Yesterday, I posted an interview I did with Anastasia Brown, a music supervisor for both major studio films and television.
At the end of the interview, during the last ten minutes or so, she gave her contact information and mentioned that she listens to music online, to find the perfect song for what she is doing.
Obviously, if you're looking to get your music used in film and television projects, contact information for a music supervisor like Anastasia is a good thing to have. But what's the best way to use it?
For a situation like this, your best bet is to refrain from skipping to the last ten minutes and check out the entire thing, where Anastasia talks about her work with Keith Urban, her husband (who also works in the music business), her time as a judge on Nashville Star, and her new book. This way you'll get a feel for who she is as a person, not just what the end result of her job could mean to you. Then you'll be able to approach her, hopefully with some "common ground."
Why? People like those who care about them as people and see them more than just a nameless, faceless "guard" who holds the key to the vault.
Continuing with Anastasia as an example, if you really want to make a connection with her, I suggest buying her book (Make Me a Star: Industry Insiders Tell How to Make the Cut, Make the Deal, and Make It in Music
) and finding some a "pivot point" that you'll be able to leverage for instant rapport. Something like buying a book (in this example) is what I refer to as "reciprocity" and it's one of the most successful ways to sell anything, including yourself.
So what is reciprocity? Wikipedia says, "In social psychology, reciprocity refers to responding to a positive action with another positive action, and responding to a negative action with another negative one. Positive reciprocal actions differ from altruistic actions as those only follow from other positive actions and they differ from social gift giving in that those are not actions taken with the hope or expectation of future positive responses."
But let me give you a definition that might be a little easier for you to understand...
Anastasia wants to sell her book. You buy her book, which is something nice you've done for her. Because of this nice act, she'll be more likely to do something nice for you, such as listen to your music or use it in one of her film/TV projects.
This is a very simplistic view with a basic example, but you get the idea. And obviously, you've got to have good music. You can't polish a turd and she can't put total crap in a major studio film, right? But doing something nice for somebody, without asking for something in return, is something that works wonders when building a connection and will give you an advantage when it comes to getting the help you need.
Of course, reciprocity works both ways. If you approach somebody with a "gimme gimme" attitude, like you just want something and aren't willing to give anything in return, it's likely you won't get far.
Sounds obvious, right? Yet the "gimme gimme" attitude is exactly how most musicians approach things.
If you don't give anything, don't expect anybody to give you anything.
And your music isn't enough, by the way. This isn't about your music.
A music supervisor doesn't care about your music, regardless of how well the song is written or how great the recording is. The only thing that matters is music supervision is finding something which adds to the scene-- music or not.
So stop talking about yourself, your music, and how great you and your music are. This isn't about you or your music. If you want to build a connection with a music supervisor, your need to help her find the something which adds to the scene. So find out what is needed for the scene and provide it.
That may mean that you refrain from pitching your "perfect song." And if you can't come up with something that is a perfect match on your own, it may mean referring somebody else, somebody who has the perfect song, to the opportunity. You'll miss the instant payoff, but be better off in the long run.
Think about it... When somebody is looking out for you and your best interest, aren't you more likely to trust them in the future?
That's how you build relationships.
For more on reciprocity, and specific examples of how you can use it to get your music in the hands of radio programmers, record label executives, and others in the music business, you'll want to be on my free teleconference next week. Lines to call in on are limited, so if you want to talk to me personally, you'll need to register early.
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