The goal will be for every participant to leave with at least a rough draft, or
"mock-up", of their own Promo Kit. If you bring a laptop computer to work on,
you might even leave with a finished version! Of course, a laptop is definitely
not required. There will be basic, paper templates that you can use as a starting
point, and you can cut and paste, color and sketch, write and create your way to
an understanding of what will work for you. And that decision might be that you
can do this yourself with what you already have, or it might be that you will
want to hire a professional photographer for a glossy 8" x 10" or a graphic
artist to give it a more polished touch.

The workshop will conclude with a short discussion of how best to use your
Promo Kit, now that you have one, and, more importantly who to send it to.
Attendees will be asked about what venues they wish to perform at. Positive
thinking is great…but positive action is better! Let's make it happen for you.

Topics To Be Covered

1. How to project your own individual "Style"
2. Putting together your own Promo Kit
3. Press Release - what it does and how to make one
4. Press package - what's in one, why send one, who to send it to, and when
5. Posters

My credentials: Through work as an independent consultant for several
music-oriented Washington, DC organizations, I have seen many artists'
Promo Kits and have learned to distinguish what works from what doesn't,
and why. Also, I have helped to create and disseminate dozens and dozens
of Press Releases to various media outlets promoting various concerts and
gigs. I am also a musician, songwriter, and artist (pewtersmith).

Please bring to class:

1. Your current promo kit, if you already have one started.
2. Several copies of photos of you that you like - with or without instrument,
either posed or candid. These copies can be color digital printouts or even
black and white Xerox. You might end up using scissors to crop them to use
in a "mock-up" of your finished Bio, so it's best not to use your originals.
3. Your CD, if you have one.
4. Copies of any newspaper reviews or quotes about you from respected
musicians.
5. A laptop computer if you have one and if you already know how to use
programs like MS Word or Pagemaker.