by Rick Baker
On Oct 27, 2010
Seth Godin wrote a book titled 'ALL MARKETERS Tell Stories, The Underground Classic That Explains How Marketing Really Works - and Why Authenticity Is the Best Marketing of All'. The title was 'ALL MARKETERS ARE LIARS' and the words 'ARE LIARS' are crossed out and replaced with two handwritten words, 'Tell Stories'.
Yes, the revised cover of the book is catchy...
- ALL MARKETERS ARE LIARS (in big capital letters) catches our attention. It appeals to the side of us that is inundated with poor marketing messages.
- The handwritten 'Tell Stories' softens the blow and
- The subtitle about 'Authenticity being the Best Marketing of All' takes us to a really nice place
I think the book cover alone confirms Godin is worth reading.
At the inside of the front cover flap, we see Seth Godin's three essential questions for every marketer:
- "What's your story?"
- "Will the people who need to hear this story believe it?"
- "Is it true?"
"All marketers tell stories. And if they do it right, we believe them."
"And believing it makes it true."
The cover flap then states:
"But beware: if your stories are inauthentic, you cross the line from fib to fraud. Marketers fail when they are selfish and scurrilous, when they abuse the tools of their trade and make the world worse."
This is a great example of advice that passes the
Seek Simple test.
We should understand how experts such as Godin reach their conclusions and we should understand the real-life examples they provide to illustrate 'what works' and 'what doesn't work'.
That will allow us to make best use of the advice provided by experts.
That will allow us to train our people.
For example, we should train our marketers to ask Godin's three essential questions:
- "What's your story?"
- "Will the people who need to hear this story believe it?"
- "Is it true?"