If you are a musician ,business enterprise, nonprofit, poet, author or creative person, then chances are that you may need to be thinking about if you are going to use an EPK, otherwise known as an electronic press kit, or if you are going to utilize the good ol’ ‘brick and mortar’ utilization of mailing out press kits to those people that you are looking to make a good first impression on – especially the media.
A press or media kit was something that artists, musicians, publicists only thought about, because the cost to create and distribute them was so expensive, but now with the emergence of e-mail and the power to create an electronic press kit, cost are often times cut by half of the time and money. So, what is a press/ media kit? It is your professional resume that encompasses your biography, press clippings, photos, work (CDs or MP3s), press releases, and any other additional information that will make you look good in the eyes of the media (if you’re looking for exposure), record label executives, associates, probable business partners or whomever you want to have a full overview of who you are, or what it is that you are selling or doing, by presenting to them a professional product.
Now most press kits can range from about $40 dollars a piece, because you have to pay for the material and paper, professional pictures, CDs (if applicable), folders to place the content in, business cards . Then you have to consider mailing it which will cost around $5.00 per mailing. If you have that type of money to spend on creating and sending out a press kit, then I would suggest that you do so, as it is a good investment, if given to the right people who will use it to help catapult your career or business, otherwise, I would just consider purchasing an EPK, that you can change and utilize as often as you would like to, as well, you do not have to worry about the cost of postage.
You have to learn how to outsmart those who are vying for the same thing that you may be vying for, by making what you have to offer standout from those others that are likely doing the same thing, which will in turn make you more in demand(p) to anyone looking for that person with the marketability factor, as it may come down to you or the other person, so it is best to be prepared.
