Great Copywriting In Action: Creative Artist Amanda Palmer
Image source: TED Amanda Palmer is an artist that knows how to make a splash and uses great forms of copywriting. From her stint with the Dresden Dolls to her recent TED Talk, Amanda Palmer has made connections with many people and regularly encourages her fans, even those who might not like her music. Even when she is at her most controversial, she is still making an impact in various areas. In fact, her type of copywriting is really what helps keep her afloat if the controversies get a little out of hand, and she is able to calm the waves by writing a simple blog or simply by connecting with her fans. Let’s take a quick look at how Amanda Palmer does copywriting. The Dresden Dolls To Her Solo Career Many people know of Amanda Palmer from her time with the band The Dresden Dolls. This band was part of an underground music movement many refer to as “dark cabaret” and Amanda Palmer made sure people knew the style of the band was a Brechtian Punk Cabaret style. She created this term because of how worried she was that the media would call the band “gothic.” She keeps the cabaret style as a solo artist and performs in many similar outfits to her Dresden Doll days. She keeps true to herself and the brand she is setting forward with her dark cabaret style. (Though she might shudder at being considered a brand.) Amanda Palmer always makes sure people understand what she is doing or what she believes, which is great for many copywriters. While you may not want to get as personal as Amanda, you should always make sure your audiences know what you are up to. If you are doing something like The Dresden Dolls, you want to make sure people understand what the band is, instead of having them assume. This could change the course of your business or band. Take a stand like Amanda Palmer by making sure people understand your company, goals, and just what exactly you are writing about in your content. This can also help clients choose your business over your competitors. TED Talk Most recently, Amanda Palmer has been famous and talked about for her TED Talk in which she discusses The Art of Asking. It is an enlightening talk and something many people connected with. She gives information about her first days as a performer and that she started as a living statue, making money to pay her bills. She starts talking about much the simplest gestures meant to people on the street and how much she believes that simply giving something like a flower to a stranger could make a huge impact. This is a great example of stepping outside of the norm and giving people something useful to work with. Palmer is known for her antics both online and offline, so when she made this TED Talk, she really caused a splash. People from all different musical tastes listened, agreed and shared. When doing copywriting, you should consider doing something a little out of the norm for your company. What Amanda Palmer did by giving her TED Talk was connect with people who enjoy Beyoncé, Green Day, She & Him, and different music styles. Many of these people might never have listened to her music, but that talk really did impact them. She also illustrated the power of storytelling by giving people background information about herself and how it impacts who she is now. Interacting With Her Fans Frequently: Key to Copywriting Another way that Amanda Palmer can influence your copywriting is how she interacts with her fans on social media. She holds regular conversations about various topics from help with her upcoming book to whether or not women should wear makeup. Whatever the topic, she will talk and respond to fans, retweet them, or address other issues that they may bring up. If a particular tweet stands out to her, she will respond and retweet to get her other fans to talk to each other. She always promotes engagement, discussion, and regularly tries to instill hope for those who follow her. This is a great example of how you should interact with your client base. Again, maybe not as personal as Amanda’s responses, but by simply responding on social media, you are setting up a relationship with your clients. This is a great part of copywriting that many are still glancing over. Interaction on social media is important to maintaining a client base and bringing in new leads. If you have a difficult time coming up with ways to interact with your clients on social media, Social Media Examiner gives 7 great ways to improve how you interact on social media. In Closing Take a few lessons from Amanda Palmer and start creating a great copywriting campaign that involves stepping out of the box and client interaction. Apply some of what she does to your plans and goals and see how well it benefits you and your company!