Are you planning on coming to one of our upcoming events, like Rich Redmond's CRASH Course for Success on July 25th? Many people express anxiety about coming to the networking portion of our events. Networking does not have to be nerve-racking. Here are some tips on how to get the most out of meeting others.
 

  1. Use Social Media. Identify people you would like to connect with, in a field you’re interested in. If you’re an alternative rock songwriter you want to connect with publishers, alt rock bloggers, and artists at a similar career level to you or higher. The key is to engage them on social media without pushing your music in their face. Build a relationship with them. That may look like going on their social media outlets (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc) and contributing to their conversations. Comment if they ask a question, or reshare their content. They will see your interactions on their pages and begin to recognize your name.
     

  2. Connect in Person. Meeting someone face-to-face is the best way to connect with them because it makes networking more personal. To do this, you have to actively go out into your local music community. Attend conferences, festivals, concerts. Play as many shows as possible, especially ones that book multiple bands. Get to know the people you interact with and see how you can contribute to their career, whether it’s by following them on social media or promoting them on your blog.
     

  3. Follow Up. When you connect with someone, try to get their contact information so you can follow up. Make a note of when and where you met this person, along with what you discussed. Being attentive to those kinds of details will show them that you cared about what they had to say.


Every time you meet someone, think about what you can do to help them before jumping in and asking favors. Recognize that you can bring something valuable to the person who you are trying to connect with. Maybe you can provide connections to local studios or studio musicians that they may need, or you can help them solve a problem that they are having with finding an affordable poster printer. The payoff for networking comes when you help others. By donating time or resources or even volunteering, they will see that you are willing to work hard and offer your services selflessly. Some of the strongest connections have come from volunteering for nonprofit organizations and meeting contacts who believe in similar causes.