Networking allows you to connect with individuals who share similar musical passions and experiences. Building relationships with peers can lead to collaborations, knowledge sharing, and emotional support. By actively participating in networking events and cultivating relationships, you can tap into a rich network helping you find great people and companies or even lifelong friends.
Networking in person offers unique opportunities to forge genuine connections and expand your professional circle. Whether attending industry events, conferences, or at gigs, mastering the art of face-to-face networking can significantly elevate your career. In this guide, we’ll offer 5 top tips to support your in-person networking experience. These strategies will help you navigate networking events with confidence, leaving a lasting impression on potential collaborators.
As well as the 5 top tips above there are lots of other practical things you can do in order to make the most of a networking event. Preparation is key to networking and it can often appear intimidating the first time you go. Before you turn up to a networking or industry event think about….
BEFORE
- What do you want to get out of it, are you strengthening existing contacts or looking to widen your network?
- How many new contacts do you want to make? Setting yourself a target, such as 5 new contacts, can give you a purpose for being there
- Do you have business cards or an online contact app?
- Can you research who is attending beforehand?
- Think about meaningful small talk topics as icebreakers (keeping on top of music industry news is always useful for this)
- Prepare your one-minute pitch
DURING
- Following up on any pre-contacts you made or finding existing friends
- Bonding over shared musical ideas, interests or passions
- Figuring out how to best work together musically
- Collect business cards / add into digital contact app
- Think about your body language, if you are nervous focus on breathing
AFTER
- Make brief notes during the event or immediately afterwards about the contacts you have met about important things they may have told you
- Wait a few days and then follow up by email/LinkedIn with a ‘great to meet you’ message
Video with thanks: Lottie Field, Vick Bain, Lynz Crichton. Background Music: Ashley Shadow. Videographer: Lydia Greatrix.
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