Your Image is Everything! An Arizona Band’s Guide to the Perfect Press-kit

Step One: Shoot the Photos

This is essential and the first part of a cooperative effort that will ultimately yield you the press kit that you’ll need to make it Arizona. Things to shy away from are photographers who are not professional and never use a brick wall as a backdrop; these are classically the backdrops in so many band photos that it’s disgusting.

Finding a great photographer is as simple as conducting a local online search. Only go with photographers that have an online portfolio for you to browse though. Always take some time to see what the end product looks like before shelling out your cash for it.

The best places to shoot for photos are outdoors. You need to decide on a theme and make sure that everybody shows up dressed appropriately. Make sure that you designate at least a half day for photos and that everybody in the band realizes this is rather lengthy effort. The end result will be you getting the awesome photos that your band needs on the first shoot—and not several shoots and hundreds of dollars later.

Take your time with photos. They are your best representation of the band image and the difference between good photos and bad photos can mean getting booked or overlooked. See the photographer link below for good photographers in Arizona.

Step Three: Hire a Graphic Designer for your Band Logo

This is very important in producing the right press kit for your band. Unless members of your band are already gifted in the art of graphical design, you will need to hire the services of a professional graphic designer.

Draw up some sketches and ideas for the ideal band logo. Hire a graphical designer that you know or trust and have them create several high resolution logos. Choose the one that is best for your band and add it to your press kit.

Basically you will want two or three great band logos. You use one for your main logo, and the others for online merchandising. I have also included a great online store that hosts free stores for bands.

You can sell your merchandise and make some great money and they let you simply upload your logo and apply it to the gear online—it is really easy!

Step Five: Distribute the Press Kit & Book the Shows

The final step is the take that press kit and distribute it to every single freaking club that you have ever wanted to play at. A short amount of time spent looking up the clubs and mapping them out will tell you where to go and how to get there.

Make sure that you have enough kits with you for the clubs you wish to drop them off at. All you do from here is either hand deliver them to clubs (recommended) or mail them to other clubs you wish to play at. In a short matter of time you will have so many booking agents calling you that you will find your band booked for six months out.

Step Two: Record the Tunes

You will need to have a pretty damn good recording if you are to attract the attention of the larger and higher paying clubs in Arizona. Select the three or four songs from your collection that you feel are your very best songs.

Never choose cover songs for a demo or press kit recording. Make sure that you choose the songs as a band so there is no question as to what your best tunes are. Finally, you will need to decide on a place to go and record the songs which you have selected.

There are hundreds of great recording studios in Arizona, but you want to make sure that you go to a fully functional studio. What I mean by that is that you can easily find one that offers recording, mixing and mastering as well as package rates for demos.

To ease your searching’s and your stress. I have included a recording studio that already offers these services and is very well-known and popular amongst AZ bands. Make sure that all band members are willing to split the costs of recording evenly amongst you.

See the recording studio link below for the studio information.

Set Four: Put it All Together

A good press kit will cost you some money if you are to do it right and make it presentable. I have included a link of a the best online press kit provider for your electronic press kit (EPK) but you will also need a print press kit to hand out to club owners and booking agents as well as to mail into record labels for submission.

A short trip to the local office supplies store will net you the supplies that you need. You will need some classy looking folders, lots of photo prints of your band and a recording of your demo for each press kit. You will also need to include a band biography, a discography and a bio for each and every member.

Here is what should be in each press kit:
• Head shots
• Band shots
• Logo
• Band bio
• Member bios
• Demo CD
• Contact information
• Discography
• Band business card
• Any press you may have (newspaper reviews, online reviews, etc.)