Cover Letters for Demo Packages
I found an important article on MusicDish.com about making first impressions in the industry. If you’re like us and you’re finally really confident about your songwriting, live show, and promo/demo package and you’re ready to release it to the industry, this article written by John Foxworthy, called “An Introduction to Introductions” is essential reading for any band sending out marketing and promotional materials to the industry!
The bottom line is: do a little research before you send a package.
Find out how to personally address the person you are sending it to. Make sure they are accepting unsolicited material, or find out how to get permission to send it. Be cordial in your introduction and be sure you don’t look like an idiot by making all kinds of grammatical mistakes.
Another point I’d like to add is the value of including a cover letter. It’s obvious you should make an introduction statement in an email, but it’s equally important to include a cover letter in a demo package. Even if you have the opportunity to hand the package to someone in the flesh, it could be days or weeks before they get to it, and by then they could have already forgotten what it was you wanted from them or who you are. I personally think the introduction should also gently guide the reader what their next step should be. For example, if you want them to listen to a specific song on your demo you should say so. If it’s a connection lower in the chain of command (like a front office person you met at an industry event) and you want them to pass your package on to someone higher up, you should say so. It doesn’t help if they love your demo and take it with them in their car but never pass it on to the VP of A&R! That’s my 2 cents at least; you can add your own thoughts in the comments section below.
Do yourself a favor and read Mr. Foxworthy’s article. Not only does it show how important it is to make the right first impression, but how a bad first impression can anger the recipient and lead to being viewed as a liar. This is serious business…
