Tips for enjoying SXSW and people-dense places.
Derek Sivers, the visionary who created CD Baby (and a very nice guy), asked some people for tips on on how to best deal with the promotional-intense music convention scene. With South by Southwest just around the corner, here are my thoughts:
1. Be open to fortuitous error. More often than not, the really big meeting that may have instigated your convention attendance won’t even be where your future lies. It will be the person you bump into by the escalator or who strikes up a conversation after spilling beer on your shoes at a gig that can change your life and help your career. You are surrounded by talented people with shared interests, don’t presume anything about anyone and be OPEN.
2. Have a business card. It may seem old school, but after a good conversation, being able to hand a simple, tangible artifact representing yourself is helpful to people. Make sure it looks good and that you like it.
3. Don’t eat alone. You are surrounded by so many people with common interests and goals. The time for quiet reflection is when you get home. Right now, dive into the stream of humanity. Make yourself known (nicely), and learn about people.
4. Pace yourself (especially drinking.) ‘Nuff said.
5. Don’t be shy. Insecure? So is everyone else in music. Fuhgeddaboutit. This is your opportunity to make an impression. When you meet someone, find something that interests you about them, ask questions ,and learn about what they do. You’d be surprised how often their pursuits might benefit from your talents or vice versa (see Point 1.) You don’t want to miss out.
6. Follow-up. Within a week after the convention, when you have had a good conversation with someone and exchanged information, follow up with a short e-mail reminding them of where you met (remember, like yourself, they have probably met more people than they can specifically remember and things start to blur.) Let them know you enjoyed meeting them and ask them to keep you in mind if they need assistance with anything. Put your contact info by your signature so they can easily cut and paste it into their own contact list.
7. Learning one ‘big idea’ per day is a very successful convention. If you are in a meeting where you are learning something important to you, stay until you’re satisfied. You seldom get anywhere by rushing around and cramming too many meetings into an hour. You won’t absorb it all.
8. You never learn by talking. Listen.
9. That said, talk when you have something to say and then allow the other person to respond. If you find yourself talking for more than 30 seconds at a stretch, you aren’t talking, you’re pitching/self-promoting. The pitch can come at a later date. Right now, engage and enjoy.
10. Make sure your digital identifier website/myspace/blog is functioning well before the convention. When you meet people and give them your card assume they will check out your site to learn more about you and your work. Remember, your site is representing you. Is it readily understandable for the user? Do all your song links work? Make sure you have tested everything.
11. Hit the Salt Lick. Great barbecue and vibe about 30 miles outside Austin. Yum.
