Making Contacts

Some people will tell you that it's all about who you know, others will say it's all about what you know. In actuality, it's both. So just how do you know the “right” people? How do you make contacts? It's best to start with an understanding of the basics of why contacts are important.

The Importance of Who You Know

Just how important is it? Well you certainly can't do everything on your own, no matter how talented and resourceful you are. At some point something will come up that is outside of your expertise, or you simply won't have time to do everything yourself. Not only that, but there will always be some one out there who knows more about something than you, and vice versa. Call it a trade if you will, but everyone needs something, and wants to go somewhere.
Contacts are important in so many ways, be it as a resource, collaborators, or sometimes as mere support. Contacts are a way of networking and finding people who a) need a skill you posses, b) have a skill you need, c) know what you do and can recommend you or employ you in some way, or d) a person who you will likely network through to reach other contacts later on. Contacts are important, make no mistake about it. The most often overlooked aspect of making contacts is this: BE SOME ONE TO KNOW. This is why contacts are who they are. They are some one to know. So all the more reason for you to become some one who can also be regarded in this context. Be for anything is said and done; in any sort of relationship, business or otherwise, there is usually an element of give and take. So, to that end, finding contacts will be difficult if you don't at least have something to offer. Now, this is not to say that you can't make contacts with out some sort of skill, but as it stands, as an economic principle, it's really all about supply and demand. So what if you are new? Fledgling? A hobby? A Student? Even if you are just starting out, at very least you can offer help, cheap labor, or any other skills that you might have to offer, like free time.

Where To Find Them

Contacts can most obviously be found through friends, co-workers, family (if you are lucky), colleagues, or even mentors. Often times contacts are people we might not even consider contacts because we are too familiar with them. Do you have a friend who is great with web design? How about the friend who works at that trendy cafe/bar? They aren't often the glamorous industry contacts that you might be seeking, but they are invaluable in your early stages, and later on as well. What's more is that they are more likely than anyone else to help you because you already know them, and hopefully are your friends. If you've exhausted your rolodex at that rate, and still come up wanting, it's time to make some new contacts. So where can you meet and make new contacts? C'mon folks! There's a whole damn industry dedicated around it now: NETWORKING SITES! It might not be often that you'll meet people from this sort of endeavor, and be careful if you do (that's a given), but it's a starting point. How about gigs? If you go to see live music, chances are, you will be surrounded by people somehow involved in what is going on. Here's a scenario: The live sound engineer toils away night after night, sometimes mixing great bands, sometimes mixing stuff they'd never wished to hear. After the band, the groupies, and the roadies have packed up, chances are the engineer might still be around (unless they have some sort of union gig going on). If you were a person interested in live sound, for example, go ask them questions. Chances are, if they aren't too busy, tired, or in a rush to leave, they'll be likely to be happy to tell you a little bit about what they do. In that simple scenario there are a million ways things could go, but if you're lucky, by the end of the conversation you will have made a contact.
When you meet new people it's a good idea to have a business card, where relevant. If you exchange contact information be sure to follow up and follow through. People are busy, so drop them a line a day or two later, just to keep yourself fresh in their mind, or to further build and maintain that contact. Above all use common sense. Don't go harassing people, don't hound them, but do be persistent where it's appropriate.

When Making Contacts....

When you are making new contacts be personable, approachable, polite, and friendly. (Remember talk doesn't have to be all about business all the time! Small talk can be a good thing!) Be on time where relevant. You don't want your first impression that you give to be that of an unorganized or unreliable person. Be consistent: and by this it's meant that your words should match your actions. Speak in a manner that best suites you and who you are working with; BE ARTICULATE. All of this ties in with being self aware. Do you know what you look and sound like when you are speaking?? If that terrifies you then try doing some practice. Record yourself talking and see if you have favorite stutter words like: um, like, “know what I mean”, “ya know”, any possible slang you often
repeat. Along with being self aware, know what you can and can't do. This sounds simpler than you might think. Say you are suddenly called in to work on a project. The tasks of the project are completely with in your skill set, only the time budget is much narrower than you are used to. It is here important to asses and know ahead of time if you can or can't do something. This is important in building and maintaining contacts because if you don't know what you are capable of, how can some one else? Lastly, don't come across as needy or desperate. Although its common to be desperate for work, try not to appear desperate to make a contact with some one. No one wants to board a sinking ship. If you come across as pushy, chances are you may put the contact off from wanting to work with you entirely. Remember that there is a fine line between desperate and eager, and between needy and enthusiastic.

The “Gift of Gab”

So once you've made or found a contact, what needs to happen? Firstly it needs to be clear what you do, and what you can offer. Are you a singer? Are you good with a few key pieces of software? Are you a multi-instrumentalist who can do things in no more than three takes? You get the point. Be able to clearly define what it is that you do, or what it is that you aim to do if you aren't yet doing it. If you can't chances are people will have a hard time finding a use for you. Second, when speaking with a potentially new contact be interested in what they do, genuinely. Remember you are both hoping to be useful to each other at some point. (Even in the case of an already established contact, they may be looking for some one with potential who can help them later if possible.) Again, knowing what you do is key, and in this scenario knowing how you work is very important. Everyone has different ways of working. Are you an organized worker? Do you like mornings? Do you tend to do everything in one sitting, or do you chip away at things gradually? Knowing these things about yourself not only helps you communicate this to people you want to work with, but it also helps you figure out who you will be most compatible with. Sometimes it is a yin-yang balance, and sometimes it's a two people sharing a brain partnership. Figuring out your limits early on is also important when making contacts. What are you willing to do? And for how much and for how long? Again if you aren't clear about what you want and how you operate, contacts will have a difficult time knowing how you operate, and often the way you work is what is most important when people are deciding whether or not to work with you. (This is not to say that the way you work might change over time, or that you might be flexible in some areas for certain cases.) People will want to work with some one who they know they can get along with and work with, just the same as you would. No matter how great a contact, if you don't mesh well then there's really no point.