Yesterday I delivered training on how musicians can promote and sell themselves, securing either headline or supporting slots at events and festivals for their original band, or booking in high-paid corporate shows for their covers project, all without relying on external agents....it was 🔥
Working in the creative events and live music industry for 16 years, I am still amazed at how few bands really have their promotional material to the point where a promotor or booker can easily say yes to booking them, hiring your band for an event, and making their client's very happy in return.
It all starts with making a stunning, simple, highly aligned Electronic Press Pack
"How to make an electronic press pack for my band that actually sells us properly?"
I recently did a 1-1 session with my client, where we created an aligned promo pack that communicates and sells their band, not only at a much higher price point but makes them stand out from the sea of acts similar to theirs, meaning they can not only command higher fee's but they get more bookings!
With an easy-to-use promo kit for your act or band, you are able to elevate your show and get higher-paid bookings, hotel residencies, corporate events, headline and support slots for festivals, and more.
Having an easy, on-point promotional pack will help you on your way and it is a vital part of your artist's tool kit, and it needn't be overcomplicated.
For the purpose of this blog, we are going to focus on cover bands, keep an eye out for an
in-depth original band guide, or come and join the self-study program, Get Booked Bootcamp
🚀 MAKE AN EASY EPK: Get an EASY to read and an EASY to share EPK - it doesn't need to be fancy, highly edited, or with beautiful graphics - a simple PDF is all you need. It should contain your high-end promotional material that is specific to that act. It sounds simple but so many bands get this wrong. If you are a trio, don't send a 7-piece band, unless it is VERY obvious this is a changeable outfit, which the client can choose.
🚀 HOOK THE READER, WITH WORDS: The first sentence needs to be juicy AF and it needs to immediately invite the reader into your world and share in 10 seconds EXACTLY what your act is and what it will do for them. (CLUE - it is NEVER about you, it is always about THEM)
so instead of saying:
"Amazing soul band who have played with every single amazing musician ever" (or words to that effect)
you could say:
"Soulful Music for Memorable Events"
This immediately sets you apart, as it tells the booker precisely what they want to hear.
🚀 THIRD-PERSON BIO: Remember, your pack needs to speak to whoever has it in their hands AND they need to be able to copy and paste your information, quickly, so they can SELL YOU. Just a 100-word 3rd-person BIO is all you need. There is nothing worse than having an amazing band ready to send on to clients and then having to edit their copy to get the act the job! This is true if you are a session musician, a wedding band wanting more bookings, an alt-rock tribute act, an up-and-coming electronic artist going big, or an established jazz singer: don't feel afraid to be selling yourself, putting all your best achievements out there. If you want more help on this there is a whole module dedicated to helping you know exactly what to say in your EPK in Get Booked Bootcamp.
And finally, just remember that promoters and booking agents are really busy and will just scan your info at first. Having a well-thought-through electronic press kit serves two purposes: it will get their attention and secure the booking, and secondly, it will serve as a central base for the details of your act, so not only can you copy and paste your up-to-date information, anywhere you need to, your booker can easily work on the booking after the client has said yes. Which is another part of the process! Running around after bands is no fun and makes an agent's job stressful, so making their life easy, being a great client, helping to make them look amazing, and giving the booker and their clients a great experience, is what will turbo boost your bookings this year, and the next, and the next, oh, and it all starts with your promotional pack and EPK.
Making a really clear, high-quality electronic press kit is the one thing that will take you from being completely overlooked to completely overbooked.
I really hope this content helps anyone who is revamping or making their EPK right now.
📣If you would like some more help and connect with me more, come and join
Backstage Badasses on Facebook, my free artist community of badasses, where I share business, mindset, and life tips to support you in your DIY music career, you and also access the self-study course Get Booked Bootcamp and skyrocket your music projects this year.
Kerri Layton is an award-winning entrepreneur and Business Coach for the Creative Arts and Performing Arts Industries. An agent, record label owner, singer-songwriter, Marketing Queen and trained EFT (emotional freedom technique) and Energy Healer, she works with high-achievers who are destined for more success. Having enjoyed a glittering, successful 16-year career - both on and off stage as a voice and acting coach, singer-songwriter, agent, and producer. She is a published author, a speaker, and a founder of multiple companies and organizations including Dixiebird Records, Kerri Layton Coaches, Kerri Layton Music and The Retro Performing Arts Company.
Kerri's work has been featured on BBC Business, ITV News, Albanian National TV, 'Voice of London', The Daily Mirror, The Evening Standard, and BBC Radio 4 and has spoken for Creative Industries Federation, The Design Museum, and Colleges across the UK.
She currently lives at the seaside, working between there and London with her four-legged bestie, Memphis.
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