We are the media: Amanda Palmer and the future of your business

UPDATE - May 29, 2012. This afternoon, Amanda's Kickstarter crossed the $1 million threshold, the first music project on Kickstarter to do so.

I met up with her just a few hours later and posted this Amanda Palmer freaks out to celebrate hitting $1 million on Kickstarter.

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On April 6, 2010 after a two year fight Amanda Palmer finally freed herself from her record deal with Roadrunner Records. For the seven years prior to her label divorce, anything she had written and recorded (either solo or with her band, The Dresden Dolls) has technically been owned and under the ultimate control of the label.

Amanda knew she could do better on her own

So after much planning, Amanda chose a 30-day Kickstarter to fund her new album: amanda palmer & the grand theft orchestra.

As I write this, within two days, more than 6,000 people have backed the project with an incredible $350,000. And there are 29 days to go. (Each time I refresh Amanda’s Kickstarter page, the total grows.)

One fan at a time

Amanda connects with her fans every day and has built a tremendous fan base. She's very active on social networks - 550,000+ Twitter followers at @AmandaPalmer for example. Her site is a great example of a content rich resource for fans and her blog is always a great read (often with hundreds of comments on a post).

Regular readers of this blog may recall that I’ve written about her before in these posts: How Amanda Palmer made $11,000 on Twitter in two hours (which contains my wide ranging video interview with Amanda) and Amanda Palmer divorces her record label.

Crowdsourcing a new record and a new band

Rather than going the traditional route and having a label fund her new record, Amanda is going directly to her fans via Kickstarter.

Amanda writes: "since i'm now without a giant label to front the gazillions of dollars that it always takes to manufacture and promote a record this big, i'm coming to you to gather funds so that i have the capital to put it out with a huge fucking bang. i think kickstarter and other crowdfunding platforms like this are the BEST way to put out music right now - no label, no rules, no fuss, no muss. just us, the music, and the art. i'm also making sure EVERY PRODUCT sold through this kickstarter is unique to this campaign, to reward all of you who KNEW ME WHEN and were willing to support me from Day One."

There are packages starting at just $1 (a digital download of the album) to $10,000 (dinner with Amanda plus all sorts of extras). I dig the $5,000 level, which includes Amanda coming to your house for a party. The package I chose was a pledge of $300 and includes tickets to a VIP party and intimate show with Amanda and the band in Boston (there are similar options in other cities).

We are the media: Amanda Palmer and the future of music

In just a few days, Amanda has raised more money via her fans than she would have gotten from her label for producing her album. And she retains complete control. Who knows how much she might end up with at the end of the month?

To succeed at this technique, a musician has got to build a fan base one person at a time. Social media is a great way to connect before and after the live gig, but the personal connection is essential.

"Being a touring musician means meeting fans," Amanda told me. "I go out and meet fans after every gig. It's important to make contact in real life and not just online in social media like Twitter. If you don't meet fans in real life too, then you're a fraud. If you're not comfortable getting into the sweat with them and talking with people at shows, then how can you do it successfully online? I love connecting with fans. Speaking to people at the merchandise table after the show is great. I can stay there forever."

The future of your business

If you read this blog, you know that I am a huge live music fan. I see parallels to all kinds of businesses – including yours.

While your work may be completely different from that of a rock star, Amanda has something to teach you.

Your product comes first and must be created with passion. You’ve got to engage with your customers on a human level. Social networking can help you build your fan base. And if you do these things well, you can build a great company and a fantastic career.

Comments

[Myles Bristowe]

Inspiring story and terrific advice for becoming a rock star. Although, I'm not sure I agree with Amanda that a musician is a "fraud" if they don't meet fans in real life. My wife is a recording artist, her fans love her work, she loves what she does, and seldom performs in front of a live audience. Just saying...

[David Meerman Scott]

I hear you Myles. There is more than one path to success and many more musical genres than indie rock.

[Scott Salwolke]

Amanda certainly knows how to put social media to use. Between this and the stories you related about her in your book, The New Rules of Marketing & PR, there is a lot that can be learned from her not just for musicians, but probably artists as well. And I'm sure she's generated quite a few fans because of your stories. I know I now enjoy her music because of them.

[David Meerman Scott]

Thanks Scott. Yes, it is interesting how one becomes interested in music. I too became an Amanda fan because I first became fascinated with her marketing techniques.

[Keith Jennings]

I saw Seth's recent post on The Domino Project blog about Amanda and I immediately thought, "David's been on this story since 2009!"

Like you, I like looking at others outside my "world" as models to emulate. Amanda certainly goes to the edge of one pole: to engage, to be present, to touch. And La Roux's Elly Jackson goes to the other pole: stay mysterious, stay untouchable.

Both can work, as long as it's tied to a sound strategy. And as long as it's true to the artist's values and persona.

But I would say, when in doubt, opt toward being engaging and accessible. Especially for businesses.

What do you think, David?

[David Meerman Scott]

Keith! Thanks for stopping by. I thought of you yesterday because I keynoted the Healthcare Marketing Strategies conference in Orlando. I told the story of how you had a stock photo on the homepage and how it was swapped out in a half hour after I did my riff on stock photos.

I do agree that engagement, in any business, should be the default. I know that many artists do not engage live (such as Myles wife in above comment) and many companies (Apple comes to mind) do not engage online. But I do think engagement is essential. Interesting that although Apple is not active online, anyone can walk into a story and chat with a "genius" which is cool and certainly a form of engagement.

Thanks, David

[Toddschnick]

i couldn't name one song of hers. but the story is worthwhile enough. thus, i am a fan. the power of media indeed...

[Raúl Colón]

That $300 package sounds interesting. I hope you enjoy. I had heard about Amanda Palmer a few weeks ago.

Great story I can see similarities with other people who have doubts on how building a community online can support you long term.

[Pam McNamara]

Re: Healthcare Marketing Strategies conference in Orlando -- will they follow your content strategy direction and post your address online for those of us unable to attend?

[Keith at KendallPress]

David, your words are singing in my ears right now. "Your product comes first and must be created with passion. You’ve got to engage with your customers on a human level."

And you are so right about learning from Amanda. I first heard of her from my son who told me - "dad, you're in trouble" - you're the speaker following Amanda Palmer at the #140 conference.

Jeff Pulver invited me because he was curious about why I wanted to speak and how a print shop guy could invoke Marshall Mcluhan and Sesame street in the same breath while talking about real time engagement.
This was in 2010; I was newly armed with your "new rules" and suddenly I had a problem.

The conclusion of my presentation can be seen here with Amanda Palmer and Jeff Pulver, my new found friends, helping me out.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bw32mWcTzOg

I have been on her distribution list ever since. I learned from her then and I continue today to learn from her as I cheer her on. She is a musician, business person, entrepreneur, innovator. The embodiment of real time in everything she touches and creates, she leads with unending passion. All the ingredients you mentioned!
So, yes, we are all the media - just waiting to be engaged.

[David Meerman Scott]

Pam - it was not captured on video I'm afraid. But here is a link to a recent keynote at NAMM where I talked about the same ideas but in this case for the music business
http://vimeo.com/36957218

Keith at Kendall - Wow, very cool that you connected with Amanda in that way!