One thing I’ve had to consistently work on in my career is my networking skills. In an industry that’s super small, I’ve learned that your network determines your net worth. In other terms, it’s not about who you know… it’s about who knows you.
Symphonic Distribution posted an article with 10 tips that will improve your networking skills, which reiterate what I’ve learned through trial, error and observation. If you want to succeed, take heed.
By the end of any conference, rather than leaving with social exhaustion and a stack of business cards of people you barely remember, you should ideally walk out of the building with 15 new friends laughing on your way to the bar. You know their hometowns, their opinions on the latest [insert hot artist] album, and you know this is just the beginning of a long, beautiful, and mutually beneficial relationship. (And you should still have the business cards of the people remember in your bag.)
Perhaps this is pushing it, but hopefully you get the point. Too many people approach conferences from a sales perspective. Networking isn’t about forced-selling yourself to strangers. It isn’t about finding people who can help you out. Networking is about building meaningful relationships with people. The relationships you build have a greater chance of translating into a label/publishing deal, a new business partner, etc. than the 100 business cards you collected.
Here are the 10 tips. I highly recommend you read the full post to understand each one.
- Dress to Impress. Brand Yourself.
- Don’t be afraid. Approach strangers.
- Be their friend, not a salesperson.
- Focus on the person.
- Call them by their first name – repeatedly.
- Don’t immediately brush someone off.
- Know when to pursue.
- Know your boundaries. Be bold, but courteous.
- Befriend the people on your level.
- Master the art of the follow-up.
