EPK, Electronic Press Kits, are great for bands. No longer do you have to stuff all that info in a manila folder and send it off hoping someone will actually take the time to go through it. But now that every band sends out an EPK, how do you make yours stand apart?

Put yourself in the mindset of the person you’re talking to. If it’s a bar manager, they want to fill their venue with customers. A booker wants to find bands that make the venue folks happy. And music directors at radio stations want listeners. They also want to be able to say, “I discovered that band. We were playing their music before anyone else.”

For the bar manager tell them about the venues (not in their area) that consistently have you back. It speaks to the value you bring that they want you there again and again.

For bookers, highlight the events you’ve been booked into and how well they went. I’ve seen a booker sweat bullets because he needed to please his client and the band was late to set up.

And for radio, you should send high quality .mp3 files of your front man (or woman) doing intros they can use over the bed of your songs. This requires some detective work to make certain you get their slogan right. The radio station’s website will usually have everything you’ll need.

A little studio time is worth it if it gives you an edge and gets you radio play. This works for internet radio stations and anyone with an interview show. Think about what they need and see if you can make it easier for them to promote you. Those relationships will make all the difference in your success in this business.