Networking on a Budget

Even if your finances are tight, there is never an excuse for not being prepared in case you meet someone you can network with. Since it is so easy to do on your home computer, keep several templates handy of specialty business cards you can hand out—I keep a few on hand at all times with my website listed, and keep links active to my MP3 pages on those. That way, even if I am caught without a cassette or CD to hand someone, they can often access my MP3 files and get an idea of what I can do. I am currently working on yet another page of more “rock” material so I can try and find more co writers, rather than just let them hear my current page of more commercial, pitchable material. Many places like MP3 have links to free software you can use to convert material you have on a CD demo to your computer and then upload to a free website, so there is no reason to keep yourself from using that wonderful public venue to promote your work. You can, too, get some low-cost CDs at your local office supply store, as well as a few good quality short cassette tapes and keep a number of copies of each of these when you go out networking just in case you get the opportunity to hand them out. I try to keep several different ones for different people—folk/pop/rock/instrumental, as well as some nicer samples of what I consider my best writing or singing. This way, you can hand someone the best possible sampling of your work, rather than something they might not care much for, giving you a better chance of enlisting the help of this person, should you convince them to relieve you of one of your recordings.

WORK WHILE YOU PLAY

One of the easiest ways to network cheaply is to attend your local songwriter’s group meetings or check out the local open stage scene. There is generally no charge to attend, you often get a chance to meet fellow songwriters and hear their work, and, if you are performing, they get a chance to judge for themselves whether they want to work with you or not. The songwriter meetings often feature an industry speaker, as well, and this gives you not only the chance to learn more about your craft, but you may even get

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