Songwriting is a gift to the world. It’s also a discipline that requires craft, graft, and more than a touch of pizzazz. All things that your business needs too. But that’s not all songwriting shares with your business.
The greatest songwriters to ever open their mouths, pick up a pen, grab a guitar, roll across a piano, or devour a synth, have all possessed unique and singular qualities that have helped drive their success and longevity. Qualities your business can learn from.
I could have picked 400, but below I’ve narrowed down 4 of the finest songwriters ever – and the unique lessons that they can share with your company.
Elliott Smith – Connectivity
Portland’s favourite son and the doyen of indie-folk, Elliott Smith began his career as a member of post-hardcore group, Heatmiser. However, it was as a uniquely intimate solo artist that he truly made his name.
Smith’s solo career began with the release of 1994s Roman Candle, with 1995s Elliott Smith, and 1997s Either/Or following. Later, an Oscar nomination for his Good Will Hunting soundtrack pushed him into the public sphere.
If the appearance of a Pacific Northwest indie-folker at the film world’s premier award ceremony was jarring, the connection he made with his audience was anything but. Smith’s words spoke to his fans on a personal level that has afforded him a cult following.
This personal connection is a lesson you can apply to your own business. How? Get to know your audience – what they think, feel, desire, and fear – then let them know that not only are you listening to them, you understand them.
Of course, this level of connectivity requires “requires patience, consistency, and focus.” It’s a painstaking process that you really need to commit to, but if you do then your business will have an audience you can really monetize – one that’s loyal, committed, and enduring – by upselling your goods to them.
Elliott Smith has been taken to heart by a legion of fans across the globe because he connected with them on a personal level. Apply this lesson to your business and your customers will take you to heart too.
Dolly Parton – Responsibility
The great Dolly Parton. She’s sold more than 100 million records worldwide, claimed nine Grammy Awards, and released one of the most covered songs of all time in the evergreen Jolene.
You know it, I know it, she’s a stone cold living legend.
Dolly’s also a great teacher, and not just through her fantastic songwriting. While there is much you can learn from her incredible music, the most important lesson your business can take from Dolly is her humanitarian work.
Her Dollywood Foundation provides free monthly books to children until the age of 5, as part of her Imagination Library, along with scholarships and awards. She also donated money to people who lost their homes in the 2016 Great Smoky Mountains wildfires. She’s not just a great songwriter, she’s a great person.
People today want more from their brands – and that means yours too. They want to know that you care about the issues that concern them and that you are giving back to society.
So from Dolly, your business learns that it doesn’t matter how brilliant your product is, what makes you great is how people perceive you. By showing you care for society, your customers will care for you.
John Lennon – Simplicity
In any given list of singular songwriting talents, there’s always a good chance that John Lennon sits at the top of it. He’s enduringly popular and I’ll bet that he makes your top five too. Let’s not forget, he is a Beatle.
Prior to pop taking control of the music market, classical musical prized complexity, density, technical mastery, and length. While none of these things are alien to Lennon, not one of them makes him the king of songwriters: simplicity is what won the game for him.
Simplicity is a valuable lesson that your business can take from Lennon:
- Be clear on your message – provide your customers with answers to their questions and make your business the solution.
- Make your website clear, responsive, and easy for your customers to use – and if you want my advice, choose a CMS that makes it simple for you to provide this. After all, your website is where your customers come to bring revenue to your business.
- Have a product whose style is unflashy – allow your customers to see clearly what it does and how it benefits them
Lennon lives on because he mastered the art of saying more in two minutes than his peers could in a career. Keep things simple and your business can achieve greater longevity than your rivals.
Madonna – Mobility
Before you rock back and jab your finger at your screen, yes, Madonna is a songwriter and an absolutely marvellous one to boot.
Madge may now be in the twilight of her career, and perhaps more notorious than she is famous, but she is still a writer whose peak is of rare standing and whose ability to shift with the times is near imperious.
What can your business learn from Madonna? Know what’s hot in society and technology, then be the star whose mastery burns brightest – move with and shape the times.
Pop’s chameleon began as a disco-dance-pop artist, before morphing into the synth-pop sound of the 80s, incorporating funk and gospel into her sound, reinventing herself as a techno-pop star, bringing in a country influence, taking note of the rise of the DJ, and adding trap to her repertoire.
Your business might not be able to shape the times in the same way that Madonna has. However, by keeping abreast of the developments in society and technology and applying them to your business, you can ensure your business remains relevant not just to your existing customers, but your next generation of shoppers.
Recommended reading: The Unofficial Top 20 Gaming Music Chart (infographic)
Your head may now be filled with the music of these towering songwriters, but clear some space. Because the lessons they can teach your business are equally important to you and by applying them to the way you operate, your business can be one of the true legends of its field.
Rodney Laws is an ecommerce expert with over a decade of experience in building online businesses. Check out his reviews on EcommercePlatforms.io and you’ll find practical tips that you can use to build the best online store for your business. Connect with him on Twitter @EcomPlatformsio
