The Marketer Learns to See

The second chapter of Seth Godin's book This Is Marketing is a condensed statement of the book's thesis. Everything is boiled down to five steps (11):

1. Invent value
2. Design/Build benefit
3. Tell a relate-able story
4. Spread the word
5. Show up

Godin follows up with a succinct executive summary rife with mantras and slogans ready to decorate the office walls. Finally wrapping up this brief chapter with six items every marketer should know, but may have forgotten.

His emphasis on patience, empathy, and respect are concepts often emphasized in education so I was not surprised to hear them echoed. But they can often be forgotten in the corporate world where other values push to the forefront.

Persistent, consistent, and frequent stories, delivered to an aligned audience, will earn attention, trust, and action. (12)

I was also encouraged by his encouragement to stick with it over the long haul. I can become easily discouraged when resource adoption seems slow or stalled out. 

Just yesterday, I came across a couple teachers discussing a particular reading application for students that I thought had fallen by the wayside. In reality, it took the teachers a couple years to understand the product and discover the best way to integrate it into their classes. It was a good reminder that marketing and culture building require an extended outlook.

“The Marketer Learns to See” This Is Marketing, by Seth Godin, Penguin, 2018, pp. 10–14.