cover letter
Your publicity kit should include two copies of the cover letter, one on the outside of the package and a courtesy copy inside.
The purpose of the cover letter is to let the recipient know what they have received and why.
Your cover letter should never be more than a single page. Anything longer will get your entire publicity kit ignored.
Your cover letter should be one to three paragraphs long.
The opening paragraph (usually a single sentence) clearly states what you want the recipient to do. You want an A&R person to listen to your demo. You want a magazine or newspaper editor to assign a reporter to write about your band, show, CD release, etc. Yes, this means that each cover letter is personalized to specifically talk to each individual recipient.
The second paragraph explains why the recipient cares about your publicity kit. Focus on their needs, wants, and desires — not yours.
The final paragraph prvides appropriate contact information. If your publicity kit is going to a newspaper or magazine, editor, provide the name, phone number, and e-mail of the person who cna arrange for an interview. If your publicity kit is going to an A&R person, provide the name, phone number, and e-mail of your lawyer or manager.
If you are sending your publicity kit to an A&R person, then the cover letter lets them know that this is the publicity kit they requested. You know not to send your publicity kit to a record company unsolicitied, right? You first send a letter requesting permission to send your demo CD and publicity kit — then remind them in the cover letter that they requested it and are expecting it.
If you are sending your publicity kit to a newspaper or magazine, the cover letter tells the editor why their readers want to hear about your band. Express this in terms of what the publication thinks. If you have an upcoming show, tell them clearly that you have a concert in their area (with date, time, and other pertinent information). If you have released an album, tell them why their audience will care (some kind of local angle — one or more of your band’s members are from the area, the album was recorded in their area, you recently played a successful concert in the area). Find some kind of local connection to their audience. Without a local angle, your publicity kit will get tossed uncerimoniously into the trash.
If you are sending your publicity kit to some other person, make clear why that person cares. That your band is the best since music was invented is not a compelling reason, no matter how true. There is some benefit to the recipient. Not the benefit to your — the benefit to the recipient.
Your cover letter should be typed or word processed. It should be in the format of a standard business letter. Check all of the spelling, grammar, syntax (if you aren؊ t good at this, get someone who is good to check your work). Check all telephone numbers, names, and e-mail addresses. Make sure you use clean paper. Your cover letter must be professional.
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