Music Business--Why relationships are important to success as a musician

By Mark Grove



Whenever I talk to musicians the majority of them want to ask me how they can make money or how something benefits them. Drives me nuts. if the first thing you talk about at a bar is business, I usually won't do business ever with that player.



It's so important to just talk like regular guys. What I mean is ask the other person what they like to do. Sounds stupid I know. But the thing is just asking what interests a person in the music biz what they do for fun can take you a lot further than just being all business.



Building solid relationships is what makes me want to do business booking a band or thinking about management or writing Press material for them. Having fun with people is what makes people more interested in doing business with you.



If you're not exactly a bundle of joy, at least offer to do something business wise for free. I write Press-Kit material for free. Creating value for musicians is what will take you to the next step if you're an agent,manager,label rep or what ever.



Even offering value for free can help develop relationships if you're not into being a social butterfly. If you're all business that's like going to a job interview and asking the Human Resources person what it pays as the first thing you ask them.


That's one strike against you right there. Or asking what you can get for free will not help you when you deal with my press-kit writing service. Just asking someone in the music business what they like to do when they aren't dealing with musicians, will take you a lot farther as a result.


Think about women and what they like. if your relationship with a woman is shitty, chances are you're not someone I want to do business with either.

You don't have to be the life of the party to do business with people in the music business. Just make an effort to be a friend to a fellow music industry cat.


Peace and Success To all Players,


Mark