Musical Networking for Introverts
Introduction
If you’re like me and utterly hate talking to people, then I bet you are already cringing from this article. But fear not my fellow turtles! This article has all the tricks for networking, without actually having to network!
Sections:
Why Networking is Important
Unfortunately, this world revolves around networking and music is no expectation. From getting gigs to meeting big-time musicians, networking is how you are going to climb the musical ladder.
Luckily, we live in a digital age that gives us tons of ways to work around traditional networking, with it still being as effective, if not more effective.
So let’s start with a scenario, let’s say you manage to get the contact information for the organizer of a BIG TIME music festival. You are trying your hardest to convince them to let you play, but since they don’t personally know you, they aren’t sure. Your chances of getting this gig are pretty low.
Now let’s switch up the scenario, you know the lead singer for one of the bands playing that show, you guys are Facebook friends and they let you put them down as a reference. What do you think your chances of getting that gig are now? A lot better!
Networking gives you an in. It lets the organizer know that you are probably someone legit, and takes away the stress of the unknown because they have talked with, what they view as, a reliable source for your character.
Why You Shouldn’t “Network”
When I think of networking, I imagine being stuck in a stuffy conference hall with a bunch of people in suits, wearing name tags, and awkwardly walking about giving each other business cards and trying to sell themselves.
Honestly, it reminds me a lot of Valentine’s Day as a kid. My mother made me give a card to everything, so no one felt left out.
Four things I’ve learned from Traditional Networking:
1. It’s awkward.
2. You end up with a bunch of business cards you never use.
3. You don’t trust the people you talk with.
4. You don’t make much progress in terms of contacts.
That’s two hours of your life wasted for nothing. What you should be doing instead is taking an actual interest in people. Don’t try to sell yourself, instead invest that time in getting to know them and building trust between you two. After all, people love to talk about themselves and they will take notice of the people who have a genuine interest in them.
Networking Online
Now, this doesn’t mean you have to go and strike up a conversation with every musician you meet, there is an easier way and it involves the internet.
Most musicians have Social Media, for the purpose of building their fan base, so it makes networking online, quite easy.
I prefer to use Instagram since you can search by location. I go in and search for my city, then have a good scroll until you find someone singing or playing an instrument. If you genuinely like their music then give it a like, start following, and make a comment.
The idea is to have a genuine interest, when you start commenting on their videos, then they are going to want to know who you are. It’s human instinct. Just keep doing it until you get up the nerve to strike up a conversation, start talking about music, build a connection, and make a new friend.
Before you start saying that it’s too awkward, let me ask you this. Have you ever made something you were really proud of, then had someone tell you how awesome it was? How good that felt? This is the same thing. You are complimenting their hard work, and they will appreciate that.
I know I’m making this sound easy, but realize, this isn’t going to happen overnight, but the outcome is worth it. Go see them play, meet them, get out of your comfort zone, and you will be surprised how the doors will open.
My Networking Success
I just moved to the South and started following some fellow musicians on social media. I really liked their music and they were some seriously talented guitar players. Well we started talking, I went out to watch them play, and it started a domino effect. I met the lead singer, who referred me to this other musician my age, and we became friends.
Then she started sending people my way. Before I knew it, I had this whole community of musicians that were all trying to help me get started. They were recommended places to gig at, people to talk to, etc.
Tips for Networking
Set goals for yourself. If you’re out at an open mic night, make it a goal to tell two other performers they did a great job. Then next time, ask how long someone has been playing for. It’s as simple as that.
Slowly work your way up. Just like performing live, it is a skill and it doesn’t happen overnight, but the outcome is worth it.
Best Wishes,
Keyla Jones - Melodity.com
