Force Your Marketeers to Watch This Video

For months now, I've explained how marketeers are just wasting time and money when they pursue traditional branding. I've pointed out -- repeatedly -- that brand is only a reflection of product, and therefore it's stupid to talk about "building a brand" if your product isn't remarkable. Furthermore, we've spent multiple posts and comment threads on building customer-focused messages. To bring this all together -- and hopefully finally make the case to the marketeers that they have simply GOT to change -- here's a video featuring the best-selling author Seth Godin. As usual, I've included a summary at the end.

Here's a quick summary of what Seth said.

WHAT IS MARKETING?

• Have a product that people want.
• Tell the truth about the product.
• Have a "remarkable" story... one that other people want to tell.

• There are so many choices, buyers don't need you or your firm.
• There is so much "noise", you can't force people to listen to you.
• The only way to cut through is have other people tell your story.

• It never the buyer's story, it's always the customer's story.
• The story makes the teller (the customer) feel good telling it.
• That's why the customer tells it to your prospects.

Full Disclosure: I often write for SellingPower magazine, the producers of this video, which also has a distribution agreement with BNET for video content.