Amanda Lien
Copywriter / Content Strategist / B2B, DTC Brand Content Champion
Norfolk, VA
Q What do you do?
“I craft compelling copy for B2B and DTC brands + small businesses, and I also write creative, converting social media and thought leadership content for their founders and executives.”
Q What steps did you take to get to where you are now?
From childhood, I knew I wanted to be a storyteller – I wanted to be the person who knew things and saw things and wrote about them with gripping language that kept people rooted to their seats until the final period. This passion led me to earn my BA in Journalism from Philadelphia, PA’s Temple University – and, later, my MFA in Creative Writing from San Jose, CA’s National University.
After getting my start in journalism, I realized two things: journalism alone wasn’t enough to pay the bills, and all the skills that made me a great reporter – tenacity, nosiness, the ability to distill data and statistics into interesting stories – made me an excellent B2B copywriter. And thus, my side hustle-turned-business was born!
Today, I partner with B2B and DTC brands, start-ups and their founders, and small business owners to write ALL the things: case studies for social proof of impact, social media copy, web and landing page content, thought leadership articles and blog posts, video scripts, print collateral – the list goes on. I’ve also been honored with the responsibility of building brand voices, tones, and strategies from the ground up, melding my content strategy skills with my substantial experience crafting killer content.
Q How do you stand out in your field?
I’m the Swiss Army knife of content writing; while my core audience is people in the B2B and DTC space, plenty of my clients came to me from outside those arenas – and I’ve been able to support them just as seamlessly as I have my clients within my core niche. I credit my mad research skills (hello, journalism!) and my super-versatile storytelling style.
Q What are you working on right now?
I support B2B and DTC clients in the ecommerce, retail, SaaS and healthcare space by writing data-driven case studies and white papers, LinkedIn content, and email copy (for both the brand and their founders’ thought leadership content). I’m also working with small business owners and startups to craft sustainable content strategies and roadmaps that are attainable, thought-provoking and difference-making.
Q What’s your style?
I blend direct language with a fuss-free, approachable tone of voice. My clients are knowledgeable experts in their industry, and their brand voices – and their own too! – should reflect that. I’m a former journalist, so being able to take complex topics and drill down into their heart while still retaining an accessible tone of voice is second nature to me. I feature several of the many projects that represent this on my portfolio; I want folks to know what they're getting into when they book a call with me!
Q Out of all your slashies, which one do you wish you could do more often?
I’m always hungry for content strategy opportunities; I love digging into a client’s vision for the future of their content (+ content team!) and enjoy underscoring the value of content to marketing, data, design, operations and more – it’s not just an afterthought these days!
Q What is frustrating you right now?
Battling the beast that is Google Analytics 4. Google, I adore you, but Universal Analytics is forever where my heart lies.
Q If you could hire someone for $20/hour, what would you have them do to make your day easier?
Accounting! I’m super savvy with my money, but sending invoices, putting together reports and dealing with quarterly taxes is like a full-time job…which is why accountants exist…
Q What do you wish you could have told yourself, when, and why?
When I graduated college, I was so convinced that being my creative, colorful, passionate self wouldn't get me as far in my career as being perfect, polished and professional would. I wish I could tell her that you can be professional and polished while also being super passionate, and that perfection is a myth. We're all just people talking to other people – and that's the ethos behind the work I do. (It's also why I show up as my authentic self on LinkedIn...and why people reach out wanting to work with me because they like my real, true voice!)
Q If you could talk to an expert to gain more insight on something, what would it be about?
GA4, hands-down.
Q What kind of opportunities/projects are you looking for?
I would love to work with clients I can support in the long run – nothing makes me happier than building the foundation of a client’s content strategy and then getting to execute on it!
Projects I love working on include:
-Case studies + corresponding email copy or social content that promotes them (case studies are an incredible source of social proof that get people excited about working with your company!)
-Creative content strategy for brands and businesses who are just starting to prioritize their industry presence
-Ghostwriting (thought leadership articles, social media + more!) for founders, C-suite execs and entrepreneurs with something to say…but no time to write it down
-Marketing content of all kinds! Landing pages, email flows, direct ads, fliers, social media campaigns, websites, blog posts, you name it, I love it!
Q Describe your ideal job/client/collaboration.
I would love to work with clients in the B2B and DTC space who have a really cool offering they want to tell the world about – I love riffing on different content ideas to see what works in which space. I’d also love to onboard more clients with an existing marketing arm, like a podcast, and explore how we can turn that into written content and maximize that ROI.
Q What is your rate?
I typically charge $55-65/hour, and I offer discounted rates for clients interested in month-to-month retainers – but I’m always flexible. What’s most important to me is that I’m meeting clients where they are and getting to do work I’m passionate about for missions I believe in.
Q How should someone approach you about working together?
Reach out to me via email and give me a little background on you, your company and how you’d like to work together! Or, skip the email (it’s not everyone’s thing) and schedule 15 minutes to chat - I won’t ask for your life story, I promise!
hello@amandajlien.com
Book an intro call!
Q Who is a creative you admire?
Paige Peterson is a killer LinkedIn and blog copywriter – and a fabulous people leader as well!
Q Oh! and… how do you stay creative?
Writing science fiction + editing for a lit mag!
This member profile was originally published in October 2021 / Updated October 2023.