Making the Most of Music Conferences

Music Conferences

Making the Most of Music Conferences

Before you attend a music conference, it is best to do your research. Know what the conference is going to be talking about. Pick up the conference's promotional materials so that you will know the focus of the conference.

Decide What Conference to Attend:

Check out local conferences to avoid travel expenses.
Figure out what works best with your schedule.
Research the conference so you know if its focus is the market you are trying to enter.
Make reservations for the conferences. This can save time and money.
Make hotel reservations for the day before. This is helpful is you are traveling to the conference because there may be flight delays, inclement weather, and/or severe travel conditions.

Prepare for the Conference:

Know who will be at the conference. Knowing ahead of time who will be there and who you need to meet can help make important contacts and build potential relationships.
Have all of your personal promotional materials gathered so that you will not have to spend valuable time at the conference doing this.
If you have a laptop, bring it with you. Also make sure it is charged and that you have an extra battery.

What to do at the Music Conference:

Keep a schedule of the conference
Arrive early to the conferences you wish to attend. This will give you time to find an appropriate seat and may enable you to meet the speaker privately.
Make a schedule for yourself to visit the discussions that interest you and will be most helpful to you.
Hand out business cards for your band.
Keep business cards of the people you meet in a certain place. Also, make a note of who each person is so that you can remember then more easily. The will be beneficial during follow-ups.
Meet as many people as possible. Step out of your comfort zone and talk to a variety of people. This can help your chances making contact with the people who can help you break into your music market.

What to do when you return Home:

Catalog contact information in your database.
Send out follow up emails to the people you contacted at the music conference.
Send press kits to contacts who were most interested.

: K. Thurman

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