With the enormous influx of new blood in our hometown of Nashville, there's no better time than now to go over some of these oft-forgotten courtesies. Here to give you a Songwriter's perspective of these, take a gander at Nashville's own, Dan Reifsnyder.
Dan: Like it or not, the impressions that we make are a large factor in how far we get in life. That’s doubly true for those in the entertainment industry where your reputation can precede you (for better or worse)! I’m going to point out some behaviors of songwriters I’ve seen regularly, why they leave a bad impression, and what you can do to alter them in the future (assuming you do these things – but you’re too smart for that, right?) Regardless of how far in your career you are, or even if you're not a songwriter, these are important points to keep in mind.
1. Pardon Me, Sir, Can I Interest You in an Iron?
Why handing out your demo helter-skelter is considered a faux pas
Pros in this town deal with thousands of songs a week – and that may just be the staff writers and clients they have to listen to. On my first trip to Nashville in the 90’s, I went up and down Music Row handing my demo to anyone who would listen. Looking back now with a few more years of songwriting under my belt, I’m embarrassed – I thought I was ready to be the next Rivers Rutherford. I wasn’t. It's a sales concept, really. No one likes to be bombarded with products they haven't expressed any interest in or have no prior connection with.
You may be wincing as you read this and thinking “Yep…done that.” It’s not the end of the world – most folks here in town have, too. But the sooner you stop wasting your time and energy on half-baked demos, the sooner you can channel it into improving your chops. Find ways to connect with people whom are in the position to do business with you.
Protip: Find the manager for the artist you think your songs would fit well with through LinkedIn or Twitter. See if he/she is going to be at a show, teaching a seminar, or knows a mutual friend, and then find a way to talk with them.
Success isn’t a sprint, it’s a marathon. Take time developing as many genuine connections as possible. The more your network grows, the more your web will encompass. And when the time is right to make a pitch, it won't be cold-calling about irons.
2. A Wild A&R Person Appears!
Why you don’t gotta catch ‘em all
So you just walked into Starbucks and saw the VP of Sony sitting down to a vanilla Frappuccino. Maybe he’s on his iPhone, or deep in conversation with someone sitting across from him. You may think this is the perfect opportunity to walk over, introduce yourself, and slip him your card (but not your demo , because you’ve already read rule 1). Stop! Unless there’s a very compelling reason, let it go. In the odd instance where there’s some common ground (maybe you have a mutual friend), you can say hi – but keep it brief and be polite. Don’t try to get an appointment or force a business card on him.
Trust me – this is not the only chance you’ll have to talk to this person. It’s a small town – you could very well run into him again. And by using the techniques mentioned in point numero uno, you definitely can. When you do, you don’t want him or her to remember you as the creep that hovered over them while they ate their apple turnover – unless it was a damn good apple turnover.
Protip: Put yourself in their position and determine whether or not you feel it is appropriate to interject.
3. Don't Argue
Learn to take criticism by soundly evaluating it.
This applies to any time you're pitching a product to a potential client, but let's continue with the songwriter example. You’ve finally done it - you’re sitting across the desk from a big publisher. And he’s just told you (hopefully tactfully) why your song sucks. Don’t argue. I know this is a hard pill to swallow – this is your baby, your magnum opus, and you’ve spent the last few months of your life tweaking it to perfection. I promise you, the publisher won’t change his mind if you convince him to listen to the bridge one more time or imagine Brad Paisley doing a solo over the breakdown section.
I once heard a story about a guy whose song got rejected. Instead of taking it in stride, he came back with his guitar and refused to leave until the publisher heard the song “just one more time”. Getting escorted out of their office will leave a much bigger impression than whatever song you’re trying to play will.
Be polite. Be gracious. Thank them for their time, and ask if you can play more songs for them in the future. Remember, it’s not a sprint – you’re in this for the long haul.
Protip: Evaluate their criticism. Do you think it's justified? Why or why not? Write down the reasons they listed for not liking your tune, evaluate them, and then try doing a version of your song with their suggestions. Do you think the song is better now? Why or why not?
4. Dress For Success
Dress for the job you want - provided that job isn’t a pig farmer — unless that's what you really are interviewing for, in which case I apologize for being insensitive.
Put the ten gallon cowboy hat and western fringe shirt away. You look like a tourist. But don’t think that means you need to wear a suit and tie (or, God forbid, a tux). Think business casual – a nice pair of jeans and a button down shirt should be fine. For you artists out there, you probably get a little more latitude - dress like the image you’re trying to portray – hip, edgy, country, whatever.
If you're auditioning for a Gaga tour, you better have face paint and loud clothing. If you're trying to be the next Shakey Graves, I better see some suspenders. You get the idea.
Check out this story of a guy who auditioned for Gaga a few years ago. He brings up some similar points about having a focused look.
http://www.guitarmessenger.com/lessons/auditioning-for-lady-gaga/
5. Go to the Front of the Class
Take notes, sit in front, and get serious.
If you’re in any kind of seminar, this should be a no brainer. Even if you were required to come, pay attention when a speaker is talking. Evaluate their thoughts. They could be giving you valuable advice, and it’s your job to take this in and utilize it. Besides, if you pay attention you’ll be able to ask pertinent questions later – another thing that leaves a good impression. Think of when you have taught a class or seminar and were distracted by an audience's apathy. It sucks.
Protip: If you like the speaker, talk to them! Considering you're at their seminar, you probably have a common business or academic interest. Follow up on some points you found interesting, and you may end up making a good connection. Don't forget to read social cues though — they probably have someplace to be after this – even if it’s just home to a hot bath.
Maintain an appropriate distance from people. If they can count your nose hairs, you’re probably too close.
There are literally dozens of things I can tell you about what not to do – don’t throw a temper tantrum at a writer’s round and kick out the amps, don’t go around offering people hard drugs, don’t use a meeting with a publisher to sell them on your pyramid scheme – but the crux of the matter is this: if it wouldn’t fly in a business environment, you probably shouldn’t do it. Before doing something, ask yourself: “How does this make me come off?” If there’s even a question, play it safe – don’t do it. Remember, reputation is everything in business. You want to have a good one.
Feature image photographer: http://www.kriskesiak.com/
