Tips to Help You Make the Best of the CMW Aftermath

This was my 5^th year volunteering with CMW and my 4^th as the unofficial ‘cat herder’ for the B2B meetings in International Marketplace with Kathy Hahn during the Music Summit.  It was 4 long days, and I met tons of very cool people, like you!  (Bonus: My FitBit says I logged 65K steps).  Now that CMW is wrapped up, here are 5 ideas to capitalize on the contacts you made.

1. Try not to call people during dinnertime, but if YOUR phone rings and it’s that festival buyer reaching out, chew your food, and answer!
2. When sending emails, don’t do bulk. (OK so this is bulk.  Cut me some slack, man, it is a blog). Be specific to who you are writing to and personalize it with a memory jogging event like when and where you met them.  Don’t start an email with “HEY” to a person you don’t know well and really want to connect with.  It can be disrespectful.  Oh, and sending MP3’s are a no-no. 
3. Did you invite them to a show? Did they come?  If they did, totally follow up ASAP and thank them.  If they didn’t show up, still follow up, and embellish how awesome your show was, and when your next show is.  And follow up closer to the date.
4. In your reach-out email or phone call message, state that if you don’t hear from them that you will follow up with them in two weeks time (or whatever time you think is good). And follow up.  And repeat.  And repeat again.  Still no reply after 3x?  Stretch your next attempt out a bit longer, or just when big stuff happens like a song release or upcoming show.  This is called “dripping” and it does work.  Go old school and buy a weekly planner and write down who you need to follow up with and when and review regularly, like on Tuesday mornings.  Stagger your contacts and time block your follow up sessions.  (Are you getting the “follow up” message here yet?)
5. Go super old school. Send the people you really really really want to connect with a hand-written Thank You Note and mail it to them.  Yes, I said “mail.”  Snail Mail, Canada Post, they still exist. Think about it.  When was the last time you got a thank you card in the mail?  I bet you will remember who sent it.  Consider enclosing a small merch item CD or gift card.