How to Build an Electronic Press Kit (EPK) That Gets You Booked

An electronic press kit (EPK) that gets you booked is a single page a talent buyer can scan in under a minute: who you are, what you sound like live, what you cost and how to reach you. Lead with one strong live video, keep the bio short, and make your logistics (set length, lineup, gear, travel) easy to find. Everything else is optional.

Most EPKs fail because they are built for fans or press, not for the person booking the room. A bar manager or event planner is asking one question: will this act work for my night? Build every section to answer it.

What a booker actually looks for

Bookers are busy and often deciding between several acts for the same date. In our experience planning gigs, they check things in roughly this order:

1. A live video that shows the act in a real room.
2. Genre and the kind of night it fits (dinner background, dance floor, patio, wedding).
3. Price range and what is included.
4. Logistics: lineup size, set length, sound needs.
5. Proof you show up and draw: past rooms, events, a short quote from someone who booked you.

If those five things are easy to find, you are ahead of most artists in your market.

The essential sections of a booking EPK

1. A one line summary

Put a single sentence at the top that says exactly what you are. “Four piece funk and soul cover band for bars, breweries and private events in Salt Lake City.” Specific beats clever every time.

2. Live video first

Your best asset is a clean, recent live clip of 60 to 120 seconds with good audio. Phone video from the back of a real gig with a crowd beats a polished studio video with no audience, because it shows the booker what their room will look like. If you play several formats (full band, duo, acoustic), include one clip of each.

3. Audio

Link two or three tracks. For cover acts, a short medley of what you actually play live works better than one original song you never perform at bars.

4. Short bio

Keep it to 75 to 150 words. Say where you are based, what you play, the types of rooms you work and one or two credibility points. Save the full origin story for your website.

5. Photos

Include three to five high resolution photos, at least one horizontal and one vertical. Venues need images for social posts and flyers, and making their promotion easy is a real selling point.

6. Song list or set sample

Cover and party acts should share a sample song list grouped by era or style. It answers “will this work for my crowd?” faster than any description.

7. Logistics and tech rider

This is where many artists lose bookings by being vague. Spell it out.

Detail	Example
Lineup options	Solo, duo or four piece
Set structure	Three 45 minute sets or two 60 minute sets
Sound	We bring our own PA for rooms under 150 people
Space	Needs about 10 by 12 feet for full band
Power	Two standard outlets on separate circuits
Setup time	45 minutes load in and soundcheck
Travel radius	Within 60 miles, travel fee beyond

8. Price range

You do not have to publish an exact rate, but a range saves everyone time. “Solo from $X, full band from $Y” filters out bad fits and signals you are professional. If you are unsure what to charge, start with what you need per musician per night and work up from there.

9. Social proof

List rooms and event types you have played, and add one or two short quotes from people who booked you, with their permission. Follower counts help only if they are meaningful in the local market.

10. Contact

One email, one phone number, one name. Make it obvious who handles booking and how fast you respond.

Format: where your EPK should live

The best format is a web page with a simple link you can paste anywhere. PDFs get lost in email, are hard to read on a phone and go out of date. A page on your own site works well, and so does a booking profile that already holds your video, genres, fee range and travel radius.

Whatever you use, test it on your phone. Most bookers will open your link on a phone between shifts, so videos must play without downloads and contact info must be one tap away.

Common EPK mistakes

• No live video. Studio tracks alone make bookers nervous.
• Outdated content. Old lineups, old photos, dead links.
• Burying the logistics. If they cannot find your set length, they move on.
• Too long. Ten paragraphs of bio means none of it gets read.
• One size fits all. A wedding planner and a dive bar manager want different clips first. Make a version for each if you work both.

How to send your EPK

Do not just drop a link. Write two or three sentences that show you know the room: what night you are pitching, why your act fits and your price range. Then add the link. Follow up once after about a week if you hear nothing, then move on and try again in a month or two.

Better yet, put your EPK where venues are already looking for talent. On Music to Venue, venues in Las Vegas and Salt Lake City post open dates and describe the night they want, and Smart Match ranks artists whose profiles fit. Your profile works like a living EPK, with video, genres, fee range and travel radius in one place. Learn more about how it works or see what we offer for artists.

Ready to get found? Create your free artist profile during early access and turn your EPK into bookings.

FAQ

What should be in an EPK for bar and event gigs?

A one line summary, a live video, a short bio, photos, a song list, logistics like set length and sound needs, a price range and clear contact info.

Should my EPK be a PDF or a web page?

A web page is better. It is easy to share, works on phones and can be updated anytime without sending a new file.

Do I need professional video for my EPK?

No. A clean live clip with good audio from a real gig often works better than a polished studio video because it shows bookers what their room will feel like.

Should I list my prices in my EPK?

A price range is a good idea. It saves time for both sides and signals that you run your act like a business.