How to send a radio demo tape

What else to put in

Your CV. Don't lie on it: almost every radio DJ seems to claim, apparently, that they've worked on Radio Caroline. Programme Controllers will know the truth.

Your production tape. If you've a strong voice, you could get quite different work from the station you're sending your tape to.

A letter. Letters full of spelling mistakes and bad grammar do not impress anyone.

Good packaging. If the packaging looks rubbish, and you've recorded over an old cassette you had lying around, then your attention to detail probably isn't good enough. In all probability, the only person who'll open your package is your future boss; not a secretary or PA.


What to put it on

Paul Easton says: "It doesn’t matter whether your demo is on cassette, CD or MD. Bear in mind, though, that PCs might not have an MD player in their office (it’s usually in the production studio), so sending an MD may not be a good idea as it immediately puts an obstacle in the way of it being heard. Don’t e-mail a demo without first checking first that it’s OK. In any case, it’s highly unlikely the PC will take a hard-copy for later use, so you’re likely to be forgotten. Similarly, don’t just send a letter and CV, with no demo, and tell a PC that if they want to listen to it, they will need to go to your website etc. Take it from me, they won’t bother. Remember, you need to make it easy for the PC to hear you, not put obstacles in their path.

"Whichever you use, always use a new cassette, CD or MD. Make sure your name and phone number is clearly-written on it; preferably on a neat label; covering letters, CVs and demos can, and do, sometimes get separated."

Neal Bowden says: "If you are going to MP3 your demo is to include your contact details as the file name. That way, if the MP3 has been saved onto the PD’s desktop he has your details at hand rather than go looking through emails and CV’s for your phone number."