So, you are going to a music conference. The music conference is a place for opportunity, connection, fun and can be life changing. But to make sure you get your money’s worth, use that old boy scout & girl scout motto: Be Prepared! When getting ready for a conference, get a hold of the agenda if provided. See WHO is going to be there, and WHAT classes, mentor & listening sessions are scheduled, and then plan YOUR schedule. Decide on One Main Learning Goal Some times there are so many courses, panels and pitch sessions at conferences it can be overwhelming. So decide what you want to accomplish at the conference. If you want a specific mentor (if they are offered) Do your research ahead of time and see what types of music the person is seeking. Get in line or register early to have the best chance at getting your mentor. Or perhaps see if you can get a consult session with them at the conference. Other goals could be:
Next, Be Professional. Bring professional looking business cards. Places like Vista print always have good deals. You can search on-line for coupons. Your business card should be clean and simple. It should display your name, title, email, phone, website, logo and/or picture. Having a website helps. Even a one page site that looks simple, neat, has a short bio and examples of your work will make you look professional Bring a CD either a CD you have released and want to pitch OR a CD with about 10 songs that best represent your music. (Make sure the music information has been uploaded to the Gracenotes database so that your data is not lost when downloaded from the CD to another computer) Or burn an mp3 cd that contains properly tagged files. See my blog on Metadata for more information: http://michellelockey.com/musicsync/metadata-schemetadata-heres-why-you-should-care Make sure the CD is properly labeled with your name, email, phone, and song names. I label the actual CD AND the CD case. Note that an mp3 CD may or may not play in some Cd players so be sure to bring a regular audio CD for pitching sessions. Another option is to bring a download card. I use dropcards. It’s an extra step for people to go to the website to download, but it is another option rather than bringing so many CD’s Network & Pitch the RIGHT way It is so tempting to run up to every industry person & throw your music into his or her hands. After every panel people usually swarm them. I usually wait till the crowd thins a bit then introduce myself, tell them something about how my music may meet their needs and ask if I can give them my info & if I can contact them later with some music. I also listen to what they have to say and try to find out more about them in our conversation. The Elevator Pitch: I tell people to come up with a mission statement first, and then a one or two line sentence with what you do. This way in case you meet some one but don’t have a ton of time, you have something prepared to say and it makes you look uber professional. (BTW there are classes on this at some conferences). My Elevator pitch is sort of like this: "Hi I am Michelle Lockey. I make Indie & Alternative music for Film & TV and also perform around in my home town. " Now I only say this whole line if they ask beyond my name. I also ask their name and what they do. If we don't have time for all that, then I say "Do you have a business card? I would like to get in touch later" . Make a pitch list The biggest question I get is, who can people pitch their music too. It is a bit of a faux pas to give out the information of your coveted publishers. So what I tell people is to keep the lists of the industry professionals that spoke at the conferences. Usually bios with their company names are included. Look up what shows they work for or what types of music are in their libraries. Then you can submit or contact them later. It is always better to get introduced to an industry professional through someone else OR meet them casually at the bar later. Which, BTW is usually the best way ;) Have Fun! Most of all have fun! Meet some new people, exchange business cards, play some music in the lobby with the pop up band. Enjoy the whole experience. You can make some really great friends & co-writers at these events and become part of an awesome community that will change your life! You are now conference ready!! Charge Forth and Party On! - Michelle My Music Licensing Bootcamp Course starts September 24th! Get 65% off if you sign up by August 2nd! Bonuses: a 30 minute conference call and E-book . Click: www.licensingsongs.com for more information
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AuthorMichelle Lockey is a multi-award winning singer-songwriter sharing the knowledge she has learned over the years writing for Film & TV. Like what you are reading? Please Sign up to receive a FREE Music Licensing checklist! 10 Steps to Sync Success
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