Living a life of involuntary isolation takes a toll on your social skills. It is tricky to navigate how to migrate back into the socially awkward post covid society, let alone navigating the multitude of networks to obtain as a musician.

While you brush up on your skills and practice your dancing in the mirror, why not equip yourself to make some great contacts in the mix to help you with your music career. We have put together an extended guide on how to go about making those connections in the outside world that can enhance your professionalism in the scene.

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Band Mates & Band Mates

If you saw our previous articles “The Guide to Get On The Gig Guide” and “ “So Now You’re On The Gig Guide: The Networking Guide”, we mentioned the importance of networking with other local artists within the music industry to find gigs and get your name into the world of social media with giveaways. We are going to stress this importance again, as it is crucial to have those local scene mates to help each other out. Whether you’re looking for a gig, need a spare lead or want to hit up the studio to record, networks in the music scene make this venture easier. Have a look on social media and add some bands that stick out to you on your calendar. Take the time to head down and introduce yourself. Express your interest in the band and mention that you would like to play a gig with them sometime. If you are dedicated, make a point of going to a few of their shows in a row. Offer to meet up for a jam and hang out. Not only is this the easiest way to network and find a foundation for potential gigs coming up, but it may lead to the start of a wonderful friendship.

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Radio: What’s New?

Radio and written publications are also great contacts to have when it comes to getting your music heard. As a local musician, you may not have the means to hire a publicist, and so just like wearing the musician hat, booking agent hat and accountant hat, you will need to add publicist to your forte. Research local radio stations in your wider area that spin local legends. Alongside this, find some great written publications that cover ranges of music too. Once you have the press release together, it is time to start emailing outlets and continue to email them - respectfully. Music publications and radio stations are consistently provided new content, so do your research on how to create a stellar press release (See our article “The Importance of a Press Release”) and time to start contacting. When writing submission emails, keep a professional demeanor and express your interest from what you would like from the outlet. Building a professional relationship with print, online and radio journalists will push your music to be heard by their audience.

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Time for the professional world

Keep a keen eye out for networking events held by companies and adverts on gig-booking platforms. These networking and information events can lead you to meeting many new people alike sound engineers, booking agents and publicists. Use these events to make those contacts and sell yourself in person. Face-to-face engagement can leave just as much, if not, more of an impression as your online presence.Hold yourself confidently and even take a few business cards with you so that if you find yourself securing a contact whether that may be with a new gig, or sharing great interest in your work, you have your information to provide to those people. Business cards are a bit old school but also have a quality of professionalism to them.