Networking at events can be hard enough without the hustle and bustle that comes with attending a music festival. Whether it’s a show or a panel, there’s always something happening during A3C week, and it’s your job as an industry hopeful to make the most of every moment. If you have the desire of expanding your network at the festival come October, make sure you follow these tips:
Have a goal in mind
Before you arrive on the scene, ask yourself: “Why am I going?” Come up with two or three tangible goals for you to accomplish like “meeting five new people” or “establishing a future business relationship.” While you’re at it, think about things that will help you reach these goals; like what you’ll say or who you plan to bring with you. After you’ve perfected an elevator pitch, try it out on the friend you’ve strategically picked to be your industry wingman. Remember: There’s nothing worse than attending an event with hopes of building your brand, only to have your do-nothing friend holding you back from meeting new people.
Do your research
Knowing who’s who before you get to the festival will pay off when it’s time to make introductions. Before you arrive to A3C, you should be well-educated on the market you’re hoping to break into; that means knowing a little something about every artist on the line-up if you have hopes of becoming a rapper, and recognizing every DJ-tag that’s dropped if you have serious turntablist dreams.
Understand the value of time
If you’re dying to meet someone at a musical festival, chances are, someone else is too. Instead of hoping your conversation will be intriguing enough for them want to listen to you all day (which is rare), make your points short, sweet and meaningful. Not only will you have made a quick, dynamic impact, you now have a reason to follow up on what was discussed in a friendly email.
Bring your business cards
There’s nothing more convenient than a good business card at an A3C festival. If you do plan on exchanging contacts, make sure your business card is an actual reflection of who you were in front of them, not who you are at an irrelevant day job. If not, the people you give your business card to will go home wondering when they met a nurse practitioner and forget all about the promising music journalist.
Not big on handing out business cards? Dress up your iphone contact card before the festival starts & round up a few important phone numbers once you get there. After you’ve made a connection, send over your tailored contact card so they won’t forget you!
Make it easy for THEM
Although you’re the one working on building your network, this experience isn’t really about you. It’s really about how you can benefit your new contact.
No matter what “level” the person you’re talking to has reached, they’re likely to only care about how you can help them; NOT vice versa. So instead of preaching that you “make the best beats on the East Coast,” your pitch should be more along the lines of “I know how you can take your music production to the next level.”
Remember these tips & you’ll do just fine.