In Week 8 we learn about getting off-line and back in to the real world: Networking, meeting people, collaborating, sharing and becoming a shark in a sea full of tuna (see below).
The key goal to successful networking is to be memorable.
Being memorable
You can become memorable by developing:
- An authentic interest in other people
- A good business card – one that leaves an impression
One trick with business cards is to give them out only when someone asks for your contact details. When this happens I give out two as it allows the person to pass on your details if your music or services spring to mind.
It’s not about the music industry
I have found I get a lot of interest in my music outside of the music industry from friends who I exercise with, I socialise with and those I work with.
Ariel explains that if you’re trying to grow your business you could find the meat of your market in a completely different industry by being a shark in a sea full of tuna.
For example, friend and songwriter Nikki Loy has recently been working with Sandra, a wedding photographer, to cross promote themselves in the wedding industry.
Whilst researching crowdfunding I was inspired to learn of a New York singer/songwriter who grew her audience through her passion for baking cakes.
As DIY musicians in the ‘new’ music industry we ought to be thinking about ourselves as creative entrepreneurs and ways in which we can offer our music to people other than those in music.
What talents or contacts do you have in another industry in which you could cross-promote your music?
The moment the Music Success in Nine Weeks blog challenge finishes on Week 9, Sandra and I will be taking a break and hitting the slopes in France to ski and snowboard for the winter season.
Amongst our writing, cooking, cleaning and chalet hosting I am hoping to establish opportunities to promote my brand of energetic rock music in another field that I’m passionate about: snowboarding.
Following the lessons from Week 8 I intend to develop further:
- My listening skills and abilities to information gather
- My consistency with following up new contacts with a friendly ‘no agenda’ phone call
- Alternative channels in which to promote my music and personal services
It takes a degree of confidence to network in the ‘real world’ versus sitting behind a screen.
Having a good business card, clear objectives and a genuine interest in other people we can build our confidence from which we can develop our network, and therefore our fan-base.
If the year was 2155 and I found your blog. How would you like to be remembered?
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