One way to get noticed in an industry is
to position yourself as an authority figure or a thought leader in the
space. Starting a blog is a great way to show others what you’re
interested in — and it’s a great way to interact with a community of
people with common interests.It’s not always easy to follow your dreams,
and there are certain industries that pose a greater barrier to entry
than others. The music industry is definitely one of those. Whether you
have dreams of volunteering your summer at Warped Tour, or you want to
represent emerging talent — there are smart steps you can take to
enhance your chances of breaking into the competitive music industry
before you start talking of the money_.
1. JOIN A STREET TEAM
Street
teaming is a great way to get your foot in the door and make some
important connections, especially if you don’t have a resume bursting
with music-industry experience. As a street team member, you would
typically hand out promotional materials such as stickers, posters and
CDs to businesses in your market area — including record stores and
localshops. When you’re promoting different artists or shows in your
local
community, you’re forming relationships with others who are
interested in music — you’re networking without realizing it. There is a
low barrier to entry with street teaming — most labels or companies
just want to find people who are enthusiastic about the work.
If
you’re interested in getting involved with festivals, As you volunteer
at more events and establish yourself, you’ll begin to get special
opportunities such as working backstage or pre-festival positions. This
is a great way to meet music professionals from many different
departments, ultimately helping you decide where you want to work in the
industry.
Another way to get into street teaming is by contacting
your favorite music labels directly and asking if they need someone to
pass out promotional materials. This type of grassroots marketing is an
easy and fun way to get involved as you start to build your resume.
Lastly,
there are third-party companies that often take care of street teaming
for artists. The Syndicate is a marketing and consulting agency that
offers street marketing to its clients — contact them or a similar
company and ask about any upcoming opportunities.
2. NETWORK, NETWORK, NETWORK
The
platitude “It’s not what you know, it’s _who_ you know” perfectly
describes the importance of networking in the music industry. When
it comes to job openings, the music industry is especially sparse and
extremely competitive.
In addition to street teaming, being active
on social media is a great way to start networking — especially if you
live in a rural area a
nd you don’t have many opportunities to go to
shows. On Twitter and Tumblr, Facebook fan page, Reverb Nation, follow
people who work in the music industry, and most
importantly, _engage_with them. If you’ve got a specific question — ask
them. You’d be surprised how many people are willing to pass along
advice if you just ask them for it.
One last and important note
about networking: Once you’ve established a relationship with someone,
it is important to _maintain_ it. It is particularly important to
maintain your weak-tie acquaintances — those people you met at that one
networking event, or that friend of a friend who does marketing at a
record label. Stanford professor Mark Granovetter conducted a study
called ”The Strength of Weak Ties” that showed “weak-tie acquaintances
were often more important than strong-tie friends because weak ties give
us access to social networks where we don’t otherwise belong.” In other
words, it’s good to touch base with people in your broader social
network every few months — you never know who is going to give you your
next big opportunity
3. START A BLOG
One way to get noticed
in an industry is to position yourself as an authority figure or a
thought leader in the space. Starting a blog is a great way to show
others what you’re interested in — and it’s a great way to interact with
a community of people with common interests.
“I would tell
everybody to start a blog, and even if you’re not doing it to make money
or get tons of views, it’s good to have something to show people. Even
now, I get people who really want to write for my site and it makes such
a difference if I can get a feel for their taste. Then, when you start
applying for jobs at labels or marketing agencies, you’ll have something
you can show them — you’re not just another person who loves music,
you’re willing to put in the work every day.”
4. FIND A MENTOR
Finding
someone to tap for advice who already has experience and connections is
a great way to gain traction in any industry. Because so
many of
your opportunities will come from who you know, aligning yourself with a
connected mentor is invaluable. However, it’s not always easy to figure
out whom you should ask, and how.
Through street teaming and
attending shows you will eventually build your own network, and
undoubtedly connect with someone who has experience in the industry. A
great way to start is to ask that person to have a cup of coffee with
you for an informational interview. Informational interviews are
helpful. You simultaneously get to learn from someone else’s experience,
as you show them how deep your interest runs and how serious you are.
Pro
tip: Always ask to be connected to someone else at the end of the
interview. For example, if the person you’re talking with isn’t
an expert in client management — ask if that person knows someone you
could be introduced to so you can learn more about that area of the
industry. In general, people love showing how well-connected they are,
and most will help connect you, if you just ask.
Have any other advice about getting started in the music industry? Let us know in the comments.
