Synopses & Reviews
Todays brands face an apparent choice between two evils: continue betting on their increasingly ineffective advertising or put blind faith in the supposedly mystical power of social media, where likes” stand in for transactions and a mass audience is maddeningly elusive. There has to be a better way . . .
As Lennon and McCartney wrote a half century ago, money cant buy you love. But in todays world, where people have become desensitizedeven disillusionedby ad campaigns and marketing slogans, that maxim needs an update: Money cant even buy you like.
Thats because weve entered the Relationship Era,” where the only path for businesses seeking long-term success is to create authentic customer relationships. Not through hip social media promotions, viral videos or blizzards of micro-targeted online ads. Those tactics, which simply disguise old ways of thinking with new technology, just dont work in the long run.
So what does work in this bewildering new era? Where do authentic customer relationships” come from? The answers will make some leaders sigh with relief while others rip their hair out: Honesty. Transparency. Shared values. A purpose beyond profit. Sure you still need a high-quality product or service to offer, but thats not enough. Now that people can easily discover everything thats ever been said about your brand, you cant manipulate, seduce, persuade, flatter or entertain them into loyalty. You have to treat them like flesh-and-blood human beings, not abstract consumers or data points on a spreadsheet.
It may sound like the woo-woo language of self-help books and inspirational wall posters. But as Garfield and Levy show in this book, its the deadly serious reality of business in the 2010s. Its why General Motors abandoned its $10 million annual budget for Facebook ads, and why some brands have hurt themselves badly on social media by nagging, interrupting, abusing and generally ticking off their customers.
The good news is that some companies have already embraced the Relationship Era and are enjoying consistent growth and profits while spending substantially less on marketing than their competitors. The authors show what we can learn from case studies such as . . .
- Patagonia, a clothing company with a passion for environmentalism, which solidified its customer relationships by urging people NOT to buy one of its jackets.
- Panera Bread, which doubled per-store sales by focusing on ways to create a welcoming environment while spending just 1 percent of sales on advertising.
- Secret, the womens antiperspirant brand, which gained significant share by focusing on its commitment to strong women.
- Krispy Kreme, which has built a near cult of loyal Facebook and Twitter fans, all but obliterating the need for paid advertising.
Blending powerful new research, fascinating examples and practical advice, Garfield and Levy show how any company can thrive in the Relationship Era.
Review
"Godin's style is punchy and irreverent, using short, sharp messages to drive his points home. As a result the book is fiery, but not entirely cohesive; at times it resembles a stream-of-consciousness monologue. Still, his wide-ranging advice be outrageous, tell the truth, test the limits and never settle for just 'very good' is solid and timely." Publishers Weekly
Review
"I love this book! Part wakeup call, part action plan, Seth Godin's Purple Cow shows organizations how to add distinction and avoid extinction in today's new economy." Tom Kelley, author of The Art of Innovation
Synopsis
In Purple Cow, Godin urges business people to put a Purple Cow into everything they build, and everything they do, to create something truly noticeable. It's a manifesto for marketers who want to help create products that are worth marketing in the first place.
Synopsis
You're either a Purple Cow or you're not. You're either remarkable or invisible. Make your choice.
What do Starbucks and JetBlue and KrispyKreme and Apple and DutchBoy and Kensington and Zespri and Hard Candy have that you don't? How do they continue to confound critics and achieve spectacular growth, leaving behind former tried-and true brands to gasp their last?
Face it, the checklist of tired 'P's marketers have used for decades to get their product noticed Pricing, Promotion, Publicity, to name a few aren't working anymore. There's an exceptionally important 'P' that has to be added to the list. It's Purple Cow.
Cows, after you've seen one, or two, or ten, are boring. A Purple Cow, though...now that would be something. Purple Cow describes something phenomenal, something counterintuitive and exciting and flat out unbelievable. Every day, consumers come face to face with a lot of boring stuff a lot of brown cows but you can bet they won't forget a Purple Cow. And it's not a marketing function that you can slap on to your product or service. Purple Cow is inherent. It's built right in, or it's not there. Period.
In Purple Cow, Seth Godin urges you to put a Purple Cow into everything you build, and everything you do, to create something truly noticeable. It's a manifesto for marketers who want to help create products that are worth marketing in the first place.
Synopsis
In Seth Godinandrsquo;s most inspiring book, he challenges readers to find the courage to treat their work as a form of artand#160;Everyone knows that Icarusandrsquo;s father made him wings and told him not to fly too close to the sun; he ignored the warning and plunged to his doom. The lesson: Play it safe. Listen to the experts. It was the perfect propaganda for the industrial economy. What boss wouldnandrsquo;t want employees to believe that obedience and conformity are the keys to success?and#160;But we tend to forget that Icarus was also warned not to fly too low, because seawater would ruin the lift in his wings. Flying too low is even more dangerous than flying too high, because it feels deceptively safe.and#160;The safety zone has moved. Conformity no longer leads to comfort. But the good news is that creativity is scarce and more valuable than ever. So is choosing to do something unpredictable and brave: Make art. Being an artist isnandrsquo;t a genetic disposition or a specific talent. Itandrsquo;s an attitude we can all adopt. Itandrsquo;s a hunger to seize new ground, make connections, and work without a map. If you do those things youandrsquo;re an artist, no matter what it says on your business card.and#160;Godin shows us how itandrsquo;s possible and convinces us why itandrsquo;s essential.
Synopsis
This browsable hardcover collects the very best of the past six years of Seth Godin’s acclaimed blog. It’s a follow-up to his previous collection,
Small is the New Big (Portfolio, 2006) and is designed for dipping into again and again. Godin has blogged more than two million words since the late 1990s, sharing his unique take on the ever-changing landscape of marketing, leadership, careers, innovation, creativity, and much more. His posts range from a few words to a few pages; many are inspirational, some are incendiary. For instance, here’s the title post, “Whatcha gonna do with that duck?” --
We’re surrounded by people who are busy getting their ducks in a row, waiting for just the right moment... Getting your ducks in a row is a fine thing to do. But deciding what you are going to do with that duck is a far more important issue.Synopsis
This full-color andldquo;adult ABC bookandrdquo; feels just like the picture books you grew up with. But itandrsquo;s not for kids, itandrsquo;s for you and anyone who works as hard as you do. It makes a perfect companion to
The Icarus Deception, highlighting a key riff in that book and featuring illustrations by the webandrsquo;s favorite cartoonist, Hugh MacLeod. It captures 26 of Seth Godinandrsquo;s principles about treating your work as a form of art.and#160;For instance....and#160;
A is for Anxiety, which is experiencing failure in advance. Tell yourself enough vivid stories about the worstand#160;possible outcome of your work and youandrsquo;ll soon come to believe them. Worry is not preparation, and anxiety doesnandrsquo;t make you better.and#160;
C is for Commitment, which takes you from andldquo;Thatandrsquo;s a fine ideaandrdquo; to andldquo;Itandrsquo;s done.andrdquo; Commitment is risky, because if you fail, itandrsquo;s on you. On the other hand, without commitment, you will fail, because art unshipped isnandrsquo;t art.and#160;
F is for Feedback, which can be either a crutch or a weapon. Use feedback to make your work smaller, safer and more likely to please everyone (and fail in the long run). Or use it as a lever, to further push you to embrace what you fear (and what youandrsquo;re capable of).and#160;
V is for Vulnerable, the only way we can feel when we truly share the art weandrsquo;ve made. When we connect, we shift all the power and make ourselves naked in front of the person weandrsquo;ve given the gift of our art to. We have no excuses, no manual to point to, no standard operating procedures to protect us.and#160;This is unlike any previous Godin book and makes a great gift, both for loyal fans and those whoandrsquo;ve never read him before. It will take you just a few minutes to read, but it will get under your skin. And you might find yourself handing copies to colleagues and friends.
Synopsis
Were surrounded by people who are busy getting their ducks in a row, waiting for just the right moment. . . . Getting your ducks in a row is a fine thing to do. But deciding what you are going to do with that duck is a far more important issue.” From the blog post "Whatcha Gonna Do with That Duck?" Seth Godin is famous for bestselling books such as
Purple Cow and cool entrepreneurial ventures such as Squidoo and the Domino Project. But to millions of loyal readers, hes best known for the daily burst of insight he provides every morning, rain or shine, via Seths Blog. Since he started blogging in the early 1990s, he has written more than two million words and shaped the way we think about marketing, leadership, careers, innovation, creativity, and more. Much of his writing is inspirational and some is incendiary. Collected here are six years of his best, most entertaining, and most poignant blog posts, plus a few bonus ebooks. From thoughts on how to treat your customers to telling stories and spreading ideas, Godin pushes us to think smarter, dream bigger, write better, and speak more honestly. Highlights include:
- A marketing lesson from the Apocalypse
- No, everything is not going to be okay
- Organized bravery
- Choose your customers, choose your future
- Paying attention to the attention economy
- Bandits and philanthropists
Godin writes to get under our skin. He wants us to stand up and do something remarkable, outside the standards of the industrial system that raised us. Made for dipping into again and again,
Whatcha Gonna Do with That Duck? is a classic for fans both old and new.
Synopsis
What are you afraid of?and#160;The old rules: Play it safe. Stay in your comfort zone. Find an institution, a job, a set of rules to stick to. Keep your head down. Donandrsquo;t fly too close to the sun.and#160;The new truth: Itandrsquo;s better to be sorry than safe. You need to fly higher than ever.and#160;In his bravest and most challenging book yet, Seth Godin shows how we can thrive in an econandshy;omy that rewards art, not compliance. He explains why true innovators focus on trust, remarkabilandshy;ity, leadership, and stories that spread. And he makes a passionate argument for why you should be treating your work as art.and#160;Art is not a gene or a specific talent. Itandrsquo;s an attiandshy;tude, available to anyone who has a vision that others donandrsquo;t, and the guts to do something about it. Steve Jobs was an artist. So were Henry Ford and Martin Luther King Jr.and#160;To work like an artist means investing in the things that scale: creativity, emotional labor, and grit. The path of the artist isnandrsquo;t for the faint of heartandmdash;but Godin shows why itandrsquo;s your only chance to stand up, stand out, and make a difference.and#160;The time to seize new ground and work without a map is now. So what are you going to do?
Synopsis
A full-color ABC book for grown-ups, with a powerful message about doing great workand#160;V is for Vulnerable looks and feels like a classic picture book. But itandrsquo;s not for kids, itandrsquo;s for hardworking adults. It highlights twenty-six of Seth Godinandrsquo;s principles about treating your work as a form of art, with illustrations by acclaimed cartoonist Hugh MacLeod. A sample:and#160;
A is for Anxiety, which is experiencing failure in advance. Tell yourself enough vivid stories about the worst possible outcome and youandrsquo;ll soon come to believe them. Worry is not preparation, and anxiety doesnandrsquo;t make you better.and#160;
F is for Feedback, which can be either a crutch or a weapon. Use it to make your work smaller, safer, and more likely to please everyone (and fail in the long run). Or use it as a lever to further push you to embrace what you fear and what youandrsquo;re capable of.and#160;This is unlike any previous Godin book and makes a great gift, both for loyal fans and those whoandrsquo;ve never read him before.
Synopsis
In Seth Godinandrsquo;s most inspiring book, he challenges readers to find the courage to treat their work as a form of artand#160;Everyone knows that Icarusandrsquo;s father made him wings and told him not to fly too close to the sun; he ignored the warning and plunged to his doom. The lesson: Play it safe. Listen to the experts. It was the perfect propaganda for the industrial economy. What boss wouldnandrsquo;t want employees to believe that obedience and conformity are the keys to success?and#160;But we tend to forget that Icarus was also warned not to fly too low, because seawater would ruin the lift in his wings. Flying too low is even more dangerous than flying too high, because it feels deceptively safe.and#160;The safety zone has moved. Conformity no longer leads to comfort. But the good news is that creativity is scarce and more valuable than ever. So is choosing to do something unpredictable and brave: Make art. Being an artist isnandrsquo;t a genetic disposition or a specific talent. Itandrsquo;s an attitude we can all adopt. Itandrsquo;s a hunger to seize new ground, make connections, and work without a map. If you do those things youandrsquo;re an artist, no matter what it says on your business card.and#160;Godin shows us how itandrsquo;s possible and convinces us why itandrsquo;s essential.
Synopsis
Every marketer and CEO has felt the ground shifting beneath their feet. Most have responded by either doubling down on increasingly inefficient advertising or by putting blind faith in the supposed mystical powers of social media. Only the most thoughtful brands have followed a third path—the only path to meaningful returns in the dawning Relationship Era. To remain relevant and sustain growth, businesses must now create and cultivate authentic customer relationships, based on shared values, in all they do. For example:
- Patagonia, as part of its dedication to the environment, increases loyalty by urging customers not to buy its products.
- Secret gained market share by launching a movement to champion strong women.
- Krispy Kreme has built a near cult of loyal Facebook fans, obliterating the need for paid advertising.
- Zappos, which couldn’t afford to advertise, made customer relationships the focus of its marketing.
Drawing on proprietary research and decades of experience, Garfield and Levy show how brands can outperform their competitors and inspire their employees— while also spending fewer marketing dollars.
Synopsis
In May 2003, Seth Godin asked a simple question that turned the business world upside down: What do Starbucks, JetBlue, Apple, Dutch Boy, and Hard Candy have that other companies don’t? How did they confound critics and achieve spectacular growth, leaving behind formerly tried-and-true brands? Answer: They were purple cows. Godin defines a Purple Cow as anything phenomenal, counterintuitive, exciting…remarkable. Every day, consumers ignore a lot of brown cows, but you can bet they won’t ignore a purple cow. You can’t paint your product or service purple after the fact. You have to be inherently purple or no one will talk about you. Godin urges you to emulate companies that are consistently remarkable in everything they do, which drives explosive word of mouth. Purple Cow launched a movement to create products and services that are worth marketing in the first place.
Synopsis
Were surrounded by people who are busy getting their ducks in a row, waiting for just the right moment. . . . Getting your ducks in a row is a fine thing to do. But deciding what you are going to do with that duck is a far more important issue.” From the blog post "Whatcha Gonna Do with That Duck?" Seth Godin is famous for bestselling books such as
Purple Cow and cool entrepreneurial ventures such as Squidoo and the Domino Project. But to millions of loyal readers, hes best known for the daily burst of insight he provides every morning, rain or shine, via Seths Blog. Since he started blogging in the early 1990s, he has written more than two million words and shaped the way we think about marketing, leadership, careers, innovation, creativity, and more. Much of his writing is inspirational and some is incendiary. Collected here are six years of his best, most entertaining, and most poignant blog posts, plus a few bonus ebooks. From thoughts on how to treat your customers to telling stories and spreading ideas, Godin pushes us to think smarter, dream bigger, write better, and speak more honestly. Highlights include:
- A marketing lesson from the Apocalypse
- No, everything is not going to be okay
- Organized bravery
- Choose your customers, choose your future
- Paying attention to the attention economy
- Bandits and philanthropists
Godin writes to get under our skin. He wants us to stand up and do something remarkable, outside the standards of the industrial system that raised us. Made for dipping into again and again,
Whatcha Gonna Do with That Duck? is a classic for fans both old and new.
Synopsis
A full-color ABC book for grown-ups, with a powerful message about doing great workand#160;V is for Vulnerable looks and feels like a classic picture book. But itandrsquo;s not for kids, itandrsquo;s for hardworking adults. It highlights twenty-six of Seth Godinandrsquo;s principles about treating your work as a form of art, with illustrations by acclaimed cartoonist Hugh MacLeod. A sample:and#160;
A is for Anxiety, which is experiencing failure in advance. Tell yourself enough vivid stories about the worst possible outcome and youandrsquo;ll soon come to believe them. Worry is not preparation, and anxiety doesnandrsquo;t make you better.and#160;
F is for Feedback, which can be either a crutch or a weapon. Use it to make your work smaller, safer, and more likely to please everyone (and fail in the long run). Or use it as a lever to further push you to embrace what you fear and what youandrsquo;re capable of.and#160;This is unlike any previous Godin book and makes a great gift, both for loyal fans and those whoandrsquo;ve never read him before.
Synopsis
Finally available in bookstores, Seth Godins cult classic on the future of marketing For generations, marketers, industrialists, and politicians have catered their message to the normal and have tried to tell consumers what they should buy, use and, want. In an industrial, mass-market-driven world, this was efficient and it worked... until now.
The internet has demolished the mass market and weird is the new normal. Human beings prefer to organize in tribes, into groups of people who share a leader or a culture or a definition of normal. The rise of addressable tribes, of mini-communities and people obsessed with causes, hobbies, and passions is changing politics, economics, marketing, manufacturing, and everything else.
In We Are All Weird, Seth Godin shows how catering to the masses created the last version of our culture, but is failing with this one. Godin challenges marketers and businesses to embrace the new landscape and find ways to connect with the weird. Marketers can fight to protect the status quo (and lose) or engage in this important revolution. In this bold manifesto, Godin calls for the beginning of offering people more choices and interests, and giving them more authority to operate in ways that reflect their own unique values.
People who care now have the power to step forward and insist that the world work in a different way. There is a new era of embracing weirdness is upon us and by enabling choice we allow passion to survive and thrive.
About the Author
SETH GODIN is the author of eighteen international bestsellers that have changed the way people think about marketing, the ways ideas spread, leadership and change:
Permission Marketing, Unleashing the Ideavirus, The Big Red Fez, Survival Is Not Enough, Purple Cow, Free Prize Inside!, All Marketers Are Liars, Small Is the New Big, The Dip, Meatball Sundae, Tribes, and
We Are All Weird. He is the CEO of Squidoo.com and a very popular lecturer. His blog is one of the most influential business blogs in the world, and consistently one of the one hundred most popular blogs on business and marketing.