Guide to modern marketing

The way we serve our tribe of early-stage founders is by understanding what makes up great marketing and curating the best strategies.

Key takeaways from This is Marketing—You Can’t Be Seen Until You Learn to See?

1 What marketers do

Marketers make change happen for the smallest viable market and by delivering anticipated, personal, and relevant messages that people actually want to get.

2 People like us do things like this

Everyone always acts in accordance with their internal narrative. Changing our behavior is driven by a desire to fit in (people like us do things like this) and our perception of status (affiliation and dominance).

3 Marketing in 5 steps:

1. Invent a thing worth making, with a story worth telling, and a contribution worth talking about
2. Design and build it in a way that a few people will particularly benefit from and care about
3. Tell a story that matches the built in narrative and dreams of that tiny group of people—the smallest viable market
4. Spread the word
5. Show up, regularly, consistently, and generously for years and years to organize and lead and build confidence in the change you to seek to make. To earn permission to follow up and to earn enrollment to get to teach.

4 Marketing Driven vs. Market Driven

A marketing-driven organization is run by the Marketing department. It revolves around what marketers do.

A market-driven organization is driven by what the market wants, regardless of what the marketing department feels like doing.

5 You must begin with a world view and invite people who share that world view to join you.

Example: Former CEO Ron Johnson of JC Penney's came from Apple in 2011. Johnson liked luxury goods and had a world view that retail shopping at a quality retailed should be high end. So he cut discounts and flash sales. JC Penny’s sales plummeted more than 50%. Ron Johnson failed to understand that JC Penny’s tribe did not share his world view and the JC Penney's board failed to appoint a leader that shared the same world view as their customers. The moral of the story is that hiring people who have been successful in the past means nothing if their worldview isn’t aligned.

6 The three-sentence marketing promise template

7 Ten things your story needs to do

1. Connect us to our purpose and vision for career and biz
2. Allow us to celebrate our strengths by remembering how we got here
3. A deeper understanding of our unique value and what differentiates us
4. Reinforce our core values
5. Help us to act in alignment and make value-based decisions
6. Encourage us to respond to customers instead of reacting to the marketplace
7. Attract customers who want to support businesses that reflect or represent their values
8. Build brand loyalty and give customers a story to tell
9. Attract the kind of like-minded employees we want
10. Help us to stay motivated and cont to do work we're proud of

But your story is a hook, and now you're on the hook to deliver, which is a high-risk path. Great marketing is the generous and audacious work of saying, I see a better alternative, come with me.

8 Simple three-step narrative for action

Marshall Ganz, a Harvard professor who has worked with both Cesar Chavez and Barack Obama, has articulated a simple three-step narrative for action: the story of self, the story of us, and the story of now.?

1. Story of self gives you a platform to speak.
2. Story of us is the kernel of the tribe—why are we alike and why is your story relevant to the tribe?
3. Story of now is the critical pivot—it enlists your tribe on your journey.

9 The tyranny of perfect and the possibility of better

Perfect closes the door. It asserts we're done and that it’s the best we can do. Perfect forbids us to try. But the possibility of better opens the door. Better challenges us to try and gives us a chance to improve the lives of the people we seek to serve.

The insights and wisdom shared in this book have truly transformed my perspective on making a difference in the world of marketing.

1. Creating Fear of Losing Instead of the Desire to?Win:?

Creating fear of losing, rather than the desire to win, generates a powerful marketing tool. Embracing this fear has allowed me to create strategies that genuinely resonate with the interests of my audience.

2. Questions that Guide Our Decisions:?

The questions that always guide our decisions should be about who the product is for and what purpose it serves.

3. Making a Difference as a Marketer:?

If you’re a marketer, making a difference should be your goal, not just winning. If I had to choose a thousand fans, I would select those who deeply resonate with my brand’s vision.

4. Embracing Small Niche?Markets:?

The reason for addressing even the smallest markets is to find people who will understand and fall in love with what we want to offer and where we want to take them.

5. Crafting a Marketing Promise: Here’s the marketing promise?outline:?

My product is for people who believe in?…..

I will focus on people who want?…..

I promise that engaging with my product will provide you with?……

6. Embracing the Desire to Improve and Contribute:?

Everyone has an inherent desire to improve, connect with others, and contribute.

7. The Power of Storytelling and Understanding Our?Brand:?

Understanding what we represent eliminates the need for competition. Good stories:?

Connect us with our purpose and our career or business vision.?

Help us remember how we got to this point and appreciate our strengths.

?Help us better understand what sets us apart from other things in the market.?

Strengthen our core values. Enable us to walk the right path and make value-focused decisions.?

Encourage us to respond to our customers rather than the market.?

Attract customers who share or represent their own values.?

Create brand loyalty and give customers a story to tell. Attract like-minded employees and maintain our motivation to continue doing things we’re proud of.

8. Understanding Emotions Before Decision-making:?

Before you make a wallet, figure out what that feeling is. What should those feelings be, why would people want to buy it? How should they feel when they hold the wallet?

9. Identifying with Our Target Audience:?

People like us do?…..

Are people like me doing this?

We can adapt the answer to the question of what do people like us do to marketing content.

10. Making a Difference: The Direct?Path:?

The shortest and most direct way to make a difference is to do work that people will value.

Thank you for exploring these valuable marketing lessons with me. Understanding the fear of losing as a powerful tool, crafting compelling narratives, and building a community of like-minded individuals have all been instrumental in my marketing journey. My focus remains on making a difference and creating a meaningful impact in the lives of my customers.

If you find this blog helpful, don’t forget to share it with your friends and colleagues. I would be delighted if you also leave resources from “This is Marketing” book that you found beneficial and any other marketing ideas that you have developed in the comments.

One of the key themes of the book is the importance of empathy in marketing. Godin emphasizes that successful marketing requires understanding the needs, desires, and fears of your target audience. By putting yourself in their shoes and creating products and services that truly address their needs, you can build a loyal customer base and establish your brand as a trusted authority in your industry.

Storytelling

Another important lesson from the book is the power of storytelling in marketing. Godin argues that humans are hardwired to respond to stories, and that the best marketing campaigns are those that tell a compelling narrative that resonates with their audience. Whether it's through a blog post, a social media campaign, or a traditional ad, the key is to create a story that captures the attention and imagination of your audience.

What sets "This Is Marketing" apart from other marketing books is Godin's playful and inspiring writing style. He uses anecdotes, metaphors, and humour to illustrate his points and keep the reader engaged. The book is also highly practical, with plenty of actionable advice and exercises that you can apply to your own marketing efforts.

Status

In his book "This Is Marketing," Seth Godin highlights the practical social phenomenon of marketing, which involves creating and spreading ideas, building relationships, and making a positive impact on people's lives. One key aspect of this phenomenon that Godin emphasizes is the concept of status and its role in shaping consumer behaviour.

Status is a powerful motivator for many consumers, and Godin argues that understanding this dynamic is key to successful marketing. People are often drawn to products or services that convey a sense of status, whether it's through luxury branding, exclusive access, or social signalling.

Godin notes that status is not just about material possessions, but rather it's a social construct that helps people define their place in the world. By understanding the different types of status that people seek, marketers can tailor their messaging and branding to appeal to these desires.

For example, a luxury car brand may appeal to consumers who are seeking status through conspicuous consumption, while a wellness brand may appeal to consumers who are seeking status through health and fitness. By understanding these different motivations, marketers can create messaging that resonates with their target audience and encourages them to take action.

However, Godin also notes that status is not the only motivator for consumers, and that focusing too heavily on status can backfire. In today's socially conscious climate, consumers are increasingly seeking brands that align with their values and make a positive impact on society.

Conclusion

For me, "This Is Marketing" is a must-read for anyone looking to improve their marketing skills and stay ahead of the curve in today's ever-changing business landscape. Whether you're a seasoned marketer or just starting out, Godin's insights and strategies are sure to inspire and inform.

And Godin is a great storyteller, he speaks to you, he is almost tangible. A remarkable talent and with it, he does what he writes about, he sells you the message with transparency and empathy.