We receive a lot of promo packages here at Let it Burn and to be honest: most of the packages we receive already fail at the first sight.
Bands listen up: Sending out a promo package to a label is just like a job application (besides the fact that you will NEVER earn any money with music hahaha!), if there’s a lack of form or any other insufficiency, YOUR BAND – WILL – FAIL! Just keep in mind that there’s 6 gazillion bands out there trying to get signed and our time is limited. Thus we have to muck out radically and a bad promo package is definitely a knock-out criterion.
To not leave you completely hopelessness we decided to share our long lasting experience (infact we just want to decrease our daily grind):
Golden list of label promo ‘NO GOs’
1.) DON’T RUSH
(time is relative from a label point of view)
Just stay well grounded. Is it the time yet for your band to send out your music? Are your songwriting and musical skills sophisticated enough? Is the band image full-grown, strong and unique? Is the label you are addressing the right size for your band? If the answer to any of these questions is ‘no’ you’d rather keep your feet still and wait until your time has come.
2.) DON’T MASS-MAIL!
(and if you do, be careful!)
Every label knows that bands send out their stuff to various other labels, too but PLEASE make sure you adjust the cover letter and other papers that include the label-name. Also try to avoid things like “Deal record label”, “Dear madam/sir” (we’re not Warner! Even if you address Warner…) or other set phrases. Try to find out who is running the label and insert their namen and label in your cover letter.
3.) DON’T GENERALIZE
(if you have to, make sure everyone’s treated equally bad)
Sending out 50000 promo packages to random labels does not maximize your chance of getting signed, that’s for sure. Rather make a reasonable selection and try to convince the label that you as a band have chosen them for a GOOD REASON. Maybe because of the bands they already have in their roster, the way the do promowork or simply because you think the label owners’ girlfriends are utterly hot. Try to constitute your decision and most of all: be honest about it!
4.) DON’T SEND INCOMPLETE PACKAGES
(anything missing? Arrrgh, forgot to include the music!)
Sounds weird, I know, but it’s true: Some bands seriously forget to include a CDR with their music (or alternatively send a blank CDR…)! Almost equally as fatal: missing cover letter, bandbiography and bandpicture. Double-check your promo package before putting it in the mailbox.
5.) DON’T UNDERRATE DESIGN
(it’s not only eye-candy, well even if it was…)
The sizzle sells the steak! Everything that looks great draws the attention. In addition to that a thoughtful and inspiring design that fits your band/music shows the label that you are able to think further than “Are we gonna do another chorus after the moshpart or not?”. Take note: Usually ‘your good friend who does artworks’ is NOT a designer. Go for a real one. It’s worth the money.
6.) DON’T SEND RAW AND UNFINISHED STUFF
(a rough mix of guitars and drums and a lot of imagination…)
I know it’s hard but wait until your songs are truly finished. The complete cycle is: songwriting – demo’ing – recording – mixing – mastering. Each chain link drastically changes the overall impression of your music, so don’t rush into sending out demos, raw mixes or unmastered recordings. Labels don’t want to IMAGINE how a band sounds, they obviously want to HEAR it.
7.) DON’T FORGET TO PUT YOUR BANDNAME ON THE CD
(a ‘blank blank’ is for the garbage can)
Things tend to get a little chaotic at record labels’ desks from time to time. Just make sure you put your bandname on the cd-label in case the tray and/or promo package gets lost. A contact adress is helpful, too.
8.) DON’T SEND REGISTERED MAIL
(the label’s gonna hate it – no matter what)
There’s nothing more annoying than picking up mail at the post office. But it’s even more annoying when the package is not the highly acclaimed new rolex watch but a shitty promo by a shitty band (from an emotional point of view). Ttrust me, even if the music is good, after standing in the longest line for about half an hour and this huge disappointment NO demo in the world will make my day! 99,9% of all regular letters arrive their destination. If yours is not amongst them that’s bad luck, or karma. Or both. Your choice.
9.) DON’T BE ANNOYING
(If you want a quick answer, it’s ‘no!’)
There’s exactly 2 emails allowed in the whole process of applying for a label deal. The first one is to be sent out before you mail the promo package to the label to ‘warn’ them that there’s something coming. You can also use this email to re-confirm the label’s street adress if necessary. The second email you are allowed to send out is 2-3 weeks after you sent out your promo package to ask the label if they have received it. That’s it. Any email in addition to that drastically diminishes your chance to get signed. If you don’t receive an answer, your band most likely sucks quite a lot (or the label is busy with other things, a way more pleasant thought, right?)
10.) DON’T SEND BULLSHIT!
(calls for knowing what bullshit is…)
Sending out NO promo is way better than sending out music that sucks. If you’re not sure if your songs/recordings are good enough, just play them to someone who is honest and objective (NOT your close friends or crew members who celebrate every bit you do with your band anyway). It’s so hard to revise a first impression, so you must not fuck it up.
I hope this helps.
