Reach out to others in your industry without feeling awkward or out of place by following these networking tips for singing teachers.

Talent, knowledge, passion and creativity – these are all essential ingredients for a successful career as a singing teacher.

But you need something else in the mix too: a network.

Having a group of people who can inspire and support you professionally is critical.

Marketing guru Porter Gale goes as far as to say, “your network is your net worth”.

She believes networking is a concept much broader than rubbing shoulders with people who can give you a leg up.

Porter thinks we should view it as something more reciprocal. Or in her words: “collaboration, cocreation, partnerships, and long-term values-based relationships”. 

Networking tips for singing teachers

With that in mind, BAST Training asked producer, vocal coach and vocalist Amos Evans for his take on networking.

Amos is based in Nashville, but previously lived in Washington DC, where he’d worked in music and business management.

As Amos explains on the Singing Teachers Talk podcast, his business management experience came in handy when establishing himself in the ‘Music City’.

So how did Amos go about building connections in Nashville?

Building a network in Nashville

“Coming here, I did lots of networking with artists and producers,” Amos says.

“I basically reached out to any and every one who had similar directions to me. I knew I wanted to do a lot of vocal work, work in the studio, and help write songs.”

Amos says that when building relationships, he found it helpful to think of himself as a company or an organisation.

“From there, I figured out what sort of team I needed,” he says.

“The advice I would give to anyone in any phase [of running a business], but especially if you’re moving, is to think about the team you need.

“Think about the mentors and colleagues you need and the advice you need. Surround yourself with those people and you’ll get to where you need to go.”

Utilising social media

Social media can be an invaluable tool when you’re trying to get your name out there.

“I put videos on social media all the time,” Amos says. “I’ll sing, play and post things about what I’m doing with different artists.

“Part of what I’ve learned is that social media is a two-way street. I connected with those artists who commented on my posts and started DMing them, genuinely appreciating what they do.”

Over time, Amos connected in real life with many of the artists he had met online.

“When I came to Nashville, I would see them either randomly, or I would check out events that they were at. Then I would have the opportunity to turn that into a real relationship.

“That just kept snowballing. They let you know about other dope people who let you know about other people – and then you have this whole network of people that you can trust.”

Learn more

Listen to the full podcast interview with Amos to learn:

• What it’s like living and working in Nashville.
  
  
• The most challenging aspects of singing and teaching gospel.

Build your own network

Thanks to technology, you don’t have to limit your networking to people living in your area.

Join BAST Training’s membership and start expanding your network today. You’ll get to hang out with other like-minded singing teachers and ask for advice when you need it.

Take a closer look at the benefits of BAST Membership here.

Main image: Canva.