- Remind yourself: You're there to give, not get. Although my above examples highlight my needs, I always let other artists know if I can do anything help I will. Mostly, I lend my knowledge that I acquired from Full Sail University.
- Don't Appear Desperate. People are turned off by neediness. Find a way to push that aside while networking.
- Have sincere conversations. We all need support. Be sure to have genuine conversations with people. You get more bees with honey.....
- Ask open-ended questions. Eliminate the small talk by asking these type of questions. "Why" questions typically generate interesting answers and conversations.
- Limit your drinking. I'm aware this is hard, as most of the early parts of the career involve performing at clubs. You can't really get the most out of networking if you're too drunk to carry on a conversation. So, be easy with the drinking.
- Connect with everyone. Never look over anyone's shoulder. You never know who someone may know. Don't limit your network with this mistake. Don't look at the rest of the room while speaking with someone. Rude......
- Practice. I'm better at dealing with my nervousness because I practice before a show. It's the same in networking. Some people are more comfortable on a stage in front of a crowd versus being in front of one person. Become more comfortable through practice.
We can all succeed. Learn all you can and apply it.
