The time to network is now – here’s how to make it count

With everyone from celebs to industry execs holed up scrolling through their phones, there’s really no better time to try […]

The post The time to network is now – here’s how to make it count appeared first on SoundCloud Blog.

With everyone from celebs to industry execs holed up scrolling through their phones, there’s really no better time to try your hand at networking. But what’s proper etiquette on the internet? Do you slide into an A&R contact’s DMs or cold email a producer you want to work with? 

To answer these and other pressing questions, we took a trip back to the A3C stage where Atlanta-based rapper K$upreme, fellow ATLien emcee Grip, Atlantic Records’ senior director of marketing, Jamila Thomas, and Pandora’s director of marketing, Bryan Calhoun, shared their tips on networking in the digital era – and Bryan coined the term R.A.C.E.S. that makes it all easy to remember. 

Full panel video on “Networking in the Digital Era” can be viewed here. 

Follow these 5 things and you’ll be off to the races

• “R” stands for being respectful. For Brian, that means putting yourself in others’ shoes and not badgering your fans with unnecessary updates or spamming people with emails. You might have a lot of time on your hands, but instead of stream-of-thought dialogue, take a minute to plan out what you want to say and how. 
• “A” represents authenticity, which is huge for K$upreme. From his rhymes to his early label meetings, he’s led with his energetic personality – and knows the power of showing (and owning) your true colors any chance you get. 
• “C” is for working, growing and posting with consistency. Grip acknowledges that no two paths to success look the same. But in sharing a story of how a producer he once thought made “trash beats” eventually became his go-to collaborator, he made it clear that sheer persistence often goes the distance. Is there someone you loved working with in your past? Now’s a great time to reconnect.
• The “E” comes from exclusivity. Promoting your songs, news and visuals on your social media channels is huge. Jamila spoke to how executives like herself rely on these platforms to keep up with artists they’re interested in working with. Maybe it’s time to do some spring cleaning to make sure your accounts accurately represent what you’re all about.
• Finally, “S” is for syndication. In Brian’s view, this means using the platforms that mesh best with you, and leveraging your success in one area into other opportunities. A prime example for him was helping another artist use targeted ads to convert their online fanbase into IRL ticket sales. Since touring is on pause, maybe it’s time to drive your massive Insta following to your merch or vinyls. 

We’re filming all of the panels, Q&A’s, and live content from our SoundCloud Creator Forum live events and will be rolling out the content on a weekly basis. You can check back here for recaps, subscribe to our YouTube channel to be the first to know when a new video drops, and visit our creator guide to get access to everything you need to know to grow your career on SoundCloud.

The post The time to network is now – here’s how to make it count appeared first on SoundCloud Blog.