Tips from a member
How one member starts good conversations
Lots of members send messages and never hear back. We asked John Osinga, one of our most active members, how he does it. Here is his advice in his own words.
Never just "Hey." Mention one thing about their work, so they know you actually looked.
John Osinga
Verse-Chorus member, Canada
1
Do your homework first
I am far more selective than I used to be. I used to write to far too many people.
- Read their profile top to bottom and listen to their samples.
- Look them up on the web. If someone says they are a professional and you cannot find them anywhere online, that is a real tell.
- Check the claims they make. In the past I trusted too much that everyone was presenting themselves accurately.
- Look for a write-up where they took time to craft something good. The best work you will ever see from someone applying for a job is their resume, and a profile is the same.
- Check the W5: Who, What, Where, When, Why, and HOW. The more of these a profile answers, the more it tells me this person is the real deal.
- Look for a genre fit and a real reason you might work well together. Message the few that make sense, not everyone.
2
Keep your first message short
A few sentences is plenty.
- Mention one thing about their work: a song you listened to, or a line in their profile you liked. They will know you actually looked.
- Never just "Hey."
- Spell check it. If a message is careless, people assume the music or lyric writing is careless too.
- Look for the same in their reply. Did they take the time to read your profile?
3
What makes me reply
I answer people whose profile looks like they mean it.
- A complete profile: a photo, samples, a real bio, and genres that match what they actually do.
- A verified profile. The notice at the top of verified-only profiles helps here.
4
Give before you ask
People remember who was kind to their work.
- Comment on and encourage other writers' work. It often starts a conversation without you asking for anything.
5
Follow up once, then let it go
Silence is usually busy, not rude.
- If someone does not answer, follow up once with something new to say. Not "did you get my message."
- After that, let it go.
6
Reply when people write to you
Even a polite no is worth sending.
- It is good manners, and it builds the kind of site people want to stay on.
More ways to get noticed
Our member guide walks you through everything from your profile to a finished song.
Read the member guide