Press releases are an essential for getting print press, it gives journalists a quick and easy way to get the information about your band and what you are doing. They need to be well written, interesting and to the point. Just a few paragraphs and less than 500 words. Often the text of a press release can end up in a magazine or newspaper, perhaps with a few changes (journalists can be lazy!). Normally you will send your press release along with your press kit with a covering letter (which you must address to a specific person at the magazine or newspaper). They can also be sent out via email or the post or hosted on a password protected area of your website.
The layout for press releases is a standard one, they start with:
“FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE” or “FOR RELEASE MAY 1st 2012 (your date)”
“For further details contact: (include the contact name, address, email, website and phone number here)”
HEADLINE (In capitals) – This needs to be good. “Local band releases CD” isn’t good enough. Try “local band makes record in prison” or “local band makes album twice after studio burns down”. Be creative. Try reading some magazines within your genre to get some ideas.
You are now into the body of the information. The first paragraph needs to have a summary of most of the information, you need to hook journalists in. If you want people to write about your band you need to be interesting, it should be all about the music but it isn’t. Controversy sells, events are interesting. If you can tie what you are doing into an interesting news story you have more chance of gaining attention. Write in the third person and ensure you answer the questions who, where, what and why.
Try and keep to the point, the press can make it more descriptive if they need to. Include any relevant tour dates (especially if it’s a good support slot). Think about the audience, for example if it is for metal journalists use reference points within that genre. Don’t go overboard with the hype, people will see straight through it if you say you are the next big band but no one has ever heard of you. Mention any positive press and recent decent gigs. Get someone to check it (twice), any tiny mistake will lose you credibility.
Conclude the press release with the contact details again and “###” at the very end to show that the press release is finished.
Only send out a press release when you really have something to talk about, ask yourself if it is genuinely newsworthy. Include relevant supportive quotes, this will give your press release credibility and always try to write it from the perspective of the journalist receiving it.
Related Posts
Tags: DIY Musicians, How to, marketing, press release, press releases, print press, record contract
