EXERCISES:
- Listen to a podcast about the Nashville Music Industry. Podcasts provide a wealth of knowledge on the industry straight from the ones in charge of it. Often, CEO's, heads of creative departments within publishing and songwriters themselves star in podcasts that really allow you to see inside the mind of Music Row. Listen to one a day to brush up on what people are where within the industry and what your favorite writers are up to. It's free and useful.
- Turn on your “business profile” features! Most social media provide you with a choice of being a personal account or a business account. You are a small business as a songwriter or artist! Treat your page as such. Turn on your “business profile” capabilities so you will able to track your insights on what content is successful and when you should post. This will also give you an idea of who is listening and where they are from. This can help you target specific people and places as you post content that they would hopefully pay more attention to.
- Following up. Everybody who has a pile of business cards they collected but never followed up on, raise your hand…Did networking actually do you any tangible good at all at the events where you collected those? Activity: Grab one of those cards right now, check out the person's Twitter feed and send a quick and casual email that has the potential to start a conversation if the other party chooses to take the bait. Following up doesn't have to be high-stakes, and even the most casual acquaintanceship can be a crucial in when you need a favor.