5 Tips For Email Networking In The Music Industry
I admit it… I have been a spam artist. I have sent several emails to producers, artists and venues with impersonal copy and paste paragraphs in the hopes of connecting with them. If there is anything I want you to take away from this article it’s this: it doesn’t work. Incessant emails with general messaging comes off as inauthentic, desperate and a little uncalled for. It’s off putting to say the least and if you are looking to build real relationships with artists, producers, etc. it will only hurt your efforts. I learned this the hard way so you don’t have to so please take these tips to heart. I know they may sound obvious, but these tips have made a world of a difference for me and are for sure to help you too:
Know Your Audience: STOP! Don’t you dare click that send button. I get it, you saw that artist’s Instagram page and you think sending him the link to your Beat Stars Page is gonna get him to buy. It won’t. Unless you take the time to learn about them. Listen to their music, read their captions, educate yourself. When your done that? Start a conversation. Get to know the person behind the music. Like any sales book will teach you; before you can sell to your client, you must understand their needs and wants.
Be Genuine: This may go without saying but I’m gonna say it anyway, express yourself genuinely. I cannot tell you how many times I have been approached by producers telling me I’m “The Next Big Thing” (which was a nice ego boost even if it was bullshit) just to turn around in the next message trying to get my money. While it got my interest, once their true colours showed, I lost respect for them and immediately disengaged. Do the opposite of that.
Don’t Copy And Paste: Just take the time to write out EACH message. People can tell when an email is personalized and when it’s 1 of the 1,000 copies you’ve sent out that day.
Be Humble: This is a great tip if your someone like me… unproven, young and relatively new to the music world but this is good for anyone trying to make a connection. The person you’re thinking of emailing has no idea what your intentions are and furthermore, may not even know your name. So make sure your messaging portrays your talents and value without sounding gaudy or pretentious.
Follow Up The Right Way: As I am sure you are aware, you are not the center of the universe. Therefore, people are not always gonna respond to you right away. I know I forget to respond to texts all the time (sorry to everyone I’ve left on read, I swear I didn’t mean to). That is why following up is important. Reminding your recipient of your prior message in an understanding and empathetic way shows you care and makes it known that you really want to get in touch with them.
I learned the hard way that cutting corners in your emails does not work. As a result, I probably missed out on some great opportunities to meet people and build relationships. Let’s just say I made those mistakes so you don’t have to. Hopefully this article enforces what you probably, deep inside already know. Hopefully, my lost opportunities translate to more chances for you to build your music network.
Anyway, have a lovely day.
