Select three to four songs for a demo. The demo should demonstrate songwriting and arranging skills, musicianship, and versatility. Select songs that emphasizing the strength of the band or individual performer.
Book time at a professional recording studio. Home recording technology has had a major impact on the recording industry and many bands go this route in order to save money. However, a professional recording studio is able to provide knowledge, experience and resources that home studio recording usually lacks. Recording your demo under the guidance of a music producer and audio engineer will help to shape the sound of the final product. The music producer and audio engineer provide a fresh pair of critical ears to evaluate your music and offer suggestions to improve it. Record labels are inundated with hundreds of demos and they are ruthless in weeding out average and mediocre ones.
Create a promotion package for the band. In addition to the demo CD, it should contain a photograph and biography of the band, a list of important venues the band played and contact information.
Raise the band's visibility through live performances, radio appearances, advertising and social networking sites. It is easier to attract a record label's attention when there is a buzz about the band. Every live gig provides the opportunity to refine your songs and musical abilities. Live gigs help pay the bills for musicians, but some are more important than others. Seek out clubs, festivals, and other venues that regularly feature your style of music. This helps to build a following and exposes the band to an marketable audience. Playing a few important festivals is a good way to catch a break.
Research record labels prior to contacting them. They tend to specialize in certain styles of music. It is useless to contact a label not interested in the type of music you do. One way to research labels is to pay attention to the labels your favorite bands record for. Almost all labels maintain an online presence. Visit the Web sites and read about the history of the label, the past and current artists on the label, their rules and policies and contact information. Pay special attention to the artist and recording personnel. They are responsible for signing new bands.
Send the promo package to the labels you are interested in. Try to book a gig in a high-profile venue in the city where the label is located. Include the date for the performance with the promo package. Don't get discouraged if the label doesn't respond or if they respond with a rejection letter. This is part of the process. Keep approaching other labels.