The Importance of Networking

Written By: Chelsea Cressman

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As we all know, networking is a key component of being successful in the music industry.  But how do you get started? What do you do once you make a connection? How do you continue networking through uncertain circumstances like a global pandemic?  Let’s dive into these questions and explore some of the ways to make networking less intimidating and maybe even fun!

  1. Getting Started

The easiest way to get started with networking is to inquire from people you already know what events/shows/places they go to network and ask if you could come along, too.  This not only gives you a buddy to network with, but also brings you that warm connection into a community that’s already been vetted by someone you know.  If you are looking to network with specific types of people in the industry, then let your friend know that before going to the event so they know how to introduce you to their relationships.

2. The Follow Up

Whether you tag along with a friend or venture out on your own, always follow up with the people you meet in some way to continue to build those relationships.  If you’re looking to set up a meeting with someone whether over coffee, lunch, or video chat, follow up the next day with an email or text about appreciating getting to meet them at such and such event and that you’d love to learn more about what they do at such and such a company.  If the connection you made doesn’t really warrant a meeting necessarily but still a great person to know, the follow up can be a bit more casual like following them on social media and shooting them a direct message that it was great to connect.  You never know who knows who and where your next opportunity could come from.

3. Finding Community

One-off events are great and always important in networking, but finding a community you can regularly go back to for connections is key.  Not only does it create familiar faces in your networking, but it also brings about friendships that you might not otherwise have fostered.  A great example of this is a group called Balanced Breakfast.  They started in San Francisco but have since branched out into 30+ cities nationwide.  The whole purpose of the group is to bring artists and industry professionals together for weekly discussions about the music business.  Balanced Breakfast has a saying that you don’t go to Balanced Breakfast to do business, but instead you go to find the people you want to do business with.  The groups meet weekly (pre-pandemic in person, but for now via Zoom) and are open to the public.  The community created through groups like Balance Breakfast have fostered countless working relationships and friendships which makes networking all the more enjoyable.

Whether you’re a lone wolf when it comes to networking or like to use the buddy system, getting out and meeting new people in your industry is a determining factor in furthering your career.  Everyone was your age at some point (or will get there some day), everyone needs a mentor and has the opportunity to pass on what they have learned to a mentee, so get out there and give it a shot.  You never know who you might meet and what opportunity is waiting for you through the next new person you connect with.