How to Spread an Idea by Seth Godin
An Interview With Uber-Marketing Guru Seth Godin
Today is an amazing day! At HungryPeople, we rarely get the chance to speak to our heroes. And today a miracle happened and yes folks, we’re having Seth Godin! Considered as one of the world’s leading authorities in and on marketing, Seth has continued to amaze the business world with his fascinating and effective ideas that not only captivate the world but set us on FIRE!
In this amazing interview, Seth gives yet his most interesting take on what spreading ideas is all about. YOU should read on.
Take us back to when YOU were starting ChangeThis. What was YOUR original motivation in starting it?
Ideas that spread, win. And the digital age is demonstrating that ideas can spread online fast. So, how could we figure out a way to package and spread important ideas, ideas that mattered, ideas that made things better… as opposed to junky YouTube videos? The answer was to come up with something longer than a blog post, shorter than a book and beautifully laid out.
So far, more than a dozen bestsellers (including books by Malcolm Gladwell and the Freakonomics guys) have appeared in ChangeThis format first. I’m really proud of that.
YOU seem to be starting many of the amazing things on the web: Ideavirus, ChangeThis, Squidoo, etc., where do YOU get all the energy to do this? Why do YOU do this?
Because we ship. That’s what people do. We make things happen. The internet makes it easier than ever to ship ideas out the door. How can you sit this one out?
What’s the key to being a great marketer?
Tell stories that spread. Make products that are remarkable. Live the story, be consistent, stick it out!
Describe to us an ideal marketing strategy for YOU? Is there such a thing?
I don’t think we should spend a lot of time on “ideal” and I don’t think you should change who you are in order to be a better marketer. But once you understand what you WANT, figure out how to tell a story about it, one that works and spreads.
Should YOU have a background in Sales to be great at Marketing?
Everyone should have a background in sales as far as I’m concerned.
If YOU were stuck with Malcolm Gladwell for one hour inside an elevator, what can we expect from both of YOU?
That actually happened (well, not an elevator, but backstage). It was fun. He’s one of the kindest, smartest guys I know. Our job (if I can put myself in his job category) is to encourage people to rethink what they’re sure they know.
Who are YOUR personal heroes? Why?
People like you, and the people reading this. People who ship. People who stand up, speak out, think things through (at least a little). Individuals who understand that they have an opportunity and a responsibility. Great teachers, the ones who will stand up to the forces of mediocrity. And any parent who shows up and does the job.
What are YOU hungry for?
I feel like I’m only getting started in spreading ideas that have a chance of changing the world for the better. I’m hungry for more of that.
About Seth Godin
Seth Godin is an author, blogger and public speaker. He has founded many companies, including Yoyodyne and Squidoo.com. So far, his 11 books have been translated into 34 languages. He’s probably most proud of the amazing work and breakthrough ideas that people have been provoked into finding as a result of his daily provocations.
