While amassing fans is certainly a key part of music industry success, cultivating and sustaining relationships with your industry peers is also essential to getting ahead in a tough field. Here we look at seven ultimate tips on how to network in the music industry.
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Guest post by Serena Dorf
Whilst looking for that big break in the music industry, you have to focus on more than fans. Even though listeners are the supreme judge of quality and popularity, it is networking that makes an unknown artist known and a good one great.
Sustaining relationships with other bands and artists will not only make you better known, but it will also expand your horizons.
With this newly-acquired knowledge, your music will change and evolve. Since evolution is the predecessor of all success and advancement in the music industry, networking will help you immensely.
To facilitate this process for you, we’ve decided to compile the ultimate list of tips for networking in the industry.
- Be the first to approach
Many young musicians end up feeling isolated just because they always wait for others to send them messages and propose collaborations. A laid-back outlook in the industry has doomed many young artists.
Networking as an activity is more successful if multiple people want to be catalysts. By having everyone feeling eager about meeting and connecting, the overall atmosphere will be much better and more productive.
Don’t be afraid to send emails, messages, direct letters, and comment on the work of other artists. Don’t take it too seriously and approach it like a collaboration.
Say you like their work and that you would like to meet up for a coffee. By not having expectations, you will end up reinvigorated by your new association and be full of ideas. Your appreciation sometimes can become the talk of the town.
- Be informed and don’t stay confined
Musicians, regardless of the genre in which they operate in, are all faced with the same problem. Marketing budgets, producers, mastering – all these facets worry musicians around the world.
By networking, a multitude of young independent artists may find it easier to overcome these obstacles. Therefore, you should read current news, be informed about technology and useful strategies.
If you know enough about the history of rock, folk or any other genre, you will have a free pass into every conversation.
Natasha Rodriguez from EssayOnTime emphasized the importance of being informed and exploring outside of your genre. “Different types of music have much more in common than most people think,” he says. “By exploring outside of conventional borders, you will gain valuable knowledge that will facilitate your networking around the industry.”
- Maintain your connections
The chances are that you will encounter people that might prove to be useful to your goals, but you’re not that close. Every musician knows how important connections are, but many of these valuable industry connects get lost due to a lack of maintenance. As a musician looking to network in the industry, it is your duty to maintain the connections you’ve established previously. But how?
Anything goes basically! Whether it’s likes, comments or messages, you can utilize any method that reminds the other person of your existence.
Send them samples of your work, discuss ideas and propose meetings. By doing this, you will come off as a charismatic and social person and your interest would be reciprocated.
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Embracing the hashtags
What are your goals? What is the genre in which you operate in? After answering these questions, it’s time to do a little bit of research.
To utilize the power and possibilities of the internet, you should monitor hashtags and what people like and what do they respond to. Keeping an eye on hashtags is a great way of staying up to date and knowing what’s trending in your facet of the music industry.
Not only this, but you can also find other likeminded people and connect with them. Whilst using hashtags, don’t overdo them and never allow them to overshadow the actual post they’re a part of. With moderation, you can take networking to the next level.
- Reward your supporters
Contrary to popular belief, interaction with fans and listeners is still considered networking. Even though they fund your career and endeavors, they are music aficionados that can aid you in more ways than one.
To motivate your supporters and make them a part of your core group, reward them. Send out snippets of songs and demo versions to ask them what they think
Additionally, you should always deliver on your promises. Never delay a project nor make a promise that’s impossible to keep. By being punctual, honest and mixing in surprises, you will be able to network with everyone.
- Never be afraid of a direct approach
Good things don’t come to those who wait, but to those who are willing to get up and earn them. While this saying is true, it contradicts the entitled nature that many musicians possess.
Don’t be afraid to approach someone directly. Social media exists for this particular reason, and you shouldn’t hesitate to utilize it.
If you like how a record company rolls out their artists’ albums, send them a message. If you’ve seen the success a manager has brought to an artist, contact them. By acting this way, people will value for your determination and directness. Such traits are the key to successful networking.
- Be professional
Even though art is synonymous with freedom of expression, there is still professionalism in the music industry. To leave a better impression and have more efficient networking, be punctual.
Above all else, have a plan and clear goals with timelines and potential changes. When interacting with anyone, have a brand. Whether it’s A&Rs, record executives, managers or other musicians, you want to be remembered.
Having a brand is the pinnacle of professionalism. A logo, a distinct style, and clear goals will allow people to realize your uniqueness and want to collaborate with you. A little planning goes a long way.
Concluding thoughts
If you wish to make it big in the music industry, you have to pay attention to networking. Before acting, you should have a precise plan of action. With direct approaches, staying vigilant and positive towards other people, you will have the networking done for you. Connections that you’ve made will be everlasting and useful when the time comes.
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Serena Dorf is an enthusiastic content writer in Los Angeles. She is interested in marketing, innovations, music, and public speaking. In her free time, she is reading classic American literature and learning Swedish. Feel free to connect with her on Twitter.