Stop Asking For Work (A Mix Engineer's Guide to Actually Getting It)

"Hey, just checking if you need any mixing help!"

How many times have you sent that message? And how many times has it actually led to work?

Here's the thing about growing your mix business - you're probably focused on the wrong problem. Most engineers think they need to get better at asking for work, when really, they need to get better at two distinct skills: getting meetings and getting sales.

The Meeting Game Is Simple (You're Overthinking It)

Getting a meeting is straightforward. You need three things:

1. Location Strategy: Always go to them. Seriously. Whether it's:

   "Would it be easier if I came to your studio?"

   "There's a great coffee shop near you - would that work better?"

   "I'm happy to meet wherever is most convenient for you."

2. Time Management: Keep it flexible with options:

   "I have availability Tuesday afternoon or Thursday morning - which works better?"

   "Would you prefer morning or afternoon?"

   The secret? Keep 25% of your calendar open for meetings, knowing you'll only fill about 40% of those slots.

3. Clear Structure: Keep it light but focused:

   "I'd love to hear about your current projects and share what I've been working on."

   "Could we spend 30 minutes discussing your upcoming releases?"

But here's where most engineers go wrong - they treat the meeting like a sales pitch.

The Real Game: Becoming a Professional Researcher

Want to know the real secret to getting mix work? Stop trying to get mix work. Instead, become insanely curious about the people you're meeting. Your questions should change based on who you're talking to:

For Artists:

"What artists inspire your sound right now?"

"Where do you want to take your music next?"

"What's been frustrating about working with mix engineers in the past?"

"How do you prefer to give mix feedback?"

For Producers:

"What's your vision for the production?"

"How do you like to handle stem organization?"

"What mix engineers have you enjoyed working with and why?"

"What are your biggest pain points when sending projects to mix?"

For A&R/Label People:

"What's the next big milestone for your roster?"

"How do you prefer to handle the approval process?"

"What's your typical timeline from tracking to release?"

"How do you measure success for a release?"

The Art of Natural Demonstration

Most mix engineers get stuck thinking they need massive credits to demonstrate expertise. But there are many ways to demonstrate value naturally in conversation:

1. Industry Connections:

   • Label affiliations: Mention work you've done with specific labels naturally in conversation

   • Nominations and awards: Weave these in through relevant stories ("When I was at the Grammys...")

   • Artist names: Reference specific projects when relevant to the conversation

   • Trusted network: Show who you know through organic storytelling

2. Professional Development: Work your growth journey into conversation naturally: "I worked with a coach last year to improve my business. We completely refined my process end-to-end, from the moment I get a project through delivery. It's actually been really fun building efficient systems."

3. Process & Organization: Don't just talk about plugins - show your commitment to excellence through your approach to the work itself. Talk about your systems for tracking everything from Atmos to stereo mixes, your revision process, your quality control steps.

4. Reliability: Show you can deliver outcomes within timelines through how you communicate and manage the conversation itself. Demonstrate your ability to handle multiple stakeholders, get clear feedback, and maintain consistent communication.

5. Personality Fit: Let them experience firsthand how easy you are to communicate with. Show you can connect with artists through how you discuss art and creative vision.

Remember: This isn't about manufacturing a perfect pitch - it's about naturally weaving evidence of your capabilities into genuine conversation. For example, instead of listing an achievement, tell a story about being at an event with someone they know, which shows both your connections and experience. Your online presence should tell this same story consistently.

The Hidden Sales Formula

Here's what actually gets you work:

Building Relationships + Demonstrating Capability + Actual Need = Potential Work

All three elements need to be present. You might have a great relationship and proven skills, but if they don't have work right now, no sale will happen. They might have work, but without a relationship or demonstrated capability, you're unlikely to get it.

The Communication Balance

Finding the right balance is crucial:

1. Initial Meeting:

   • 70% listening

   • 20% asking strategic questions

   • 10% sharing relevant expertise

2. Follow-up:

   • Reference specific points from your conversation

   • Share relevant resources or insights

   • Keep communications brief but valuable

3. Ongoing Relationship:

   • Regular but non-intrusive check-ins

   • Share industry insights that matter to them

   • Celebrate their wins

The Bottom Line

Stop asking for work. Start getting genuinely curious about people. Focus on:

1. Making meetings easy to get (location, time, structure)

2. Becoming an excellent researcher of people's needs

3. Demonstrating value through natural conversation

4. Building authentic relationships before expecting work

Remember: You can't persuade someone to hire you with a great pitch about yourself. But you can make them want to hire you by showing genuine interest in them.

The work will follow.