How to Become a Networking Pro

In our latest blog, we explore the importance of networking and collaborating for independent artists and anyone looking to advance their careers. By expanding your contact list, audience, skill set, and knowledge, networking plays a crucial role in career growth. This week, we'll dive into strategies for effective networking, building a supportive community, and sharing valuable tips and tricks to help you succeed in boosting your music career.

How to Network and Collaborate Effectively

Now that you know the benefits of collaborating and networking, how can you start reaching out to potential collaborators and people of interest? Below, we’ve listed three methods of networking that you can employ to start networking today!

Formal Networking

There are numerous industry events that take place every year. From the Ditto X Music Conference to the Communion Records Mixer, you’ll find music industry professionals and artists who are as keen to seek you out as you are them. You can also find several upcoming events in our weekly newsletter: The Indie Artist Club.

Try searching on Resident Advisor for these music industry events, or looking up more specific events related to your craft. If you’re a producer, look for production-based events, and so on.

Informal Networking

Another way to network more casually is to go out to gigs or events that feature the kind of music you like and create, and just chat with people there. Smaller events are often more beneficial for this sort of networking. This is because more intimate gigs allow you to approach and talk to the artists and acts you like and might want to collaborate with. The people at that gig will likely be deeply invested in that kind of music, whether they are friends of the artists, managers, or even producers.

Just start chatting with people. It never hurts to say a friendly hello to a like-minded individual.

Social Media Networking

On that note, a friendly message never hurts either. Social media is designed to connect people and open lines of communication between them, so you should use it to your advantage.

Reaching out to an artist you admire via social media or email is more of a compliment than anything else. While it involves putting yourself out there, taking this initiative is essential for artists to grow their music and expand their networks.

A great tool to market yourself when reaching out to potential contacts and collaborators is having an EPK (Electronic Press Kit) that effectively showcases your artistry and music.

One social media platform designed specifically for networking is LinkedIn. You can set up a professional profile highlighting your expertise (as a producer, musician, etc.), and connect with like-minded individuals. You can then navigate LinkedIn easily by searching for specific buzzwords that will be linked to people’s profiles. For example, searching for “Music A&R” will highlight all the people who have “Music A&R” in their profile.

Not only can you find people who share your interests and values, but they will often have excellent suggestions on their page for you to look at, such as industry events they’ve attended/spoken at, and any upcoming gigs and performances.

Other helpful music-focused social media platforms include The Dots and Drooble, which function similarly to LinkedIn but with an emphasis on music professionals. Of course, you can never go wrong with the classics like Facebook and Instagram.

How to Conduct Yourself

Networking can often be a daunting task and will sometimes force you to step outside your comfort zone, whether that means going to new places alone, approaching strangers and introducing yourself, or finding yourself in a new scenario where you wouldn’t normally spend your time.

It’s a feeling familiar to anyone who has networked before. However, pushing your limits will always help you grow and, in this case, can often lead to significant benefits.

The key points to remember are as follows:

Professionalism: Even though the music industry is a far more relaxed environment when it comes to networking than corporate networking, you are still representing yourself in a professional capacity. So, it's important to approach people casually but respectfully. You may end up at a mixer in a bar and decide to have a drink to calm your nerves, but it isn’t wise to get hammered. Remember to approach the experience as if it were an interview, where you’re trying to present your best self.

Preparation: When you approach someone you’d like to work with or believe can add value to you and your music, you want to be able to put forward an image of yourself that you’re proud of. That means knowing what direction your music is going in, who your influences are, why you think this person can add value, etc. Make sure you’re confident in the facts, even if you’re not necessarily confident in speaking. If you know your stuff, the words will just come out. It’s harder to do that when you’re improvising.

Listen to be Heard: This is key for people who are especially worried about speaking to new people. You’ll find that once you approach someone and get them talking, they will often start to open up more about themselves. There's a difference between listening and not talking. People will often find themselves waiting to jump in to talk about something they want to discuss, rather than listening to the other person and letting the conversation flow naturally. So instead, listen closely to what they’re saying, ask them questions about the topics they raise, and connect with them. A genuine encounter and engagement in conversation is a quick way to win someone over.

For those who are very new to networking and are concerned about jumping straight in, there's no harm in bringing a friend to an event as a support mechanism. You don’t want to rely on them too much, but having them there can often relax you and help ease you into the conversation.

Here are some industry networking opportunities we think you may find useful:

• The Ditto X Music Conference
• The Notting Hill Music Networking Event
• Tileyard Bootcamp
• Off The Record’s New Music Conference

Ultimately, you are an asset to other people as much as they are to you. These events are purposefully designed for people to meet and connect, so the individuals you encounter are as eager to meet you as you are to meet them. Your worth as an independent artist can be effectively communicated by you, and you have just as much to offer as anyone else at these gatherings. So walk in with confidence, and enjoy your time, because most of these encounters could lead to connections and hopefully friendships with people who will only help you to grow!