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An Artist’s Guide to Networking and Partnerships

This article covers the benefits of networking and partnerships as well as a pandemic-proof guide on who to network with, how to identify potential partners to team up with, and what your approach should be.

NETWORKING

The main idea behind networking is to build quality relationships and a support system that consists of people you can solicit for advice, ideas, and referrals. Essentially, these are people who can support you through your journey. Because of this, networking should be at the core of your music career.

Some benefits of networking are that it:

• Provides an avenue to exchange ideas with others.
• Allows people to know you. In a sense, it gives you recognition as an artist.
• Provides an avenue for new opportunities.
• Helps you overcome barriers that many creatives experience, so creating genuine connections before putting out your next project can make the process more seamless and the output of your project that much more successful.
• It might give you the reality check you need to gauge where you stand and what you need to do to get to where you want to be.
• Helps you to develop long-lasting relationships with likeminded people who can be an important resource for you.

Who are some people you should network with?

• Tastemakers and industry leaders.
• People on the business side of your industry.
• People who are doing what you’re doing. E.g. other artists and musicians.
• Writers and bloggers.
• Photographers
• Podcasters
• People who work in production — live and at recording studios.
• Venue owners and staff.
• A lawyer who specializes in your industry.

So then the question is: In the midst of this pandemic, how can you network with people? Here, let’s focus on networking in the digital space.

Where to Look

• Social media. Social media exists to connect with people, and it’s perfectly fine to reach out to people this way, as long as you do it in a professional manner. Clubhouse is a new favorite because you’re able to have a discussion with, learn from, and connect with people who work in your industry.
• Online events like conferences, workshops, and networking sessions. Usually these events consist of people in the same industry or with similar interests.
• Hashtags. They’re mainly used to help us find information with specific content or a theme. The same can be used to hone in on people with similar interests. Just be clear about what you’re looking for and research multiple hashtags. Otherwise you’ll just have a grid of folks using them wrong to try to gain viewers.
• Your current network. Who do you already know who may also be connected to someone you’d like to meet? Ask for an introduction.

Things to keep in mind:

• You don’t have to network with everyone.
• Strive for quality connections, not more of them. Keep in mind that you should go into networking with the intention of nurturing long term and genuine relationships.
• It’s about more than just knowing them. If your new connection tells you to reach out to them for help or advice, do it. The whole point of networking is to nurture a relationship so you can have that person as a resource!
• Networking is continuous. Try to take some time out once a week to network (or a set amount of time that works for you), do your best to stick to it, and continue to nurture these relationships.

PARTNERSHIPS

Partnerships can reinforce your identity, and partnerships present an opportunity to team up to take action. Partnerships can also help you to grow your base. So, if you’re looking to join forces say, with an organization or a collaborative:

• Identify your mission and values, and what really touches on who you are.
• Brainstorm who you want to partner with. Make sure to hone in on who you align with as far as values and goals. Start off by thinking about products or services that you already use. Think about issues you’re passionate about that’s addressed by an organization who is doing the work. These are basically things that would be easy for you to promote.
• Think about how that partnership will benefit you and get you to the next step in your career.
• Recognize that the relationship between artists and brands need to evolve with the times. Make sure that the organization or brand walks the walk, they truly support you and your community (however you define community) and that their efforts aren’t just performative.
• Don’t sleep on talent incubators. Talent incubators support innovation, so they can offer a place to create, initiate mentorships, and they provide access to a wide network and other types of assistance. Talent incubators are typically tied to larger companies — for instance Red Bull Music Academy — and they invest non-monetary resources to help you get your work out into the world.

Once you have your list of companies that you’d like to partner with and you found the contacts, before you reach out there’s some prep work to take on:

• Have some ground work done. Establish your act, portfolio, and brand — let them know: Were you selling out events pre-pandemic? Is your music being heard — and not just by your cousins and your closest friends. Are you selling your art, your products, or your services?
• Examine your following. Speaking of social media in particular, engagement is more important that focusing solely on your number of followers. This is where people are actually liking, commenting on, or sharing your posts. They’re clicking on your links, and they’re basically working their way through the funnel to get to your work — to your website, they’re buying your merch, they’re listening to your music on music streaming platforms, and they bought tickets to your past events.
• Have you had any public recognition? This is where you have to highlight any notable press you’ve received, even awards.
• Review your website. A cohesive and positive online presence affords you advantages, and is also why your website is a key part of your branding. If you think it might need a tuneup, do what you can with what you have before you send potential partners to it.
• Define what you want out of a partnership. If you’re not crystal clear about what you’re after, how can you get it? Are you seeking a monetary sponsorship? A project collaboration like a song, a mural, an event, or to come together to push an initiative?
• Know what you bring to the table. How can you benefit the organization? Why should they partner with you? Remember, just because they’re established doesn’t necessarily mean that they have it all figured out. Just because they have the “numbers” doesn’t necessarily mean anything. Look into engagement. Look into their shares, and people who appoint themselves as ambassadors of the brand and therefore may become your ambassadors as well.
• Do your research before you make your pitch. Have a proposal ready and get a one-sheet together that highlights your most relevant and valuable qualities.
• Don’t be afraid to contact them directly. On the company website or LinkedIn, look for the contact information on the company website or LinkedIn for the person who handles partnerships and sponsorships. Remember the networking you did? Ask for an introduction to someone there who handles partnerships, or who can point you in the right direction. When you reach out, be genuine and clear about your purpose. Why are you reaching out to them? What do you think your synergies are? Tell them. Be clear about why you reached out to them of all people and companies, what you’d like to transpire, and how you’d like to move forward.

A partnership involves a balance of give and take, and a successful partnership happens when values and goals are aligned. Just like networking, this is about nurturing relationships, so be mindful that this is a process. Be patient, be specific, and don’t force things to fit.

Christy Jeziorski is a music consultant and strategist who specializes in global roots music and cultural marketing. She helps musicians and brands connect with their audiences through campaigns that are both insight-driven and socially impactful, while at the same time catalyzes a form of cultural exchange and diplomacy across borders. Connect with Christy on Instagram or Clubhouse @christyjski or at www.inity.co.