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All Marketers Are Liars - Seth Godin

I think Seth Godin writes great marketing books. I particularly like this book because he focuses on the telling of great and authentic stories. Although he writes about 'the consumer', I like to think of that person as any consumer of ideas. So it's not just about people who buy products; it's also about those executives, managers, partners, team members, &c. that need to believe in your ideas for them to succeed. From my own experience, I have seen how telling compelling stories influences executive management decisions, and how one cannot just rely upon the merits of an idea alone. It's not simply what you say, but how you say it (or show it). In this book, Godin offers great advice and examples on how to craft powerful stories and what will make them authentic. You don't have to be in marketing to appreciate this book. If you're in the ideas or innovation business, this book is for you, too.

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Comments (4)

May 10, 2009
is me! said...
I so agree with the title of the book.
May 10, 2009
:-) Actually, in the book, Godin points out that marketers aren't really liars. 'They are just storytellers. It's the consumers who are liars. As consumers, we lie to ourselves every day.'
May 11, 2009
is me! said...
Interesting: We lie to ourselves that products are really good? Or is it just our ignorance that they aren't as good as they are supposed to be.

May 11, 2009
We tell ourselves the stories that we believe will benefit us. We tell ourselves that bottled water is healthier than tap water - and are happy to pay a premium price for it - even though the opposite can be just as true. Or that granola is a health food, even though most granola is full of sugar and saturated fats. Marketers simply tell us the stories we want to believe. We are complicit in marketing. Each one of us has his or her own definition of 'good.' For some it's 'best value for the dollar.' For others, it's 'organic' or 'made in Italy' or 'anything designed by Starck.'

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