READ THIS IF YOU’RE SCARED OF NETWORKING

Feb 27th

Podcast events season is almost here, starting with the International Women’s Podcast Festival in Partnership with Spotify on March 5 at the Coin Street Conference Centre in London, which means it’s time to think about networking again. Whether you’re a producer navigating an opaque job market, an indie creator looking to grow, or somewhere in between, opportunities come through people, and putting yourself out there is scary! That’s where I come in.

When I first moved to London, I knew no one in audio. That baptism by fire taught me a lot, and every gig I’ve had since has come through people I know. So I’m sharing what I learned to demystify networking, take the fear out of it, and show you it’s not something to dread (and might even be enjoyable!)

NETWORKING IS A PICK AND MIX PROCESS

Networking is not one-size-fits-all. It doesn’t have to mean pitching your podcast to a big industry name at a stiff, serious event. You don’t have to be everywhere and talk to everyone. The only real task is figuring out what works for you.

KNOW YOUR AIMS

Direction beats endurance. Networking for the sake of it isn’t useless, but the clearer your goal, the less energy you spend and the more you get back.

Are you looking for peers, collaborators, a job in a specific field, visibility for a project, an audience, or simply industry context? Your answer determines who it’s useful to talk to, and what you actually want from those conversations.

KNOW YOUR STRENGTHS… AND YOUR LIMITS

The best strategy is comfort. The goal is to feel as at-ease as possible. If crowds and long lineups drain you, forcing yourself through huge conferences won’t help. If you shine one-on-one, skip some panels and prioritise chats during breaks. If cold approaches stress you out, book meetings in advance. Design the experience around how you work.

THINK WIDER

Networking isn’t confined to a festival pass. It happens before, after, and outside events. Scan lineups for people you’d like to meet. Suggest a coffee, engage with someone’s work, hop on an intro call. Go to non-podcasting events where people might be interested in your subject or your skills, especially where podcasts aren’t already top of mind.

And remember: this is about connections, not collecting contacts. That means follow-up, maintenance. Sometimes it’s as lazy as supporting the work of people you already know online, from the comfort of your bed.

THE HEART OF IT IS FINDING COMMUNITY

The less you treat networking as selling yourself and the more you see it as finding people you genuinely match with, the easier and more fun it becomes. That might be people who share your interests, your ethics, or simply enjoy your company. Small interactions matter more than you think, so don’t stress about not having “done enough” or impressed the right people when you get home.

You’ll attract better, more aligned opportunities by being clear about who you are and what you want to do more of. I cannot stress this enough: be vocal about that last part.

The good news is, this is podcasting. We’re generally people who like people, stories, and nerdy conversations about niche topics. Events like IWPF are especially great if you’re not into dressing up to sell yourself to industry sharks, they bring creators and professionals together around conversations about growing the medium at a creator level, focusing on supporting the people in it rather than big corporations.

And if you don’t know where to start, come find me! I’ll be at IWPF on March 5.

Get more advice on navigating the audio industry on Eloïse’s Substack.