We are taught to give a firm handshake, to look people in the eyes and smile, to sit straight, articulate, place the napkin on our laps and clean our mouths when eating. In a society built on first impressions, we’re encouraged to follow proper protocol and social manners in order to present the best version of ourselves.
Some say, “Never judge a book by its cover,†but it’s the cover that stimulates a viewer’s heart, mind and soul to open the book. If the presentation isn’t captivating, then the book may never be opened.
With this in mind, always present yourself in the way you want to be known and remembered. More often than not, your resume or demo package is your first introduction to your new start/new life. I believe that if you can learn to master the art of presentation, you will have the best shot at any job you want or getting your demo heard out of thousands of submissions.
Being the music executive that I am, I get countless demo submissions daily. Even with the team I have, it is not humanly possible for us to listen to them all. So, to weed through them quickly and effectively, I look for packages that stand out.
You might be the illest lyricist, most creative with the dopest delivery, but if you don’t know how to present yourself well in your demo package, you’ll end up in the recycling bin—literally.
In my 10 years of being in this business, I can remember three very distinct demo packages. All three vary different but they stood out for some reason or another.