How to create a DJ Press Kit or EPK
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A Press Kit is good for assisting companies/people to help promote and write about your career. It enables you to deliver all of the essential materials about your brand in one place. An online version of this is sometimes called an Electronic Press Kit or EPK.
Who needs a press kit?
DJs that want to be a national name and/or covered by media probably should have a press kit.
A press kit would be sent to journalists. It could also be sent to promoters and venues.
What's contained in a press kit?
A press kit would contain publicity photos, a biography, sample music, information on notable achievements from your career, and optionally links to music videos.
Formats
You can create your press kit in several formats.
Online formats
PDF: This is a file that contains images and text. PDFs are known to not contain viruses, but they're not the easiest to use by the receiver, and the files can't be updated.
Zip: This is a file that outputs a folder when opened. Be aware that if you attach this type of file in an Email, then there's a chance it won't be delivered.
Online files: You would upload files to service such as Google Drive or a cloud service.
A section of your website: Everything that you want to display to the press will be hosted on your website. In addition, the press pack on your website could have downloadable PDF and/or zip versions, too.
Offline formats
USB: This is a just a physical USB drive with files. I would not recommend this as a sole means of distribution, because you would have to send USB drives out to businesses.
CD: This is a disc that computers can read from. This is pretty much an old way of distribution. Since many devices do not have CD drives nowadays, you probably wouldn't want to do this.
Print out: This is a paper version. You can't easily distribute audio and video with this version.
More information about formats
You can have multiple versions. For example you can have online files and a print out.
The files for the Zip, online files, CD, or USB could contain images, text, audio, and video.
The text could be a short biography and links to your website/social media.
You may want to pay a designer if you have your press kit as a section of your website or a PDF file.
When designing documents, you should be mindful of your brand's colors, and include them when appropriate.
Putting the photos, logos and audio, and videos in separate folders for each type could be good to do. This doesn't apply to PDFs or web page based press kits.
Some people may prefer offline versions, but such versions, are not as friendly to the environment, and are generally more expensive to produce. They can't be updated once they're distributed. I would avoid them.
Photos
You would have high quality photos in JPEG format with minimal compression, or you could have uncompressed PNG files. You would typically hire a photographer.
If you are taking pictures with your own equipment then you shouldn't need to worry about compression. Most digital cameras or phones don't compress the image so you could use the images straight from these.
You could include a headshot pictures of you performing and some photos taken in front of a green screen.
If you do a picture in front of a green screen, then the picture would usually be edited so the background is white. You can either hire people to do this, or search the web for "image background remover".
Pictures that fit on A4 paper would be good if you're doing PDF and/or paper versions.
If your press kit is a section of your website, then you may want to have thumbnails of your pictures and link to the high resolution versions.
Logo
You probably would want to include logos. Making these SVGs could be wise, but PNGs could work.
Text
You may want to include several text pieces in your press kit including a biography, notable lists, links, technical rider, and travel information.
Notable lists may include shows, interviews, collaborations, and awards.
Most people include their real name in the press kit.
Some DJs have an address in the press pack, but it doesn't have to be your home address. This could be a PO Box, mail forwarder or an office address that you have permission to use.
Make sure all text is easy to read and understand. Ensure that all text is error free.
Biography
This is just a paragraph or two about yourself and your music.
Key facts
Listing key facts about yourself is an option. These could be your real name, your location, how long you've been DJing etc.
Music and video
My suggestion would be to provide links to music and video if you're doing a zip file. If you're creating a PDF you'll have to use links as you can't put video or audio directly in the PDF.
If you have a website then you can link out to or embed the videos.
You will probably want to link to at least one of your mixes and/or tracks.
Maybe it'd be worthwhile to showcase videos with lots of views.
You can just put the video on YouTube but other platforms also exist.
Discography
A discography is particularly relevant if you're doing a PDF or paper version. It would include popular tracks in your current genres.
Links
Links to your website and social media pages would be considered essential.
You would want to make sure that any social media pages your link to are active. Don't include pages that you rarely post on, because people may just go to one, and believe that you're inactive. You may want to pick ones that you have the most followers on
It's important to check that links are at least active and working. Doing this at least once a year would be wise.
Venues played, radio and live shows
You may want to include a list of notable venues along with their location. You could do the same with radio shows and festivals.
Upcoming tour
You can include key dates and venues locations for your upcoming tours.
You may want to do this on a separate page so you can easily delete or replace the information.
Contact information
You may want to include your Email address or a link your contact form on your website.
If you have a manager, booking agent, or publicist then these could be included too.
Not everyone likes to call people on their phone so if you include a phone number you would probably want to include an electronic means of communication too.
Privacy concerns
You probably shouldn't put anything in the press kit that you don't want leaked to the public. It's probably a bad idea to include your home address and personal phone numbers. Using a PO Box or forwarder is an option.
Make yourself look good but don't go over the top
It's important to put your best foot forward, but don't lie or buy fake followers. This is particularly important if you don't want to look foolish.
Updates
To ensure your press pack has current information in it. Update it after a noteworthy event has happened such as a noteworthy collaboration, track release or interview. Ensure that you remove any irrelevant information or social media profiles that you don't post on regularly.
PDFs cannot be edited so if you publish PDFs then make sure that you have a copy in another format.
Travel information
This would list your ideal travel conditions.
For accommodation you could say whether you prefer to stay in a hotel, motel or backpackers. You would give all accommodation options that you're happy with, and state whether you need a smoking room or a queen sized bed etc.
If multiple people are traveling with you then you can state if anyone needs a separate room.
You could state if you prefer to fly, bus, or go by train. If you prefer to travel in your own vehicle you would state this too.
Ideal travel times might be good to state. For example, you could put that you prefer an early afternoon flight the day before if it's not a long-haul flight.
Stating the companies that you would like to use can be helpful.
Contact information for your manager could be helpful within this document.
Technical Rider
This is often a separate document. It would have the number the names of people on stage and what they do. It would have a list of equipment that you will bring and if you require anything from the venue. Requirements from the venue is often called "backline requirements".
You can also list "frontline requirements". This is a summary of what you expect from the amp, PA, console and speakers.
You may consider a stage plan if multiple people will be on stage or you need things a certain way.
You could state where to get the equipment and who to contact in your team if the equipment cannot be sourced.
Read our guide to creating a technical rider for DJs
Accessibility requirements
You may want to state any accessibility requirements in your technical rider and/or travel information. This would include any accessibility requirements of the staff members assisting you.
Additional information about file types
PDFs
Many word processors such as Microsoft Word or Google Docs can save to PDFs.
SVGs
SVGs allows images such as logo to enlarge at any size while still maintaining quality. You can download Inkscape and open many graphic formats. Once you open the file you can save the as a SVG.
Thanks for reading
I hope that you have everything that you need to create a press kit that impresses.
I have also written a DJ branding guide.