Connections: Essential or Overrated?
In music, the terms networking & connections are not interchangeable and here's why.

If you're an indie artist, especially at the start of your career, you're probably tired of hearing how important it is to connect with as many as you can. It's become an anthem, a cliche. One might say it's only a cliche because it's true, but you might have your doubts. So let's talk about connections. Are they as valuable as people say, or are they overrated?

Let's go.

Networking vs Connecting

I often hear people use networking and connecting interchangeably. I disagree, and I'll tell you why. Networking happens at events where people try to make new contacts. That said, a contact is just someone whose name you know. You're not close, but you recognize each other. That's not bad, but a connection is something deeper.

When you make a contact, they remain in the periphery until you deepen that relationship into something real and personal. That's a connection. That's what you want.

Five Reasons Why You Need Connections

Now you understand the difference between a contact and a connection, the difference between an acquaintance and a friend. Now we can answer our question. Why is it so important to make connections?

Open doors

Connections, or strategic friendships, open doors where you would've previously thought impossible. Picture this. EA Sports are looking for artists to feature on an edition of their soccer video game, FIFA. You hear nothing about it online, but a member of the A&R team is your friend. All it takes is one phone call and you've got a foot in the door already.

Imagine making friends with a club owner and getting to perform in front of hundreds. Having the right friend can expose you to opportunities that will change your life.

Development and advice

Making the right friends will not only open doors for you, but it'll also help you get better. It helps massively when you connect with people who are more developed than you because they can become mentors who'll mold you into a better artist. You can learn from their mistakes and discover hidden secrets that'll help you in your career.

When making connections, don't only meet people at your level. Find people you can look up to. They'll do your career more good than you can imagine.

Friendships and alliances

One of the most underrated advantages of making the right connections is the close friendships you get to build. As important as it is to grow, it's important to have healthy relationships around you. You can also go on to build alliances with your friends. You can sign a record deal, form a band, or collaborate on some projects with your connections.

Referrals

The most powerful method of marketing is word of mouth. We're all more likely to trust the word of a friend than we are to click an ad on Facebook. In his book, Tipping Point, Malcolm Gladwell describes a powerful group of people. He calls them connectors. According to Mr. Gladwell, connectors aren't influencers by themselves, but they know at least one person who's good at whatever you need.

Make friends with one of these, and you can be sure a referral is coming your way. So make the right friends.

A support system

In your music career, you will have hard times. That much is certain. In those rough moments, you'll need a solid support system. When you're down and wondering whether you should even continue, it's this support system that will hold you up and inspire you to keep pushing. You can't afford to be careless with your support system, you must be deliberate about having the right people around you.

Your connections will help you through these times because you're friends, and they've gone through similar situations. A support system is non-negotiable if you want to succeed.

Five Tips on Making Connections

Now that you understand why connections are important, you might be wondering how to do it right. I've got you covered…

Be deliberate

Connections don't just happen along the line. You have to be deliberate about making the right connections. Write out a list of people you admire and want to be around. Carefully curate this list because you already know how important it'll be to your career. Then make a deliberate effort to approach these people and build relationships with them.

Don't just shuffle around. If you don't know what you want, life will give you nothing. Don't be that guy.

Start on social media

Social media is a great place to start a friendship with someone you admire. Now I know you may have some bad memories from online dating, but this is different. Social media is a great place to start because you can follow one's activity and figure out whether or not you'd make a good pair. It also allows you to connect with people from all over the world.

Start online, it's a great way to know whether you make a good fit without requiring so much physical involvement.

Try to meet in person

Once your relationship starts getting stronger, try to take it to the next level by meeting in person. It could be at an event, it could be a privately arranged meet up, whatever you want. An online relationship can only go so far, so try to meet up in person. That's where you can take one from contact to connection.

Have something to offer

There's nothing more annoying than a leech. Nobody likes having a friend who brings nothing to the table. That friend is viewed as an opportunist and will hardly be trusted. So before you approach anyone to try building a connection, make sure you have something to offer. Don't be a beggar, be a valuable contact. It will earn you more respect and give you more access.

Be a friend first

Whatever you do, don't be an opportunist or a leech. Be a true friend first, and an indie artist second. Truly care about your connections, and be blameless in your motives. Without a true bond, it's not a friendship. It's a business relationship. Not exactly the kind of connections you should be aiming for. Don't forget that the wrong reputation can ruin you .

Final Thoughts

Connections are not overrated, they're essential. Without them, you can't succeed as an indie artist. Yes, I said it. Learn how to build the right connections. It'll make you a better person, a better artist, and a more successful person.