The Best Book To Understand Marketing

By Seth Godin

Rating: 10/10

Best Line #1: When someone doesn’t act as you expected them to, look for their fear. It’s difficult to dream of anything when you think you’re about to be eaten by a grizzly. Even (or especially) if it’s all in your mind.

Best Line #2: Everything that we purchase-every investment, every trinket, every experience-is a bargain. That’s why we bought it. Because it was worth more than what we paid for it. Otherwise, we wouldn’t buy it.

I’ve read Seth Godin’s work for several years now because his style and perspective is so distinct. He basically stands on his own. Like a purple cow, you could say. Which meant that I didn’t know how to describe him to others.

Was he a marketer? A business promoter? A self-styled guru? An advocate?

In truth, he’s a teacher. It wasn’t immediately obvious to me but it’s become clear with time. He is a different kind of teacher who doesn’t issue tests at the end of class or check your attendance. It’s a very inspiring way of comporting oneself.

It makes his work all the more valuable, too. Because if This Is Marketing were written by anyone else, it would probably be presented as a vehicle for … marketing. There would be an order form in the back to purchase more…