Networking is the best way to get your name out there, whether you are a musician, a promoter, a record label or a booking agency. Nowadays there are several ways for you to network in the music industry: the more connections you make, the more opportunities will come your way. Check out my top 5 tips to on how to create a solid web of industry contacts:
1 - Attend gigs
It might sound old school, but the best way to get to know people working in the music industry is by getting out of your bedroom and start going to gigs, festivals and events. Not only you will find a like minded community, but I can guarantee that you will bump into people working in the industry. By getting VIP or backstage access your chances are even higher, so invest in live events and have fun!
2 - Go to music conferences
If you want to be 100% sure of meeting music industry professionals, you MUST attend conferences, fairs, seminars and panels. Every music niche has its own industry events, so make sure that you research the most important ones and start building your business relationships there.
3 - Use LinkedIn
As you probably already know, LinkedIn is the most important platform worldwide for business connections, however it needs to be used in a smart way in order to come across in a professional way. Avoid spammy messages but instead work on creating deeper connections.
4 - Join Discord & Facebook groups
Discord is an instant messaging platform where users come together to talk about different topics in different chat rooms called "servers". You can join servers made by fellow artists or music industry workers. If you are too old school for Discord, there are still many Facebook groups out there where you will be able to get to know music industry professionals from all over the world.
5 - Follow niche magazines & blogs
By following music niche outlets on social media, there is a very high chance that their followers are also interested in getting to know people working in the music industry. Make sure you interact with those pages on a regular basis and start conversations directly with them or under their posts.
Bonus Tip - Get a business card!
Recently I bumped into this amazing business card created by Vice. I love the fact that it is environmentally friendly (as you don't have to waste paper for print version) and I think it looks super sleek, professional and fun. You can find it HERE, you're welcome!