Seth Godin - How to Get Your Ideas to Spread - Nordic Business Forum
TLDRSeth Godin delivers an inspiring talk urging people to embrace change, take risks, and lead movements. He argues that in our revolutionary times of abundance and connection, generously sharing art that connects people is key. Rather than selling average products to average people, we must create purple cows - things worth remarking about. By coordinating, building trust and networks, getting permission to market to interested people, and sharing ideas, we can treat different people differently and spread ideas virally. We must overcome industrialism's focus on more and be fully human leaders, seeing people and courageously guiding tribes who want to follow.
Takeaways
- 😊 Marketing is about creating remarkable products and experiences that people want to talk about
- 🤔 Industrialism and mass marketing are no longer effective in the internet age
- 👥 We must connect with the "weird people" who actively want what we offer
- 👀 Treat different people differently instead of aiming for average products and experiences
- 🔭 Don't fly too high or too low - take smart risks and anchor up to commitments
- 🎨 Bring an artistic mindset of full presence, creativity and connection to your work
- ✨ Help coordinate, build trust, get permission and share ideas to create value
- 🙌 Extend generosity and humanity in business instead of just taking
- 🦄 Invent a culture, movement and tribe of people who want to follow your lead
- 🌧 Embrace uncertainty and tension - it is always too soon but impossibility is the point
Q & A
What is the main message the speaker tries to convey?
-The main message is that in today's connected world, traditional mass marketing no longer works. Leaders need to focus on connecting with people, building trust and relationships, being remarkable, and leading tribes or movements.
How does the speaker illustrate the failure of traditional marketing?
-He gives an example of a pain reliever company spending $100 million on ads that consumers ignore because they don't think they have a pain reliever problem. People tune out interruptive advertising.
What does the speaker mean by 'purple cows'?
-Purple cows represent anything remarkable and worth talking about. Most products/services are boring and average, but successful companies like the ones the speaker lists create something unique that sparks word-of-mouth.
How can businesses stand out in a world of abundant choice?
-Don't try to appeal to the masses. Focus on the edges, on the weird people who actively want what you offer. Create something extraordinary that earns people's attention.
What is permission marketing?
-Marketing only to people who want to hear from you - gaining their permission first versus interrupting them with unwanted messages.
How does the connection economy differ from the industrial economy?
-The connection economy runs on networks, relationships, community. It favors uniqueness, art, and being fully human vs efficiency and scale.
What does the speaker mean by tribes?
-Tribes are groups united by shared culture, values and interests. People join them for meaning, not money. Leaders must give tribes vision and direction.
How can introverts overcome writer's block?
-The speaker argues writer's block isn't real - it was invented to explain lack of inspiration. But claims we can train creativity like a habit, practice regularly.
What does the speaker recommend marketers do differently?
-Don't market at people - identify your tribe and lead them. Build a movement that gives people an identity. Focus on sharing, not selling.
What is the main takeaway for leaders?
-Take risks, be original, connect with people's humanity. It's no longer enough to efficiently manage the status quo.
Outlines
🎤 Welcoming and Thanking the Audience
The speaker welcomes and thanks the audience, acknowledging it was an unfinished introduction. He thanks them for the applause and jokes about what they do for a living to cause interest.
⛓ Discussing the Industrial Economy
The speaker discusses how mass production and the industrial economy led to policies, gatekeepers and large factories focused on efficiency, control and getting consumers to buy their products.
😕 Problems Marketing and Selling to Consumers
The speaker highlights issues marketing to modern consumers - trying to solve problems they don't think they have, short attention spans, too much choice for commoditized products.
🏢 Factories and Industrialism
More discussion on the history of industrialism and factories, with companies trying to sell average products to average people, using things like babies and celebrity endorsements.
🏭 When Were Jobs Industrialized?
The speaker asks when attendee's jobs became industrialized assembly line processes focused on efficiency, and discusses the need for mass distribution and marketing to sell products.
🔚 The Bad News for Marketing
Several bad news examples are given - consumers ignoring irrelevant ads, having abundant similar choices online, and being overexposed to brands so they tune out advertising.
🌍 Finland is Now the Center of the Universe
With global access, Finland is discussed as the new center where if you are the best, people will find and buy from you. But all competitors are also one click away.
😌 Making a Difference and Opportunity
The speaker shifts to opportunity - reinventing with changing technology, understanding revolutions turn things upside down, and that this uncertainty is a chance of a lifetime.
🗺️ Not Big Data, But Customer Leadership
Rather than big data for insights, the speaker advocates customer leadership - talking to engaged people, treating different customers differently.
👩🎨 Average Isn't Beautiful, Be Extraordinary
The curve has shifted where more weird and engaged people exist than average masses to market to. Unique brands focuing on weird consumers are shown.
🌄 No More Reassurance, Likely Failure on Way
The speaker argues reassurance doesn't work - creativity means likely failure but adjusting based on learnings. Fear is the opposite of creativity.
🙋 Taking the Leap into the Void
The speech closes by encouraging attendees to take risks and lead even when it seems too soon - relating examples of innovators throughout history.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡industrialism
💡connection
💡remarkable
💡lead
💡tension
💡art
💡adjust
💡enroll
💡hubris
💡leap
Highlights
Industrialism made us all rich, but now it's not working because people aren't listening to ads anymore.
We need to treat different people differently instead of selling average products to average people.
Focus on the weird people who actually want what you have rather than trying to appeal to the masses.
In the connection economy, value comes from coordination, trust, permission, and sharing ideas.
Generosity and art are key - people want to connect with organizations that aren't just taking, but are willing to give.
Marketing is now about understanding who your people are and what things they do, then inventing products and movements for them.
Leaders don't wait for instructions, they commit to big ideas and make change happen.
There's no shortage of competence. We need leaders willing to speak truths, be creative, and take risks.
Don't reassure people - tell them they'll probably fail. But failure is required for innovation.
Art has nothing to do with painting or writing - it's about making connections and doing things that might not work.
Jobs as we know them are brand new and likely to disappear again. The best ones will become art.
Change always involves tension and vulnerability. But we can't have change without it.
It's always too soon to take risks. But the people who changed the world did it anyway.
Fear isn't the opposite of creativity, creativity is the opposite of fear.
The question is not whether you'll succeed. The question is whether you'll choose to matter.
Transcripts
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