Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Seth's London Talk

I was lucky enough to listen to Seth Godin talk live today. It reminded me just how irreplaceable real interaction is. You can read someones blog, read their books, belong to their online social 'tribe'... but a human presence is something that can't be replaced. So, although I get accused of being a 'Yay Internet' person... I don't believe that online interaction replaces relationships, it enhances them and in my opinion relationships will always provide the juice.

He brought up many ideas. He spoke about different industries such as the newspaper, music and advertising industries and how they were having to reinvent themselves. In truth, it is a whole new beginning. Your model can't be based on physical barriers to entry. Anything that can be reproduced will be, and cheaply, and soon. If you were lucky enough to be in a university whose product was limited access to high quality education... your days are gone. Education is free. If you are a thoughtful academic who is prepared to tutor and give quality feedback, your days are just beginning.

He spoke about leadership.
'It's not about being the boss, its about being the leader'
Here's the thing. In a company, in your company, the top management choose the next level of management. Someone has to appoint you as a boss. You have to be assigned people to manage. No one chooses leaders other than those who follow them. And it isn't even following, it is being influenced by them. And it isn't really being influence by them, it is being inspired. So a leader is someone who helps other people achieve things that are important to them, not someone who gives someone else tasks. So the only person who makes someone a leader is themselves.

Another interesting thing he spoke about was in response to a question about how he finds the time to respond to everyone who emails him and posts every day. His answer was that it is about making the hard choices. He doesn't have a staff. He doesn't go to meetings. He doesn't watch TV. That gives him about 6 more hours a day than the average person, and he uses that to respond to emails. If he responds to 200 a day, 1000 a week, 4000 a month, 50000 a year... that is 50000 person, relevant and anticipated interactions that he has not paid for. That means he understands his 'tribe'(clients) and he doesn't spend a cent on traditional advertising.

Making the tough choices is what I found interesting. Stuart's 'Revealed Preference'. My 'Inertia'. Perhaps it is just a case of actually sitting down, figuring out what matters, cutting things out and focusing on what matters to you.

Not everyone needs to have a blog. I was wrong. But... I would like to know what it is you would rather do? And I would like to know that you do that.

Another interesting comment he made was that he didn't like the title of his book, 'All marketers are liars'. Yes, it did capture interest... but lots of people didn't read the book and so didn't know what the message of his book really was. His marketing is about candor, authenticity, and meeting real needs in a personal and relevant way. His marketing is a new marketing divorced from mass media interruption and short term forced sales. It will be interesting to see if people who distrust marketing will be open enough to see that marketing has changed along with the new age of transparency and idea exchange.

The session was very interactive. People came loaded with questions and passionate to learn. What a great mix.

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