25 or More Places to Network

(c) 2008 all rights reserved

In previous posts, I've given you over 40 tips on the do's and don'ts of networking at music conferences, the do's and don'ts of networking via email, upcoming music conferences to network at, telling you why networking is important and how it's helped me. Now I want to give you some physical places that you can network as a songwriter, producer, engineer, musician, artist, band, group, and music executive. Some of the places noted below are typical places but some are not typical. Later I will provide some more general places online where you can network.

• music conferences - look for ones in your area, in other cities, and even abroad. Read my prior blogs and JaWar's blogs at atlantashowcase.blogspot.com and mymusicconference.blogspot.com for details on upcoming conferences.
  


• music seminars - look for local groups who are putting on one-day events. Read my prior blogs and JaWar's blogs at atlantashowcase.blogspot.com and mymusicconference.blogspot.com for details on upcoming conferences.


• talent showcases - again you can find artists, producers, A & R folks, etc at these events. In fact, I just bumped again into Bryan-Michael Cox, Kawan KP Prather, DJ Nabs, and some of the other panelists from Patchwerk's Music University that I attended in January at Rovella William's Almost Famous Artist Showcase. You just never know who you are going to meet at these events. JaWar again has a complete list of talent showcases at atlantashowcase.blogspot.com and mymusicconference.blogspot.com.

• open mics - you might get a hodge podge of folks at this event but it still may be worth your time. I'd choose the ones where people have to audition to perform over just simply an open mic but still it's better than nothing. Read JaWar's blogs at atlantashowcase.blogspot.com and mymusicconference.blogspot.com for details on upcoming open mics.
  
• open auditions - American Idol auditions usually bring out hundreds of thousands of folks! Sometimes I wonder where all these people are at when the music conferences come to town! Seems everyone wants to sing, and not many want to learn the business! Then folks wonder why they get taken! Okay, I'm off my soap box but network at these events; learn the business at music conferences or again read books on it.


• beat battles - these are cropping up all over the U.S. for producers. As a songwriter needing producers, I'd definitely check this event out. Producers and songwriters are always looking for each other.


• clubs - I personally don't typically go to clubs. But if you want to network with DJs, you've got to go to the clubs to find them to get your music played there.


• music industry parties - join some of the newsletters to find out where and when these events will take place or read JaWar's blogs at atlantashowcase.blogspot.com and mymusicconference.blogspot.com


• performance right organization's parties, especially the special event parties such as holiday parties.

• songwriter organization parties and events, ex. NARAS puts on different events such as meet the producer or songwriter events, or host special parties to recognize their members.


• record pool events - there have already been two of these this year.

• DJ conferences - another great place to meet DJs and get them your material.
  
• Film and TV conferences - since you want placement in film and TV, this is an excellent place to network. Don't forget indie film and TV.

• New Media/Digital Music Conferences - the music biz is changing - stay up on the game.

• Mobile Phone/Mobile Website conferences - folks we are moving into mobile - network with phone companies about getting your music put into mobile phones.

• Award shows - if you live in LA, there are always award show events being held there. Go to some of them. At the very least you can meet and make some new fans of your music. You might even meet some people in the industry.

• Networking events outside the music business - since it seems everybody is a rapper/producer/singer, you're bound to meet other music creators at other networking events. I met a producer and singer and a woman needing a songwriter at a Millionaire Mind Intensive seminar.

• Karaoke bars - if you are looking for demo singers, this may be a spot to check out. Plus, by doing karaoke, you know that they don't mind singing for cheap (:-O
  
• Studios - here's the place where you can meet engineers, mixers, producers, professional demo singers, artists, etc. Plus some studios will have their own events that they put on. Patchwerk is one of the studios that does events from time to time.
  
• Concerts - haven't we all seen the "flyer guy" at the doors of a concert passing out flyers? You can do the same thing with your CDs and make some fans of your music.

• Music retail stores - are you kidding?! You can meet plenty of musicians, producers, engineers, DJs, songwriters, etc. at these stores. Plus, just meeting the people behind the counters who know how to work the music equipment you're about to buy is good enough reason to go there and network!
  
• Bookstores - in the music section of the book store are learners and students of music just like you!
  
• Colleges & university - Sometimes colleges, universities, law schools and even high schools have music business departments and music business groups which put on music conferences and seminars. Sometimes you may want to just go when there is not a conference, just to meet the professors and network with the students.
  
  
• Trade shows - like NAMM, NARM, NAB are good trade shows where you can network with music merchandisers. Digidesign in fact will be at NAB (April 14­-17, 2008) in Las Vegas.

• Radio Broadcaster Conferences - this will help you not only meet radio personalities, but you'll also get some good tidbits on what PMs are looking for.
  
• Gamers Conferences - since more and more music is being placed in games, you want to attend these events as well.

• Targeted Niche Conferences - go to conferences that will also help you learn what your particular niche is wanting and buying. For instance, Billboard is hosting a number of conferences this year which target teens and men.

• Record label parties - there are plenty of record labels that host events introducing either their label or their new artists. I recently attended one of those in December and met a lot of great industry folks who came out in support of the new production team, or artist!

• Producer parties - Sometimes producers will open up a new club, a new restaurant, or showcase their new signed artists. Check out those events.

• Magazine parties - I was invited out to a party being sponsored by a magazine and many, many industry people were scheduled to come.

• Music festivals - if your city or a surrounding city hosts things like music festivals, go! Make some new fans by passing out your CD. Find out who is putting it on and see if you can open up.

• Basketball/baseball/football games - arenas are always looking for groups to sing the National Anthem. Perform that song, then pass out your CD. Your name and group gets out and so does your music.

• Clothing stores - I heard this tip from JaWar - stores play background music all the time. Network with clothing stores and see if they will play your music or mix tape.

Want to know where to find some music conferences, showcases, open mics, and when they will be held? Check out my prior blog posts on upcoming conferences and JaWar's blogs at atlantashowcase.blogspot.com and mymusicconnection.blogspot.com

Thedy B
myspace.com/hitsamillionllc - network with me!
hitsamillion.ning.com - network with others!

The Do's and Don'ts of Networking at Music Conferences - Pt 1

(c) 2008 all rights reserved

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In my last blog, I suggested that artists, songwriters, producers, musicians, bands, groups, rappers, etc., get out of the studio, start networking more, and attend some upcoming music conferences. Big breaks in the music business have somtimes come through networking at music conferences such as the ones I mentioned in my prior blog. I recently blogged about the power of networking and how networking has really helped me in this music business.

So I decided to help songwriters, producers, singers, artists, etc., network effectively by doing this first blog on the do's and don'ts of networking at music conferences, talent showcases, seminars, and open mics. All the blogs I'm about to publish on networking, I believe, will help you get noticed in the music business in the right way, leave a good first impression, help you possibly avoid some rejection, which we all face from time to time, and help you build some relationships with people in the music industry. (Subscribe to this blog today by clicking on the subscribe button to at the top right to be the first to read my new blogs!).

So here are the do's and don'ts of networking at music conferences:

1. Do smile! Smiling says you are friendly, open, approachable, likeable, and charismatic. Great people want to work with great, likeable, friendly, approachable people. Smiling gives people that impression and it takes away some of the apprehension that a busy executive may have about meeting a lot of new people at one time. So smile and you just may have someone approach you!

2. Do say hello first. Don't be so eager to approach a music executive with your burning question or request that you don't say hello first.

3. Do say hello. "Yo, mami, papi, sweetie," won't cut it! Slang is not cute when first approaching a stranger, whether it's in person, phone or email. It just isn't cute or professional. If using slang is a part of your "act" and a part of your show, great: Use it primarily during the show, not when you just walk up to someone and are introducing yourself.

4. Do shake hands. A nice firm, solid handshake still says that you are professional and that you are about business.

5. Do introduce yourself. Introducing yourself helps give the listener some perspective on what you are about to say before you say it and hopefully it gives them something interesting to talk about. You can say, "Hi, my name is ____. I'm a __________. My company/band/group is ________. (Insert a sincere compliment here - no butt-kissing, just a sincere "thank you for the information you presented today" or "I appreciate you coming out today.") And my question is ___________ or I was wondering if you would do/tell me _________.

6. Do show appreciation. In the last tip, I mentioned that before you ask a panelist anything, show some appreciation by giving them a sincere compliment. It shows that you appreciate them, that you were listening, and that you are interested in learning more from them right now. But don't overdo it. Most people hate butt-kissers.

7. Do keep your introduction short. No one wants to know everything about you during an introduction. It's just an introduction, not story telling time. Keep it simple sam is still a good rule of thumb. Anything too long will have the opposite effect: instead of you looking like a professional, you'll look like an amatueur.

8. Do ask a question. At a music conference, as a rule of thumb, it is better to ask a question rather than make a comment.

9. During Q & A time at a music conference, do have a relevant, general, expertise type comment to make if you must comment at all. You can preference the comment by saying, "I have more of a comment than a question." But do make sure that the comment is worth everyone hearing. Some great comments that I've heard at conferences are where an audience member offered their services to the audience members, told the audience about a great opportunity, and went into greater detail about one of the topics and therefore showed some level of expertise on the subject. But just standing up just to be seen and heard is not appropriate. Keep your comment very short!

10. Do ask just one question or make one comment. At a music conference, there is typically a line of folks that would like to talk to the panelists. Be considerate of other attendees and ask one question. Asking one question will also help you narrow down the questions you have to the one that is most important to you. If you have additional questions, ask for the person's contact information and then ask when is a good time for you to contact them so that you can ask additional questions. Just say, "Well, I see there are plenty of people in line that would also like to talk to you, and to be courteous, let me move out the way. I do have some additional questions for you though so can you give me your contact information so I can reach out to you."

11. Do have a solid question to ask a music executive. Try to do your research before going to a music conference so that you aren't asking questions at a music conference that you could find out in a 10 second google search. There are some basic things that every artist should know about the music business. I again recommend you buy and read some of the songwriting, music industry, music production, and music resource books I recommended in my prior blog before approaching a busy executive, even a consultant with a question. There are melody and lyric writing books that help with songwriting issues as well as music business books, music production books, music publishing books, and music industry resource books. These books will answer some of your questions when a busy music executive cannot. When you go to a music conference, you should go there wanting to know updated information.

12. Do keep your question or comment short. Again, time is important to not only the music executive but also to others waiting to speak to the music executive. So keep your one question short. You don't want to be embarassed by being cut off. Plus, you want the person to be able to understand the question upon first hearing it. If you ramble on and on, that person will eventually ask you, "so what's your question?" If you keep it short, it is more likely that they will understand you the first time you ask.

13. During Q & A time, do ask general questions that will benefit the entire audience if you are asking a question for the audience to hear. There's nothing that I hate worst than for someone to stand up during a music conference, and use up the very few slots that are available for the audience to ask a question, and ask what is essentially a very personal question to the panelists. Your question is too personal when the facts in your question would only really apply to you and a few other people. Personal questions should be held for the time when you are speaking to the music executive one on one.

14. Do thank the person(s) you talk to for taking their time out and answering your questions.

15. Do have some promotional material to present to the panelist at the end of your conversation. Have a CD with 3 of your hits on it (but see my other blog on other ways to distribute your music), have a business card, and/or a flyer. (I will be doing another blog on how to effectively use these promotional materials to stay in contact, make a good first impression, and brand yourself).

Now that you've got the do's and don'ts of networking, remember to get out the studio and network, network, network at the upcoming music conferences!!!

If you like reading my blogs, subscribe today and tell a friend!

Thedy B, Attorney/Songwriter

Hits A Million, LLC

myspace.com/hitsamillionllc - network with me!

hitsamillion.ning.com - network online here!