching and fun, but it also means that your submission will not fit with the rest of the packages that a company files and could possibly be discarded. If you choose to put your package into a binder, use a standard three-ring system so that your pages can be easily transferred to another book. If placing your package in a folder, note that the materials inside will more than likely be separated from the folder.

You can be sure at some point while your package is in the hands of an industry professional that papers will be shifted around, shuffled up, misplaced, separated or lost. One of the most important things to keep in mind when designing your press package is to place a header on every single page that includes your name and page number. It is also useful to include contact information in the footer so that people can get in touch with you even if they have misplaced all but one page of your package.

Fill up every page with content. There is nothing as annoying as a press package that consists of 20 pages with little press clippings or photos and a whole bunch of white space. In the long run, a concise package with a good layout will impress your intended reader and save you a bundle in copying and reproduction costs. Use both sides of the page to save extra cash (and all those poor trees!), but only if both sides are completely readable. Don’t be afraid to put different types of information on the same page.

Retype press clippings or resize them to fit neatly on a page. The photocopied look is a turnoff and does not present a professional front. Placing three or four clippings on a page is not a bad idea if they all fit. Remember though, your intended reader does not need to see each and every piece of press you have ever received. You are proud of your achievements, this we know, but don’t overwhelm your reader with volumes of information if it is not necessary. Select only the top three-five articles and present them in a neat format.

A great example of a press package that I found to be both informative and functional was handed to me by a band from Georgia. The first page had a small picture on the top left and the name of the band on the top right along with some vital stats like member names, hometown, contact information and web address. Below that was a short bio of the band and three quotes from regional newspaper articles. Further down on the page was a discography with pictures of the CD covers.

This first sheet gave me a lot of information in a way that was well organized and not overwhelming. I could look at that one sheet and determine what type of sound the band had, who their fan base might be, what they have recorded, and what the press said about them. I could also contact any member of the band and know them by name as well as visit their web site for more in-depth research. Subsequent pages had a few press clippings, tour dates, accolades, sales figures and equipment specs. This simple four-page package was well laid-out, concise and gave me all the information I needed to pursue business with the band.

Now you have a good amount of information to ponder. Take a few minutes to look over your current press kit, or start designing one based on these guidelines. I’ll be back in a few weeks to tell you more about the press kit like how to effectively use the web to supplement your presentation, the importance of a cover letter, and how to customize your press kit depending on who will be receiving it. Until then, good luck! I hope this column helps you in your quest to get your work out there in the public eye.