The Fine Art of Networking

Kenny Kerner

Don't be afraid of the word. It doesn't bite. In the music business, "networking" is just a fancy term for "hanging out." For our Jewish readership, it's "schmoozing." There, I can see you're smiling already. That's better. The best way to learn and to make connections is to hang out—I mean Network. Back in the Seventies, when I wanted to learn about producing records, I hung out at recording studios and asked questions of other producers and engineers. And even though I was just hanging out, to others in the Biz, I was in fact, Networking.

Enough already. I'm going to assume you now know what the word means and move on to more important things-like how to Network and why it's so incredibly important to your careers. Let's begin by telling you what Networking is NOT. It is NOT ass-kissing. It has nothing to do with cuddling up to one particular executive or top-level industry guy and yessing him to death. It's more akin to infiltration; To putting yourself into that "inner circle" of party-goers, movers & shakers, and seminar speakers. It's getting to meet as many important people as you can-and leaving them with a positive impression. These are two completely different things.
Watch this: (1) Getting to meet as many important people as you can and (2) leaving them with a positive impression.

The people in the music industry that can help you are really fairly accessible—if you know where to look. Remember, they all have egos and all want to be seen and heard. They all need to be asked for their opinions to validate their existence (and in some cases, their exorbitant salaries) in this business. Here are some tips on great Networking opportunities:

1. Many local and national magazines and newspapers and the TAXI Transmitter list upcoming events in their Calendar sections. This will give you advance notice about seminars, conventions, meetings, classes, and mentoring sessions scheduled in the near future. Check out the topics, the list of guest speakers and the cost of attending. If the cost is out of your financial range, you might want to split it with a friend (or all of your band mates) and tape the seminar so you all benefit. At least that gets one of you in the door with the opportunity to meet and greet.


2. Quite often I am approached by strays who stop me while leaving a hotel lobby only to hand me a press package or tape. In many cases, they did not attend the lecture but were aggressive enough to figure out that eventually, like Elvis, I had to leave the building. If the convention is really important, try booking a small room at the hotel. This puts you at Ground Zero.


3. On a smaller scale, many music education schools and colleges host weekend seminars that are attended by some pretty important guest speakers—people you want to meet; people who can help you. Since attendance is usually limited, you should have no trouble approaching your target. Keep in mind that many people in the audience might be industry employees, as well. A few years ago, when J Records President, Clive Davis, spoke at Musicians Institute in Hollywood, record producers, managers, and even super songwriter Diane Warren took seats in the auditorium. That was networking at its finest.


4. If you stop to think for a moment, you'll realize that there are probably two or three people who you deal with on a regular basis who have some industry ties—a local club booker, a journalist, or writer, a local recording artist, a promoter. This is the best and most direct way to begin the networking process. Start hanging out. See if you can get invited to an industry party. If there's a special show at a local club featuring a hot new band, try to get in. There is certain to be a bevy of A&R activity there.


5. The best of all possible ways to both network and learn about the Biz is to try and get an internship at a record company, publishing company, or management company. This not only gives you hands-on experience on a day-to-day basis, but it allows you to meet and mingle as an "insider."

And let's not forget social networking and e-mail. Today, almost everyone at the major record companies has an e-mail address. Take a shot. While you're sitting home in your underwear playing computer games, send a short message to a manager or label exec. It couldn't hurt. In fact, many industry veterans give online seminars and lectures. Check 'em out.

The great thing about networking is that there is no prescribed way of doing it. Twitter, MySpace, Facebook, e-mail, telephone, etc. You need to get out and schmooze with people to make connections. How you do it is totally up to you.

And that brings us to Part Two of this scenario—leaving them with a positive impression. Always remember that you don't get a second chance to make a first impression. Boy, I wish I had said that. Nevertheless, it's quite true. Meeting someone is only half the battle—leaving them with the impression that you're intelligent, hungry and talented, is another, entirely. Since I'm big on lists, here's one that'll help you make a lasting impression:

1. Take a lesson from the pages of the Boy Scouts—Be Prepared! If you're going out for the night, always carry a CD on your person at all times. Keep additional ones ready (along with full press packages) in your car. Nobody is going to wait for you to drive back home to get one. Strike while the iron is hot. [Have you noticed that I'm trying to use every cliché possible to make my points?]


2. Look cool. Be yourself. These industry Big-Wigs are only people, after all. They also dress in jeans and go out drinking. So just be yourself and don't do anything that is unnatural for you. You want them to see what they'll be getting if they're interested. If you're someone who gets dressed up before going out—go for it. Nothing makes a better first impression than someone who stands out from the crowd. Whenever I go out to a club, I always check out the crowd. I deliberately look for people who look like stars.


3. Knowing what to say once you meet your connection is perhaps the most important part of the networking process. Be clear, concise and gracious. Try this on for size: "Hi, my name is Bobby. I'm in a band called Cracked. I'd appreciate it if you could take my CD and listen to it when you get a chance. Cool. Thanks a lot." Congratulations, you've reached first base. Don't badger anyone who is out on the town enjoying himself or trying to look at some new talent. Be swift and be sure.


4. Never try to force someone to make a commitment to listen to your CD or to come down and see your band. It's your job to make the connection and then do the follow-up work. These guys are not always at a club or a show to do business.


5. Never go out networking with your friends. This is something you need to do alone. You don't want an A&R Rep showing more interest in your guitar-playing buddy than in you. Your friend is your competition. Where's that killer instinct? And besides, networking is not a game, it's a career move.

Dan Kimpel, author of the best-selling book Networking Strategies for the New Music Business adds this sage advice: "Don't look up—look around. It's too easy to imagine that networking with some powerful entity will instantly elevate you to his level. This is simply not the case. The truth is that Clive Davis probably doesn't need you; Babyface probably doesn't want to write songs with you, and Kelly Clarkson doesn't need your material. You need to network for the future: cultivate relationships with minor executives who may well be the Clive Davis' of tomorrow; find collaborators whose vision and drive may lead them to Babyface-levels of success and write songs for artists whose drive and talents will lead to mega-sales in the next millennium.

"People prefer to do business with people they know, so don't treat people like steppingstones, treat them as friends. Spend as much time developing your relationships as you do working on your music. Networking is something you can do every single day of your life."

Networking is not easy—especially if you're shy and don't like hanging out. But it is an essential part of making connections in this fast-paced, it's—who-you-know industry. In addition to the possibilities of making new business acquaintances, networking will also do wonders for strengthening your self-motivational skills, not to mention your overall confidence.

After 40 years in this business I still book myself as a guest lecturer at several industry functions every year. Not for the enormous amounts of money they throw at my feet (yeah, right), but to keep my name prominent in the "circle" of happening people and to check out all the new guys in the industry that might be able to help me one day. That's right—in the music business, networking is a career-long process. So you might as well begin now.