Sending promos is a vital part of marketing for any label. Getting your release into the right hands—DJs, radio shows, blogs—can spark buzz, boost streams and drive sales. But for the people receiving promos, it can be overwhelming. DJs and tastemakers often get flooded with hundreds each week. So how do you make sure yours stands out? And who should you send it to?
At Inflyte, we both receive and manage promo campaigns for thousands of labels and hundreds of thousands of Djs and tastemakers, so we see both sides.
As of January 2025, Inflyte has securely delivered over 250 million promo emails for our clients.
Here are our top tips for effective and respectful promo outreach:
1. Promo Pool: Quality Over Quantity
Target DJs who are likely to support your music. Check their charts and the labels they release on. A smaller, more relevant list will get better results than a huge, unfocused one. Don’t send promos to every contact you’ve ever met or use lists from other labels—these are often outdated, messy, and full of irrelevant or even inactive contacts.
2. Build Your Own List
Yes, it takes time, but sourcing contacts yourself ensures accuracy. Most DJs have emails on their websites, Facebook, or SoundCloud. Promo addresses often change due to spam, so always verify before sending. For press, check who’s currently reviewing or use general promo inboxes. Can’t find someone? Ask a trusted industry contact.
3. Ask First
Reaching out to ask if it’s okay to send promos shows respect and builds relationships. If they don’t reply to a personal message, they probably won’t reply to your promo either. Inflyte’s opt-in system ensures only interested recipients get your music. Always ask for the best address and mention the artists on your label—it shows you’ve done your homework.
4. Use One Email Per Contact
Don’t add every email you find for a person or their label. Pick the most relevant one. Spamming multiple inboxes (like demos@ or bookings@) is annoying and unprofessional.
5. Clean Your List Regularly
Remove bounced emails, unsubscribers, and non-responders. If someone hasn’t opened or replied to a promo in ages, it’s safe to assume they’re not interested.
6. Use Tags and Organize by Type
Keep your lists clean and categorized—press, radio, DJs, etc. Use tags to segment by genre or outlet type. That way, you’re not sending hard techno to a disco DJ or UK funky to a progressive house head. Tailoring your outreach = better results.
7. Keep Your Label Description Short
Every promo invite includes your label description, so keep it brief and impactful – a few short sentences is ideal. Mention your key artists and your sound in one line—it’s your calling card.
8. Make the Press Release Count
A couple of short paragraphs about the artist, remixer, or label is plenty. Keep it interesting and relevant—it should enhance the listening experience, not overwhelm it.
Now you’re ready to hit send—and watch the feedback, charts, and radio plays roll in.