Side Door Is The New Front Door

Have you heard of a side door? I posted about it earlier this week but in case you missed it, the concept of a side door is getting inside the arena but doing it in a way that isn't through the front door like everyone else. Specifically what I mean is getting into the music industry or making moves in the music industry thanks to a skill or connection you have.

So that leads me to ask the question, do you have a side door skill? Can you offer something of value to help you progress in the music space? Some examples include:

• Graphic design - designing flyers for shows or festivals, art for albums or music releases, websites for artists or labels

• Audio engineer - offering mixing and mastering services for artists, labels, festivals that record sets, etc

• Photographer or Videographer - Getting on stage to shoot shows, festivals, or for acts needing footage

• Media outlet - covering shows, festivals, interviewing artists, writing about new music

• Bartending - working at shows, festivals, and other events in music

• Marketing & Advertising - can you run campaigns for people or entities that need to expose themselves to the right target audience?

• Volunteering - festivals, events, and other music related activities often need volunteers. If you offer your time, you can get amazing access to these events and you can even meet the people behind them. I've seen this work flawlessly for DJs who volunteered at festivals and later got booked to play them

Whether or not you have a skill that can lead you to make further connections with people in the music industry, the concept of a side door and a side door skill is something to be aware of. If you're having trouble making progress in your music career or struggling to make inroads with the right people, think about what you can offer to make yourself more valuable.

And if you don't have something you can offer today, learn something new that you can add to your tool belt. You got this!