Meet The Press: Powerful PR Pointers

by Winifred Chane

Publicity is the dissemination of information or promotional materials with the goal of gaining public attention. The process can be extraordinarily time consuming and is very detail oriented. However, with the proper organization and foresight, any band can manage its own publicity. The process is the same for ALL bands. Those with the most planning and organization always get the most public attention.

First, you need a plan and a purpose. You want to make it easy for the writer, editor, or DJ. Tell them exactly what their options (angles) are without sounding pushy and make sure they have all the necessary materials to follow through. Most media outlets include listings, reviews, and feature articles, so work all three angles to get triple the press. Establish relationships with these people. Stay organized, follow through with your promises, and make it easy for them to support your music. Don’t be discouraged by unreturned phone calls or months of “I still haven’t gotten to it.” Most calls go unreturned, but packages are received, faxes go through, emails are read, and messages are heard. Always leave contact information so they can respond at their convenience, and always ask them to your shows. There are hundreds of new releases every week, so if you are a new band, it will take persistence to get coverage.

Second, you need to pick your targets-- newspapers, college papers, fanzines, web sites, magazines, radio, chat rooms... Research is key for an effective publicity campaign. If you’re promoting a live show, figure out the number of guest spots you have, and ask the promoter for the club’s press list. This will include publications in the area that cover music. Be sure to mention the promoter when contacting referrals. Also ask them to put you in touch with other bands on the bill. It’s always best for bands to work together to maximize impact. Another way to identify the appropriate targets and their deadlines is through research with guides like Musicians Guide To Touring and Promotions.

Third, assemble a press kit. Include a press release, bio, the CD, no more than 8 press clippings, and a black and white glossy 8x10 photo (nothing too artsy or fuzzy…high contrast, dark photos reproduce best in newsprint). Make sure that your contact information and band logo are on every item.

Both the press release and the bio should be succinct. The press release is your chance to tell the staff exactly what your purpose is and how they can help achieve your goals. The bio should include a description of the music as well as a band resume. (If you don’t have lots worth saying in either, hold off until you do.) Writers will take bits and pieces right out of the release or bio for their articles, so you don’t want to make those bits and pieces hard to find.

With press kit in hand, focus on your targets.

Listings:

Listings should be the first thing you organize when you schedule a gig. They are simple to put together, and if done right and timed correctly, are the easiest way to guarantee some publicity. Be sure to include ALL the facts surrounding the show. A good photo gives you the greatest advantage in the listings dept. Not only does a photo up your chances for making the listings, but then you also have a shot at the publication using your picture in the section as a highlight.

Once you have all of your materials gathered, make sure you get the time line right as listings deadlines can be tedious. Mail the release along with the photo so that the kit arrives three weeks prior to the print date. Three days later, follow up with a phone call telling them that the materials are on their way. If you happen to reach someone, confirm that they have received your package. Even after confirmation, fax them a release and follow up with email reminders. Follow up every five days with email reminders until the print date. Always be personal yet brief in your notes, and include a copy of your press release in the body of every email. (Never send attachments unless they request them!) Send them one last reminder via fax and email on the next to last day before the target date.

Reviews:

There are two kinds of reviews…show reviews and disc reviews. If you are gigging, always push for both. Some publications don’t do live reviews, but you can use shows as leverage for them to publish CD reviews. All the while, keep your eye on particular trends in magazines and writers, and uncover who might take to your music.

The first reviews are always the toughest. To build your press kit, you may want to start with local zines or particular web sites like allmusic.com or yoursound.com that feature reviews on new bands. College papers are another good place to get your first reviews, especially if you are an alumna/us of a particular school.

When touring, focus on one region at a time. Most importantly, get as many media folk to your shows as possible, and leave room in your budget for an after party or a free drink to ensure a chance to get to know these people. Last minute phone and email reminders on the day of the show can be effective in getting editors to see newer bands.

When solely pushing for CD reviews, be sure to hit as many national outlets as you can. The easiest way for a new band to do this is through the web. However, there are numerous national publications that feature new music reviews, including Rockpile, Shredding Paper, and Lollipop. Bigger magazines, such as Spin, Rolling Stone, and Relix also feature new music, but you may have to be more patient. Hint: All of these publications have corresponding web sites that feature twice as many reviews as the print issues could ever handle.

Even with your focus on going national, never lose sight of particular regions. Your fan base won’t mean too much if its spread too thin. Always start at your base, and when you feel satisfied make the circle a little bit bigger. Hint: When you are on your home turf, you have the advantage of being able to bring your press kit to the editor’s offices in person.

Keep editors, writers, DJs, or web masters posted with your latest, whether it’s gigs, new band members, or your single being on the latest sitcom. If the news is big enough, form an entire campaign around it, but realize that in most cases, it will simply be the icing on the cake. Keep giving them reasons to mention you in their news and reviews sections.

Feature Stories:

Features are probably the toughest type of press to achieve. Focus on reviews and listings before you move on to feature articles. However, once you are ready, finding an intriguing and original angle will be the key.

Be sure to check all of your target’s papers and web sites, tune into the airwaves, search archives and pay attention. Anywhere you see your show listed, your photo run, your CD reviewed, your name mentioned in the news, or your songs being spun, send a big THANK YOU! As for all the others, no hard feelings, and just keep on them! The press is just getting to know you, and if you stick around long enough, and can keep organized, they won’t be able to resist.

Winifred Chane is Head of Publicity at Powderfinger Promotions ((800) 356-1155 or winis10@aol.com), where she has worked with numerous acts including Deep Blue Something, Jim's Big Ego, John Brown’s Body, Vance Gilbert, String Cheese Incident, and Famous. Winifred is also Music Editor of Skope Magazine (www.skopemagazine.com).