How To Reach Your Audience? (Ft. Seth Godin)

Summary

In this insightful video, Seth Godin, founder of altMBA and author of 'This is Marketing,' emphasizes that the key to spreading ideas is to create ones worth sharing. He highlights the importance of practical empathy in marketing, understanding the audience's wants and beliefs without necessarily agreeing with them. Godin discusses the distinction between brand advertising and direct response, noting that while direct response can be measured and effective for specific products, brand advertising builds a gradual connection with consumers. He also touches on the importance of consistency in marketing messages and the value of creating a sense of community around products or services.

Takeaways

• 🚀 The key to making ideas spread is to create something worth talking about, rather than relying solely on social media tactics.
• 🎥 Viral success like 'Gangnam Style' happens when the right content is made for the right audience in the right way, not just because of marketing skills.
• 📞 The fax machine's success was due to its inherent network effect; it's more valuable when others have one too, which encourages word-of-mouth.
• 👟 TOMS shoes and similar products thrive on being talked about, as they are more valuable when people discuss them, increasing their appeal.
• 🎓 Tufts University and similar institutions use stickers and other items to create a culture where talking about the university is beneficial.
• 🧢 'Love Your Melon' uses their product as a conversation starter to raise funds for a cause, giving people a reason to talk about their purchase.
• 🤝 Marketers should start with a product or idea that is worth spreading, not with gimmicks or tactics to force it onto people.
• 🧐 Practical empathy is essential for effective marketing; understanding and respecting the audience's perspective is crucial for connection.
• 📈 There are two types of advertising: direct response, which is measurable, and brand advertising, which is more about building long-term brand perception.
• 🎙️ Sponsoring a podcast should aim to increase brand esteem rather than expecting direct, measurable results from call-to-actions.
• 🎯 Being specific about your target audience and tailoring your marketing message to them is vital for creating a meaningful connection.

Q & A

Who is Seth Godin and what is his connection to the 'alt MBA' and 'This is Marketing'?

Seth Godin is the founder of the 'alt MBA', a program designed to help professionals develop their leadership and marketing skills. He is also the author of the book 'This is Marketing', which discusses the principles and strategies for effectively spreading ideas and creating value.

What does Seth Godin suggest is the key to making an idea spread effectively?

Seth Godin suggests that the key to making an idea spread is to make the idea itself worth spreading. It should resonate with the audience and be something they want to talk about.

Can you explain the example Seth Godin uses about the most viral video of the past 10 years?

Seth Godin refers to the 'Gangnam Style' dance video by Psy, which became viral not because of a brilliant social media strategy, but because it was the right video for the right people, created in the right way on the right day, making it something people wanted to talk about.

How does Seth Godin relate the fax machine to the concept of spreading ideas?

Godin uses the fax machine as an example to illustrate that for something to be effective, it often needs to be part of a network. Just like a fax machine is useless unless others have one too, ideas spread better when they are shared within a community.

What is the significance of the 'Love Your Melon' caps according to Seth Godin?

The 'Love Your Melon' caps are significant because they provide a reason for people to talk about the product. People buy the caps not just to keep warm, but also to engage in a conversation about the cause they support, which is raising money for kids with cancer.

What does Seth Godin mean by 'practical empathy' in the context of marketing?

Practical empathy, as defined by Seth Godin, is the ability to understand and connect with the wants and beliefs of the audience, even if they differ from your own. It's about putting oneself in the shoes of the consumer to create a meaningful connection.

How does Seth Godin differentiate between brand advertising and direct response advertising?

Brand advertising is about building awareness and creating an emotional connection with the audience, which is unmeasured. Direct response advertising, on the other hand, is measurable and focuses on immediate actions like sales or sign-ups, often through platforms like Facebook and Google.

Why does Seth Godin suggest that sponsoring a podcast might not be effective if done in a certain way?

Godin suggests that simply having a podcast host read out a promotional message with a tracking URL might not be effective because listeners often consume podcasts in environments where they cannot immediately act on the call to action.

What is the importance of being specific about the target audience when marketing, according to Seth Godin?

Being specific about the target audience is crucial because it allows marketers to tailor their message to resonate with that particular group. It helps in creating a marketing promise that aligns with the desires and beliefs of the target audience.

What mistake does Seth Godin say marketers often make that can hinder the spread of their ideas?

Marketers often make the mistake of inconsistency, where they claim to be targeting a specific audience but then create a product or message that does not align with the preferences of that audience. This misalignment can prevent the idea from spreading effectively.