Relationship Building 101: Part 2

In Part 1 of Relationship Building 101 we discussed the importance of well-branded business cards. Today let's take a step into the world of social media.

Social Media
Another way to connect with people is through social media. You already know this though--hopefully. But there are some important things to remember when engaging through social media:

1. Make sure your profile represents your brand in the same "light" that you want the industry heavy hitters (and your fan base) to see and market you.
2. Make sure that you aren't treating your account like a robo-spammer, making people feel like you're forcing yourself on them.
3. Your timeline/profile should not look like one endless thread of your "check out my new track/album"

Let's briefly dive into each of these...

• Your profile should represent your personality while also being professional. If it's cluttered with images of you passed out at parties or your growing collection of mugshots, you can be seen as an investment risk and why would a company invest thousands or even millions into you just for you to mess things up and then they can't recoup their money? If the label has to contemplate the cost of sending you to rehab or constantly bailing you out of jail, they may opt to take a less riskier bet on another creative.
• Another take on your profile image has to do with how one views you and hence decides to market you. If the music that you write and/or sing isn't reflected in the image that you portray through social media, you have created a mental conflict. Which image are you? If you have dreams of endorsement deals and other big money contracts, what image do you want these companies to see and sell to the public? Believe it or not, you set the tone for your brand, and you can enhance it or tarnish it very quickly. You can also pigeon-hole yourself by being too restrictive of your image. Think of some super stars in tv and film who portrayed a certain image to the point that they were almost (or fully consumed) by the black hole we call typecasting. You must remember to give yourself room to grow because what you think, believe and value now may not be aligned with the future you. You can name at least 5 music stars who have been struggling with getting the public to accept their grown up image over the one that people first fell in love with when they were children and teens. Having a gifted team of branding professionals to work with you on this evolving journey can be very beneficial for you both professionally and personally. 
• A huge pet peeve on social media are creative "pests". No one wants to see their timeline filled with your promos and ads. You need to learn the art of "touch points" and realize the delicate dance that goes into attempting to build a working relationship using the Internet. There are ways to approach someone with your music or skill. Trust us, there is a huge difference between being persistent and being an annoying pest. The former can open doors of opportunity, while the latter can get you blocked and reported on social media.
• Your profile should tell your story and share your varied interests. It should show your interaction with others you follow, and with those who follow you. It should reflect your dreams and where you want to be. Consider this, when you make it to superstar status would you want the posts you made today revealed for the world to critique? If you believe that something you posted or retweeted could potentially cost you money or worse your future career, then think twice before sharing it on your social media profile.
• People who are interested in you or want to know "who's this person who hit me up on my social media page?" will go to your social media profiles and website (if you have one), and the last thing that you want them to see is an endless thread of "check out my new track/album" and "yo this one here is a banger", or "I've got hits, check me out". You have to time your targeted self-promotion and you have to learn the art of curating your message and how you want it delivered. There are several tactical ways to get people to come to you and see what you're offering. Thanks to Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and other sites, you can create professional ads and pay to have them distributed to your target audience. 

By making the time to professionally curate your social media presence you can increase your probability of "wow-ing" whomever visits your profiles after receiving one of your business cards or visiting your website.

We look forward to taking the next steps as we journey into Part 3 of this series. 

Foreman & Associates, LLC

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