Make an appointment for a photo session with a professional photographer. You will need head shots for the recording artist as well as any supporting band members. Having a group press photo is ideal, too. Choose final images that best reflect your genre, instrument and style.
Print professional business cards for the artist or band. Include the website where additional information can be found than might fit into a press kit. Keep the website current with performance schedules and tour dates, reviews, video clips and other details.
Write biographies for the main artist and each supporting member of the group. The main artist will typically have a longer bio, highlighting her background, awards and major achievements in the music industry, influences, philosophy about her work and other suitable information. Keep this to less than one page for distribution; the website can have further details. Other band member bios can be half a page or less.
Make at least one 3 minute video clip showing the artist in performance, playing his instrument and singing, if applicable. This should be well lit and recorded and edited professionally to ensure high quality. The same goes for audio clips, which are simpler to do. You can put both onto one CD or DVD for physical distribution, but also upload to the artist's website as well as YouTube, MySpace or Facebook accounts and any other social sites.
Record a professional CD. Even if you only have three sample songs for a demo CD, get it done "right." You want the artist to shine and attract deals, gigs, audience members, fans. Package the CD with one of the professional head shots or a group shot and provide a short insert that lists tracks and production details. This is the most important piece of your press package.
Create the physical press kit by combining the bios, business card, images/head shots, audio and video clips and the professional CD. If you have a fully completed CD, omit the audio clips, especially if they have the same tracks. Keep the video clip on a separate CD. Mail the packet to your contacts in a nice looking folder along with a business cover letter.
Create the EPK by uploading all items into a separate file for the website, then linking to each part online. For example, show the EPK page that lists all the kit items, them create a link for each item that goes directly to the track list, bios, images and so forth. Have the entire kit available so you can simply email the kit's page link directly to concerned parties, such as booking agents. You will also need it to upload to other sites that may request it, such as festival managers.