We're all Marketers: It all Starts Somewhere.

In Seth Godin's latest book, Meatball Sundae, he provides an excellent definition of "marketers".

A few weeks back I had the opportunity to sit in on a webcast hosted by Godin, and as a gesture, Seth sent all of us who participated a copy of a his new book. Like his others, Meat Ball Sundae doesn't disappoint.

Seth writes, "What do marketers do? We spread ideas. We tell stories people want to hear and believe. We translate emotion into action. We close the sale. We make things people want to buy. "

He goes on to write, "marketers run things. They always have. Sometimes, though, the people running things don't realize they're marketers."

Marketers are in a privileged position to enact change. It reminded me of the most eye opening documentaries on marketing and the consumer that I have seen. Century of the Self is a BBC documentary that examines the origins of public relations, and the impact that Edward Bernays had on marketing and the use of emotion to sell. Very eye opening.

It All Starts Somewhere

It's important to remember that ideas, such as businesses, politics, social structure or cultural identity, aren't as they are just because. They are the result of the direct action of individuals, and often happen over a small period of time.

Edward Bernays , Martin Luther King, and our local David Suzuki, have worked many hard years to have an impact on our society. In the rear view mirror of history, though, the changes they've helped bring about will have appeared to have happened swiftly.

So the next time you get caught up in the way things are, remember, we all can make a difference. We're all marketers.

Radiohead's Permission to Market

Seth Godin's latest post The Truth about Radiohead touts the true value of the bands online foray.

Radiohead's recent endeavor selling their latest CD online and allowing the customer to set the price was a huge success for two reasons:

1) They sold 1.2 million albums at an average price of $8 an album(with no middleman) That’s damn near $10 million profit.

2) They have received 1.2 million permissions ripe for cultivating and monetizing.

As Godin notes,

"The fact that the group now has more than a million people they can go make music for is worth many times over what these people already paid. If they're smart, they'll continue to change the way they work. Paying for their mp3s should get you into a club, a club with continuing benefits."

That's the benefit of being first.

If you're not familiar with Seth Godin's work, you really should check him out.

The Time Value of Face to Face

I was having coffee with my Opa (Grandpa in German) today and he said something that made me think.. "I like to go and do my banking in person, it lets me get out of the house" he said. Instead of banking by phone, or on the net, he values face to face interaction.Why? Because, in his day to day life, it's more scarce.

As our population ages, face to face conversations will gain added importance and it is this inevitable change in mindset that will make these interactions even more valuable.

The restraints that govern many peoples lives, such as time and effort level, shift in importance as people age and move into retirement. As consumers move away from the life guiding idea that they currently live in, such as "i don't have enough time in the day to do what i need to do" and move into the mindset that my Opa has, face to face interactions gain value. When time is less of an issue and social interaction gains importance, there is an opportunity to take advantage of the shift.

Does your business value social interaction? Would my Opa schedule his day around visiting you?