Stop losing bookings. Build an EPK that actually sells you (checklist)

If you want more shows, better opportunities, and fewer ignored emails, you need one thing dialled in: your EPK.

An Electronic Press Kit is not a cute extra. It is your professional resume, website landing page, and pitch deck in one place. It is what promoters, bookers, journalists, managers, festivals, and music supervisors use to decide if you are worth a slot, a story, or a callback.

Industry platforms and education sites keep saying the same thing: a clean, up to date EPK makes it easier to get booked, attract media, and stand out in a very crowded inbox. It is often scanned in under two minutes, sometimes in seconds, which means if it is messy, confusing, or outdated, you are making it easy for people to move on to the next artist instead of you.

You cannot control who opens your email. You can control how undeniable you look when they do.

What an EPK actually is (and who cares about it)

EPK stands for Electronic Press Kit. It is a focused page or downloadable one sheet that pulls together everything someone needs to understand you as an artist.

The main people who look at EPKs are:

Promoters and venues who decide who to book

Festival programmers and showcase bookers

Journalists, bloggers, and playlist curators

Managers, labels, and music supervisors

Anyone who needs to know quickly if you are professional and ready

Think of your EPK as the bridge between “I make good music” and “Here is proof that I am worth your time, your stage, and your budget.”

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Winning EPKs vs lame EPKs

Let’s be blunt.

Winning EPKs usually:

Live on your website at a simple link like yourname.com/epk or yourname.com/press

Load fast, look clean, and are easy to skim on desktop and phone

Open with one strong photo, a sharp positioning line, and one featured track that plays instantly

Tell a clear story in a short and medium bio, not a wall of text

Show proof: show history, ticket draw, collaborators, press quotes, and real numbers that matter

Make it obvious how to contact you for bookings, media, or business

Lame EPKs usually:

Exist only as a dusty PDF from three years ago

Use old photos and random Canva fonts that do not match your current brand

Drop seven streaming links with zero context

Hide or forget contact info

Make the reader work just to figure out who you are and what you sound like

Goal: a booker or supervisor should understand who you are, what you sound like, how you perform live, and how big your world is, in 60 to 90 seconds.

If they have to guess, you lose.

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Level 1: A clean EPK you can build this week

If you have no EPK at all, start here. Do not overthink it. Aim to get a solid version live on your site that someone can download or save.

1. Hero section

At the top of your EPK page, include:

One strong promo photo

Your artist name

One clear positioning line

Examples:

“Genre bending RnB from Vancouver, built for late night playlists and live rooms.”

“Hard hitting melodic rap, soulful samples, real stories from Scarborough apartments to festival stages.”

This is your headline. Make it clear, not poetic.

2. Your best music

Embed 2 or 3 of your strongest tracks:

One clear focus track

One or two supporting songs that represent your range

Do not dump your entire discography. Pick the songs that best represent you right now.

3. Short bio

Write a 3 to 5 sentence bio that covers:

Who you are and where you are based

What you make and what you are known for

One or two real achievements that matter to a decision maker

Where you are going next

Keep it human and specific. You are not “the next big thing.” You are a serious creative with proof and direction.

4. Live and career highlights

Promoters and festivals care about risk and draw. Show them you are not guessing.

Include:

3 to 10 key shows or festivals with dates and venues

Notable opening slots, tours, or support dates

Any important milestones like streams, placements, or awards

This is not a flex wall. It is evidence.

5. Contact and links

Make it easy to reach you.

One booking email

One management or team email if you have it

Website, Instagram, TikTok, Spotify or Apple Music links

End the page with a button:

> “Download one page EPK (PDF)”

This lets promoters and media save you in their own folders and forward you internally.

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Level 2: An EPK that feels advanced

Once the basics are live, you can level up and separate yourself from the average SoundCloud email.

1. Highlight reel video

Add a short video that shows:

Live crowd energy

Stage presence and performance

Real world context: festivals, venues, or strong support slots

People booking rooms want to see what you actually look like in a room.

2. Tailored versions for different goals

Do not send the exact same EPK to everyone.

For live booking, lean on show history, ticket draw, stage plot, tech needs, and live clips

For media and playlists, lean on story, narrative, visuals, and focus songs

Same core artist, different angle depending on who is reading.

3. Numbers that matter

Skip the vanity flexing. Focus on data that shows momentum and trust.

Useful numbers:

Monthly listeners or followers, with context if relevant

Playlists that matter, not every tiny one

Typical draw in your home city and recent support dates

Any meaningful growth spikes tied to a release, tour, or campaign

You are not trying to look famous. You are proving that working with you is not a blind risk.

4. Press quotes and co signs

Add short, punchy quotes from:

Blogs or press that have covered you

Program directors, curators, or respected community figures

Collaborators with credibility in your scene

Keep the quotes short. One strong line is better than a screenshot of an entire article.

5. Brand consistency

Make your EPK feel like the rest of your world:

Same colours and fonts as your website and cover art

Similar tone and language to your socials

Updated photos that actually look like you right now

The more cohesion you have, the more professional and “real” you feel to someone scanning fast.

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How to actually use your EPK

Once your EPK exists, it should not sit in a Google Drive folder.

Start using it to:

Link in your email signature when you pitch shows, festivals, or sync

Add to your website menu as “Press” or “EPK”

Drop in your Instagram or TikTok bio link for serious inquiries

Include in grant applications, residency applications, and music business programs

You are training the industry around you to see you as a professional, not a hobbyist who makes nice songs.

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Your next steps this week

1. Block off one evening or a weekend chunk to build or fix your EPK.

2. Get a clean EPK page live on your website with a one click download.

3. Send that link to at least three people who book shows, work in media, or understand the industry and ask them:

“Can you understand who I am, what I sound like, and why you would book or cover me in under two minutes?”

If the answer is no or “sort of,” tighten it up until the answer is yes.

Your music might be great. Right now, the market moves on artists who are great and ready.

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Downloadable EPK Checklist

You can turn this into a PDF, Google Doc, or one page graphic and offer it as a download on your site.

Section 1: Foundations

□ I have my own domain and website

□ I have a dedicated EPK or Press page on my site

□ My site and EPK look good on mobile and desktop

□ I have a current artist logo or wordmark

□ I have at least one recent, high quality promo photo

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Section 2: Level 1 EPK essentials

Hero section

□ One strong, recent promo photo at the top

□ My artist name is clear and prominent

□ I have one sharp positioning line that explains my sound and lane in one sentence

Music

□ I embed 2 to 3 of my best songs, not my full catalog

□ One track is clearly marked as my focus song or single

□ All links and embeds work without extra logins or downloads

Bio

□ I have a short bio (3 to 5 sentences) that covers who I am, what I make, and key wins

□ The bio is written in plain language, not buzzwords

□ The bio is current and does not mention outdated projects or dates

Highlights

□ I list 3 to 10 meaningful shows, festivals, or events with venues and dates

□ I highlight any notable support slots or tours

□ I include one or two important achievements such as placements, awards, grants, or press

Contact and links

□ I clearly show one booking email

□ I include management or team contact (if I have one)

□ I link to my main socials and streaming platforms

□ I have a clear “Download one page EPK (PDF)” button or link

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Section 3: Level 2 EPK upgrades

Video

□ I include a short highlight reel or live performance clip

□ The video reflects my actual current live show

Tailored versions

□ I have one version of my EPK optimized for live booking

□ I have one version optimized for media and playlists

□ I know which link or file to send based on who I am pitching

Numbers and proof

□ I include key metrics that show real momentum

□ I avoid flexing random numbers that do not matter to promoters

□ I highlight playlists, shows, or co signs that carry real weight in my lane

Press and quotes

□ I include 2 to 5 short quotes from press, curators, or respected voices

□ Each quote is easy to read and properly attributed

□ Any links to full articles still work

Brand consistency

□ My EPK colours, fonts, and visuals feel aligned with my cover art and socials

□ My photos and styling are current

□ My tone across bio, captions, and EPK copy feels like the same artist

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Section 4: Final review before you send it

□ Load my EPK on my phone and scroll it from top to bottom

□ I can understand myself in under two minutes

□ There are no broken links, typos, or outdated dates

□ At least one trusted person from the industry has reviewed it

□ I feel comfortable dropping this link in an email to a promoter, festival, or supervisor today

When all of these boxes are checked, you no longer just “have songs.”

You have a professional presence that is ready when opportunity shows up.