Are you a business student with interests in music festivals? Are you building a brand you think would do well in the market of music festival goers? Do you need help with how to network at these music festivals to find a career that suits your interests for you after college? Well, sitting in the concert crowd, sunburning the day away will do nothing for you, your network, or your brand. Meeting a ton of strangers is a very scary concept for some. Especially when you are trying to bother a potential client that is just trying to enjoy themselves. The term no pain no gain might be popular in sports. However, in the business world, this phrase still applies So, what really is networking? Networking in my eyes is essentially platonically flirting to gain business ventures and connections. However, networking is also described as “Career-related networking represents proactive attempts by individuals to develop and maintain personal and professional relationships with others, for the purpose of mutual benefit in their work or career” (Jacobs , Sofie, et al.). In a sense, the more connections one gains, the more opportunities that individual will obtain.  It all seems like a setup or unnatural. However, if you do not get your foot out of the door, your brand will not either. Forced conversations are never fun, especially when you are at a music festival. When people hear that you are going to a four-day back-to-back concert, they do not imagine you networking, but we must be savvy to stay on top of all opportunities. Rejection will happen and so will being ignored. Not getting immediate results happens to strengthen your priorities and eventually helps you fall in line with what is meant for you. Jumping into a music festival with millions of connections around and not knowing where to start can be overwhelming. So, I made it easy by attaching a guide with ideas to ease networking at the music festival. 1. Know what your intentions are To get the connections, you want, you must have a few things in mind. First, know what outcome you want from the conversation. Are you looking for an internship or want someone to sponsor your company? You need to know your intentions to get your outcome you desire. This way, you can gear the conversation with a potential connection towards getting that internship or sponsorship. If you are looking for an internship, be specific about your wants and needs. If you want to go into music festival marketing, introducing yourself to brand reps at tents and telling them your needs for employment is vital. This will not only give a face to your name but gives you a chance in coming back the following festival next year to work for that company. If you want someone to sponsor your brand, there are endless opportunities. Freshen up on the top 6 ways to brand yourself at a music festival to succeed at getting your company out in the world of music festival goers. Knowing your intention of networking at a festival will allow you to create a mental outline of who you need to meet, conversations you can have, and the information that comes out of this conversation. 2. Have your LinkedIn updated When you are on the go, you will never know who you will run into. More importantly, you never know when you will meet a future employer or potential client. Having your LinkedIn constantly updated ensures you have an accurate, resume like content for people to reference. When you happen to be conversing with a potential boss or client, also known as networking, and the conversation leads to you needing to show credentials, LinkedIn in the perfect way to connect. It would be inappropriate, or informal, to ask a potential employer for their personal number. LinkedIn is a personal way to stay connected and even thank a connection for taking time to converse with you. The more you reach out, a possible client or employer will recognize your name. They can even bring your name up to the table if there is a business opportunity. 3. Prepare Your Elevator Pitch Networking does not just happen magically. If your goal is to express yourself to get a job within music festival marketing, you need to come up with a fifteen second go-to analog for yourself. Princeton’s Center for Career Development covered all the bases for having and conducting your perfect elevator pitch. For example, a perfect elevator pitch gives your worthiest credentials that is also short and to the point. Within this elevator pitch, you are going to want to differ yourself from other people so, “to introduce yourself, you need to know yourself and be able to talk about yourself” (“What is an Elevator Pitch and Why Do I Need One?). Saying your elevator pitch to everyone you meet during a music festival will not only get your name out there, but hopefully connect you towards the future job you desire. Since you are interested in branding and marketing in the music festival world, what better atmosphere is there to network at besides a music festival? Take advantage with every introduction you make that four-day weekend. You will never know when you are introducing yourself to a vendor, future investor, or even your very next client. 4. Follow Up Within a Week Did you establish great connections at a music festival? Did you find potential employers or new colleagues that you bonded with? Well, if you answered yes, then you must follow up with your connections. Just because you met someone does not always mean that they will remember you nor call you first. When a business connection is established, it is your responsibility to keep up with it to get into the music festival side of marketing. Following up with a connection ensures that they will remember you. When you go to apply for a job a connection had told you about, your name is going to stick out. Also, it never hurts to display your communicative skills with a potential employer/client early on. Even with a killer resume, amazing grades, and perfect attendance, you are not guaranteed your dream job. Networking is a crucial practice to attain your dreams of being involved with working in the music festival business. Although it might seem terrifying to put yourself on the line, the results are so much more rewarding than with what could go wrong. Be a proactive future music businessperson you are and do not forget to connect with millions at the next music festival you go are attending. Go make a LinkedIn, update your resume, and network away! References: Jacobs, Sofie, et al. “‘Knowing Me, Knowing You’ the Importance of Networking for Freelancers’ Careers: Examining the Mediating Role of Need for Relatedness Fulfillment and Employability-Enhancing Competencies.” Frontiers in Psychology, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 12 Sept. 2019, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6751263/. “What Is an Elevator Pitch and Why Do I Need One?” Center for Career Development, Princeton University, https://careerdevelopment.princeton.edu/sites/g/files/toruqf1041/files/media/elevator_pitch.pdf.