It doesn’t matter what your skill and abilities are, if you can’t figure out a way to communicate them to the world, you’re unlikely to be able to advance your career. Here we look at some key rules of networking that will help you in successfully navigating the landscape of your industry peers.
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Guest post by Bobby Owsinski of Music 3.0
Regardless of how much talent you may have, unless someone hears about what you’re doing you’ll end up creating in your bedroom your whole life. One of the keys to getting ahead for many of us is by networking. While this comes easy and natural for some, others find it unbelievably difficult, but you might not find it so challenging after reading following list from my book The Music Business Advice Book. It provides an outline for effective personal networking.
The 10 rules are:
1. Go places where you can meet players or people who can help.
2. Keep it casual and don’t come off like a stalker.
3. Be memorable.
4. Ask a lot of questions.
5. Keep it about them, not you.
6. Have a business card ready, but only give it out when asked.
7. Ask for their card.
8. Know what to ask for if the opportunity arises.
9. Follow up, but don’t pitch.
10. Only pitch if they respond.
By the way, Johannes Ripken has provided an expanded explanation on the personal networking tips above along with some excellent examples on his site. Check it out.
You can read more from The Music Business Advice Book and my other books on the excerpt section of bobbyowsinski.com.