If this is your first time at Mundial Montreal, you may have some questions. How should I prepare? What should I do once I’m there?
Mundial Montreal is an industry event that prioritizes building personal relationships. It requires preparation, a multi-year approach, and an investment. Below is an overview of some tips and ideas to help you get the most out of your participation.
KEY POINTS
- Determine specific goals
- Prepare for a long week of constant networking
- Make sure your follow-ups are just as thorough as your preparation
↦ Set your goals ↦ Prepare your schedule ↦ Identify people you want to meet We also recommend having a document, a spreadsheet or otherwise, that you will use to keep track of contacts. It will also be very useful post-event when you will want to follow up with all the people you met. ↦ Pack warm clothes, comfortable shoes and extra business cards.
↦ Take advantage of the unique structure of Mundial All of our showcases take place in well-known venues, not too far from the main hotel, located at the corner of Sherbrooke and St Laurent. ↦ Attend all the events ↦ Go to the Mentor Café ↦ If you are shy or nervous, remember that everyone is here to work together Don’t take our word for it, here’s what some other first time delegates have said: “The friendly, hands-on approach to welcoming delegates made it such a comfortable experience for a first-timer. The conference was easy to navigate and networking came with ease, yielding many new relationships and career opportunities.” “Over the course of the other Mundial events I found myself socializing with many of the people I had met during the schmooze, and being able to do so in a way where I didn’t have to supplicate them with an elevator pitch. With that out of the way, it created room for more genuine human interaction. Generally, Mundial is very successful in creating opportunities for closer interaction between artists and presenters. The showcase structure, dinners and speed schmooze are the three pillars of this success. There is a far greater sense of connection with the people around you at this conference than I have experienced at other conferences.”
↦ Share a personal fact about you that has nothing to do with music or work. ↦ Don’t pitch and sell in an aggressive way ↦ Drink plenty of water ↦ Wear comfortable shoes ↦ Ask questions And last but not least: ↦ Have fun!
↦ Complete the survey ↦ Follow Up ↦ Modulate your expectations Go to other industry events! There are a myriad of them (although none as personal as Mundial) that you will be able to build on the conversations you start at Mundial. It often takes a few go-arounds before you start to get consistent results. FINAL THOUGHTS Have fun! Dance at the shows!
BEFORE THE EVENT
Ask yourself “Why am I attending this event?” and set specific goals like “I hope to find an agent” or “I hope to book at least 5 summer festival gigs in BC”.
Even though Mundial Montreal makes it really easy see everything as none of our showcases are competing, we encourage you to review the schedule beforehand. Informing yourself about the content will help you prioritize the way you spend your time.
The list of attending delegates will be available on our website and we will be updating it continually. Each delegate will have a profile with their photo, a short bio and a link to their company’s website. Get to know their roster or their event and see how you might be able to work together. Your week will be very packed and there will be a lot of interesting people to meet so having a game plan is essential to achieving strong results.
DURING THE EVENT
There is no market area with booths, instead, we prefer to keep our delegates busy with targeted and curated activities. You will have plenty of opportunities to talk to people as you walk between locations, in between activities, and of course at the dinners and during the legendary speed schmoozing. Some of your best connections will come from having lunch, or simply walking for 10 minutes to a venue.
We have seen that the delegates (especially new ones) who participate to the maximum come away with the most results. This is a fundamental way to get the most out of the experience: put in the most time. You will make stronger connections with people if they remember your face! Also, some of the best networking you will do is going to be in the gaps between activities.
This is an activity we have designed specifically for you! On the first day of the event (in the afternoon!), you have the chance to sit down at a table with highly experienced industry pro’s (manager, agent, publicist, label, self-managing artist, etc) with a couple of your peers, and pick their brain. You are given 45 minutes to sit and talk. Not only is this very useful for professional development, but it is also helpful in understanding how to best communicate throughout the week.
All of this community is here in order to grow their business. All the delegates are specifically here to meet people and talk. They will be receptive to you as we have a very open and welcoming community. It’s alright to be nervous, just remember that you believe in what you do.
– Jen McKerral, Deadpan Music Management
– Eric Stein, Beyond the Pale
Tips
It will help you remember people.
It will help people to remember you.
You have 4 days to meet people, and these relationships will last a long time.This is not a competition: it is a community. Cooperation is a major strength of our community. If you are really aggressive and pushy, people will be less likely to want to work with you. We know this from experience and delegate feedback.
Coffee does not count as water!
Days are long and you will spend a lot of time standing.
Don’t be shy to ask question to the staff, volunteers, and other delegates. They are there to help you.
AFTER THE EVENT
Answering our questions with detailed and honest answers is the best way you can thank us. Informing us of your results and giving us feedback is how we can continue to receive funds and keep improving the programming of our event.
This is by far the most important thing you can do. Send a message to all the contacts you made within a week of the event while it’s still fresh in your mind (and theirs). Be brief and relevant.
Sometimes, we have delegates who do not get any strong results (mainly gigs/team) This is a long game! You might have just met a bunch of new people, and they might not have space this year. That is fine. Most of the experienced delegates we have worked with plan about 3 years in advance. Think long term and you will start to gain results from your conversations.
Do not hesitate to ask questions, we are happy to be here and want you to get the most out of your time in Montreal.
