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Update Your Press Kit
I’ve been helping a client, a wonderfully distinctive musician, to develop a different kind of one-sheeter to add to her presenter and press kits. It's a question-and-answer mini-interview.
I like this format because it helps an artist to actively shape her/his brand, especially when you are "hard to categorize" in the mind of presenters.
What I suggest is a question-and-answer format, no longer than one page. The goal is to provide an understanding of what makes you different from other artists and what makes you appealing to your audience.
The interview should be very conversational. Your "voice" should be palpable. We're turning the page into a stage. Amidst all the kits that a presenter or journalist go through, yours will stand out because you're a real person, not just another act.
When you choose your interviewer, choose someone who is familiar and sympathetic with your work but who is not an "insider." You want someone to ask you the kind of questions that a presenter or journalist would ask. The questions should come from a place of curiosity.
The conversation can be messy and meandering, not to worry. Out of the mess will come moments of poetry. After you transcribe the tape, that's the time to edit, edit, edit down to the essentials.
Final tips:
1. Include at least one story. People love stories. And when you tell a story, more of your personality comes through.
2. Make sure to address questions that you commonly hear from presenters.
3. Drill down, deeper and deeper. What really makes you different from the competition?
4. No cliches!
5. Consider the audience, because the presenter is. Can you give a sense of what the audience will experience?