In the typical life of any music industry professional or artist, networking is a daily routine. There is an article by Constantine Roussos about how to network that, I believe, should be read by people new to the business or as a review. This business is all about people, from the songwriters to the artists and the people in between.
According to Roussos, no one is an expert in every aspect of this industry (Roussos, 2009). Therefore, networking is fundamental in putting experts together to fill in our areas of weakness. That leaves us the opportunity to do what we do best. It is also a business network built on mutual respect and exchange. Everyone’s time is valuable; respect that and show your appreciation for his or her time spent helping you.
If I could list several aspects of networking, they would be:
· Networking is built on trust and relationships,
· Know what you are trying to accomplish,
· Be genuine and honest,
· When meeting someone for the first time, talk about them first,
· Be able to clearly communicate who you are, what you represent,
· Be good at small talk and chitchat, and
· ALWAYS follow up with people you meet: thank them for their time, information, help, etc. Let them know what you are doing.
There are so many more opportunities in this industry to meet someone that can help your artist get up the ladder than say, 10 years ago. Social media, online journalists, bloggers, chat rooms, podcasts, dj’s, and the myriad of people connected with concerts, venues and the music industry. Everyone you come in contact with has the potential to know someone that can help.
Look at networking as similar to building with Jenga blocks. Every person involved in an artist’s career is vital. Remove one, and there is a danger of collapse of the infrastructure.
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