Seth Godin Q&A on Blogging and Marketing

Since I interviewed Guy (#2 marketing blog), I thought I'd ask Seth (#1 marketing blog) to answer some questions. I met Seth Godin in the early 90's searching for a book expert for advice as I wrote my first book. This was just before Seth became the marketing guru  he is known as now (after Permission Marketing). He's a lot more busy and popular now, but he is as gracious to answer questions now as he was back then.

(Note: Now that I have the top two bloggers, maybe I should interview all the other bloggers who have more popular blog than mine until I can get back to interviewing myself! #21 :-)

Which blog posts have gotten you the most impact (not necessarily traffic, but actual personal or business impact), and why?

Actually, it's not a post by post thing. There's no question in my mind that it's cumulative. Do a google search for MARKETING CHOCOLATE and there I am. Go figure. It adds up. And over time, it tells a story. You can't fib for four years...

Here's how I'd summarize the main points in your books...feel free to modify these. Permission Marketing = customer is in control. Idea Virus = ignite consumer networks. Purple Cow = be remarkable.  Marketing are Liars = tell a story. What's next? What else?

I have actually tried to summarize my books at www.squidoo.com/seth

{note from sam: there is a download there for Seth's new ebook, Flipping the Funnel}

What are the three biggest mistakes you have learned from?

1. Don't try to make what the customer wants if it's not what you want
2. Don't rush the things that shouldn't be rushed... but if you're going to do something, do it as fast as humanly possible
3. Don't bet against free

How is Squidoo doing (btw...A+ design interface!)? How are you marketing this company?

Squidoo is far ahead of all my expectations. The team that is doing the work (which doesn't include me, I just get credit) is absolutely outstanding. We are very disciplined to not market it traditionally
... it needs to be organic or else the experiment is bogus. As a result, we're seeing a fantastic take up of the term across the net, hundreds of thousands of links, etc. What we're hoping for and waiting for is that group of 100 lenses that each becomes a powerhouse. That's the way blogging took off.

There's a lot of hype around social networking, word of mouth marketing, and community (thanks to LinkedIn, Facebook, MySpace, etc.). I'm not complaining, but thinking ahead, hype will end (by definition). How will this evolve or come to land? Will the marketing practice really be different, and if so how?

Oh, I think marketing is changed forever and ever. Watch those magazines die... The panic at the TV upfronts is another symptom.

How does the job and focus of the CMO change over the next 5 years?

Great CMOs will demand (and get) control over the product and the story, not just the ads. That's critical.

Is there any industry or companies you pay attention to that you've seen and expect to do marketing right going forward?

I think the next explosion is going to be non-profits doing great marketing in a new way.

Seth...that last one...amen! Marketing Good better would be great.

Comments

[Igor M.]

I think "Marketing" changed incredibly in the last 3 years and we'll see more changes in the next 5.

Just the fact that now companies hire under a position "Internet Marketing" and "Search Marketer" unlike 3-5 years ago when they called it "Marketing with knowledge of the internet".

Let's be grateful that we're in something that's just evolving and gaining speed. We'll be the old Farts who poshed this thing. Imagine 50 years from now, online marketers will be saying ... "Hey remember our parents starting those blogs..."

[Frederic @ eBusiness Marketing Blog]

Quote "Is there any industry or companies you pay attention to that you've seen and expect to do marketing right going forward?"

A company that will help corporation manage the gazillion of emails they receive by converting everything into RSS feeds and blog style commenting...That company is going to make a buck or two