Interview with Seth Godin

Over the next few weeks, I will be profiling certain individuals within marketing, hip hop and fashion. We will be starting this series with a man who has definitely inspired me with his viewpoints. That man is Seth Godin, NY Times Best Selling Author and popular marketing blogger. Seth has a unique sensibility about his writing and you will learn more than just business when reading his work. I am a strong supporter of his work and you will definitely learn and grow from his writing.

As an aside, I mentioned Seth as one of the writers to pay attention to in my first piece for Brooklyn Bodega. I am very proud to start this series with such an influential individual in the marketing community.

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1. For the readers who are unaware of your work, who is Seth Godin?

My work: I’m the most popular marketing blogger in the world, author of ten bestelling books that have been translated into 25 languages and the founder of Squidoo.com. I used to be VP of Direct Marketing at Yahoo.

Me: I like to disrupt the status quo and spread ideas that change things. I used to run a record label that failed. I have no musical talent.

2. I am a huge fan of your latest book, Tribes. Tribes tackles the issue of leadership and how to build a movement behind you. What inspired you to write about this topic?

Tribes are everywhere. They are amplified by the internet, but they’ve been around forever. And leadership is the new marketing. Marketing is no longer about yelling at strangers. It’s about leading people where they want and need to go.

3. You write extensively on how important it is to be a heretic in order to lead. Why is going against the grain so important in the creation of a following?

Why would someone follow an ordinary person? If you’re happy with the status quo, you’re not going anywhere. So, the only place to find growth is if you are willing to go to the edges. “He’s just like Britney, but taller!” is not a recipe for growth.

4. In regards to the music industry, technology has changed how we acquire and use media. In your view, the industry didn’t adapt to this change due to a lack of heretic leadership and has suffered for it. Do you think these issues for the Big Four (Sony Music Entertainment, EMI, Universal and Warner) will continue?

They won’t continue for long, because the Big Four are going to fade to dust.

Look, the entire industry is based on a business model that used to be perfect. The model was: sell music on a physical substrate. Vinyl was perfect. CD was not. That’s because it’s digital. And once it’s digital, it spreads. So now you can’t sell the physical substrate. So the edifice you built around this model has no foundation.

5. Recently, a lot of the newer acts in Hip Hop have used social media effectively to grow a fan base and become successful. It seems that this is the new method of thinking when it comes to gaining exposure. Do you feel online has taken over radio & tv for music?

Simple: The internet is the new radio.

6. My writing for BrooklynBodega.com is specifically to share my experience from selling advertising. On your blog, you wrote about the stalling mechanism used in business to business sales by most companies and the opportunities that have been created recently. Do you feel that sponsorship is an effective form of marketing?

I think sponsorship can work where ads can’t, If it’s priced appropriately. Sometimes sponsorship is worth more than ads, but often, on a CPM basis, it should be priced at less. Marketers desperately need to be associated with leaders, and sponsorship can help with that.

7. With layoffs and doom and gloom news consistently being reported about the marketing and advertising industry, do you feel this is a reflection of our current economic state or is there reason to panic if you are a marketer?

I think it’s a reflection of what media companies like to write about.

We’re in the middle of a revolution. The old stuff dies before the new stuff grows, but you can bet there’s a lot of new stuff growing.

8. Being a successful writer, I am sure you are influenced by many people. Who are some authors that you read regularly?

I read a thousand books a year, at least part of them. I read hundreds of blogs. It doesn’t take much time and it’s so useful. Don’t take my list, make your own.

9. A consistent concept in your writing is The Dip. A lot of Americans are currently in the midst of one, what advice do you have for individuals striving for success during such unique times?

This is a huge opportunity. Right here, right now. A lot of people are giving up. Guess what? The people who don’t, those that push through, will have a huge win in just a little while.

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You can find more about Seth on his blog as well as keep abreast of all the happenings in the marketing and business community: SethGodin.TypePad.com

You can purchase Seth’s books from his website

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Plug time

To conclude, my group Monsters Ink has a new record out. Please download and share.

Streets Buchanon ft. U-N-I, BK Cyph and Lex One – Different Over Here (produced by Lex One)

-Jrosen