How to Attend the South by Southwest Music Welcome Dinner

The South by Southwest music welcome dinner has long been considered one of the most essential networking events of the entire festival. Although there is a nominal fee associated with attending the event, the benefits can be staggering. It's not unusual to see music-industry professionals striking deals and creating handshake relationships here that evolve and bear fruit over the years to come.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

• Registration confirmation

Register for the Event

1. Get online and register for the South by Southwest music festival (see Resources below). In the middle of the registration process, you will be prompted about whether you want to attend the South by Southwest music welcome dinner.
2. Check the box that indicates your desire to attend. The fee, which varies year to year, should be listed alongside it. You may also be asked to supply credentials at a later date, as this event is for professionals only.
3. Complete checkout and confirm that you are slated to attend.

Come Prepared

4. Bring proof of registration to the dinner and be prepared to show an ID as well. South by Southwest organizers tend to be sticklers about who gains entrance to popular events such as these.
5. Dress the part and be sure you have current music-business knowledge at your fingertips if you want to impress industry heavyweights.
6. Carry any demos you might need with you. You never know when the opportunity might arise to share those iPod earbuds with a major tastemaker.

Tips & Warnings

• Networking is as much an art as a negotiation. If you are unaccustomed to close contact with major figures in the music industry, be sure to brush up on some basics before you attend!
• It's not inappropriate to come armed with demos and press materials, but beware of pushing contacts past their comfort zone. If you are being invited to contribute something, by all means grab the ring. But if you sense you have overstayed your welcome, it may be wise just to offer your card and get in touch later.
• Do your homework about who else is expected to attend. Insider knowledge and a firm grasp of each participant's taste can go a long way toward helping you forge meaningful connections.
• The music welcome dinner can be a bit of a gauntlet, so pace yourself and don't try to meet everyone in rapid-fire fashion.
• Beware of puffing up your credentials to make an impression. Such efforts are almost universally exposed in such a competitive business.