Been Marketed?
Seth Godin is a very popular marketer, author, businessman and promoter. His latest book, This is Marketing: You Can’t Be Seen Until You Learn to See, is a marketer’s delight. It’s lovely to look at, easy to hold in one hand, and a doorway to the larger world of Seth Godin. He’s got a blog, a website, a system and an Amazon landing page featuring his many books. He tweets and is on Facebook. Seth is on Instagram and on LinkedIn. He’s a serial entrepreneur, starting several businesses as well as training. Godin is an influencer, a person riding and trying to direct the electronic wave.
What’s the question I heard from an advertising person decades ago: “How much sizzle and how much steak?” It’s a good to consider because it’s difficult to tell just how effective Seth’s wisdom – usually dispensed in bite-sized nuggets – really is. It’s easy to read and digest, that’s for sure. But would it work for your business, your idea, your brand?
Godin’s big-picture message is straightforward. If you want to connect with an audience, you have to believe in what you’re doing, build trust, and do/offer something that helps the audience. He is a believer in really understanding stories: stories that we tell ourselves and stories that we tell each other. Godin frames marketing as about change – and stories can change behavior. He cautions readers not to try to change everyone but instead to focus on smaller groups. With the right size and the right story, one can build trust and a reliable relationship. Work on a segment, a population, Godin advises, that you can get to know and help. It makes sense.
Missing from the book are studies, data, sources or any of the traditional trappings of a scholarly business book. It is neither monograph nor textbook. This is about enthusiasm, aphorisms, personal stories and accessible wisdom. He’s a marketing cheerleader with refreshingly ethical take on the business and how to market.
It is easy to see how Seth Godin and his message would inspire so many. The challenge, I wager, is in the commitment and the follow through. Perhaps a New Year’s resolution?
David Potash