If “networking" seems unnatural, it might be because you're doing it for the wrong reasons.
The other day, How to Run a Band's Seth Jackson ran an interview with Whiskey Tango about getting their music featured in a film. At the very bottom, Jackson posted a brief (but true) takeaway:
That stirred up some questions amongst the commenters: How are you supposed to network if you're in a band? Where do you do it? What do you do? Worthwhile questions, to be sure, but they also underline a crucial point about how bands differ from businesses.
Networking is a means to an end. In the working world, that end is usually tied to money: going to a cocktail hour to meet new vendors, or to look for a new job, or to unearth new clients.
These sorts of “networking" events are designed to facilitate what The Onion humorously terms “non-consensual" networking encounters: “abusive incidents in which individuals were compelled against their will to assist another's professional ambitions and 'talk shop.'"
For anybody born without the required predatory genes (and I mean “predatory" in a good way), this is the very definition of a nightmare. Shaking hands. Collecting business cards. Moving, shark-like, from one cluster of people to another, inserting yourself into conversations and making your presence known. Selling yourself.
Unless you have reached a point where you've grown your audience enough, where money is a top priority (or if it was always the top priority), you and your band should never do this. Any of your networking efforts should be focused on a far different end: improving your art.
They're probably not in it for the art.
Don't go down to your local club unless you're curious about the acts playing that night. Don't go to industry parties unless you're curious about learning the business. Don't hand out flyers unless you're interested in collaborative littering. When you are starting out as an artist, you have two priorities: getting your music to be as good as it can possibly be, and then raising the awareness of that music. Forcing yourself to “get your name out there" and “meet industry people" is a waste of time.
By that same token, surrounding yourself with people, ideas, and art that you are passionate about is essential to success. Lots of people have trouble breaking the ice, or artificially striking up conversations, but far fewer people have trouble talking about things they love. Putting yourself in situations where you can exchange and bond with others will make discussing your music easier, because excitement leads to free conversation. You won't have to rehearse that segue where you say, “So I've got this CD." Your music is probably going to come up naturally.
I don't mean to suggest that you should actively shun events or activities where “networking" is encouraged. Adults in every field will inevitably have the opportunity to attend them. And when you do wind up at some event that you've been dragged to, or that your manager convinces you to attend, or that a well-intentioned friend suggests, you shouldn't feel compelled to sell yourself. Ask questions. Use it as a learning opportunity. Find out what makes your industry peers tick. Because deep down, nobody likes networking, but if you ask the right questions, or manage to find common ground, you just might be able to add someone valuable to your network.
The other day, How to Run a Band's Seth Jackson ran an interview with Whiskey Tango about getting their music featured in a film. At the very bottom, Jackson posted a brief (but true) takeaway:
they networked with friends that happened to be in the film biz. So making friends seems to be the way to go in order really grow your band.
That stirred up some questions amongst the commenters: How are you supposed to network if you're in a band? Where do you do it? What do you do? Worthwhile questions, to be sure, but they also underline a crucial point about how bands differ from businesses.
Networking is a means to an end. In the working world, that end is usually tied to money: going to a cocktail hour to meet new vendors, or to look for a new job, or to unearth new clients.
These sorts of “networking" events are designed to facilitate what The Onion humorously terms “non-consensual" networking encounters: “abusive incidents in which individuals were compelled against their will to assist another's professional ambitions and 'talk shop.'"
For anybody born without the required predatory genes (and I mean “predatory" in a good way), this is the very definition of a nightmare. Shaking hands. Collecting business cards. Moving, shark-like, from one cluster of people to another, inserting yourself into conversations and making your presence known. Selling yourself.
Unless you have reached a point where you've grown your audience enough, where money is a top priority (or if it was always the top priority), you and your band should never do this. Any of your networking efforts should be focused on a far different end: improving your art.
They're probably not in it for the art.
Don't go down to your local club unless you're curious about the acts playing that night. Don't go to industry parties unless you're curious about learning the business. Don't hand out flyers unless you're interested in collaborative littering. When you are starting out as an artist, you have two priorities: getting your music to be as good as it can possibly be, and then raising the awareness of that music. Forcing yourself to “get your name out there" and “meet industry people" is a waste of time.
By that same token, surrounding yourself with people, ideas, and art that you are passionate about is essential to success. Lots of people have trouble breaking the ice, or artificially striking up conversations, but far fewer people have trouble talking about things they love. Putting yourself in situations where you can exchange and bond with others will make discussing your music easier, because excitement leads to free conversation. You won't have to rehearse that segue where you say, “So I've got this CD." Your music is probably going to come up naturally.
I don't mean to suggest that you should actively shun events or activities where “networking" is encouraged. Adults in every field will inevitably have the opportunity to attend them. And when you do wind up at some event that you've been dragged to, or that your manager convinces you to attend, or that a well-intentioned friend suggests, you shouldn't feel compelled to sell yourself. Ask questions. Use it as a learning opportunity. Find out what makes your industry peers tick. Because deep down, nobody likes networking, but if you ask the right questions, or manage to find common ground, you just might be able to add someone valuable to your network.
