Seth Godin is a marketer we’ve long admired. He’s the one who first pioneered the concept of “permission marketing” with his book of the same name in 1999. That seems like ages ago but it was a new way of thinking about marketing that was different from “interruption marketing.” That method involves the phone calls at dinner or the emails you didn’t sign up for. Permission marketing, on the other hand, is all about sending messages to customers who opt-in to your email lists or like you on social media (although social media wasn’t a thing when the book first came out.) Permission marketing is the basis of most of the best business practices that small business have at our disposal now. So, suffice it to say, that Seth Godin has long been a person we admire.
He has a blog where he posts something daily. The posts are not “how” to market but rather “how to think about marketing.” His posts provide some food for thought about your motivation or intention that can really help you get unstuck or figure out what it is you are really trying to do. He posted something recently he called “10 Quick Rules”. To riff off of those 10 rules, here are Seth’s 10 Rules with 5 more of our own.
- Don’t hit ‘reply all’ to an email unless you have a really good reason. And don’t write, “take me off this list” to a listserv, because everyone on the list will probably get your note. That’s been true for thirty years and it’s still true.
- You may think you can recall a sent email, but you probably can’t. Best to breathe three times before you hit send.
- Don’t type in all caps.
- Don’t buy anything on the phone (or by email) from a stranger, especially anything having to do with your small business, your computer, your Google listing or a charity. Just hang up.
- Everything you click on or surf on or do online is being recorded somewhere. Act accordingly.
- Backup your data, get tenant’s insurance and turn on ‘Find my iPhone’ on your Mac.
- When in doubt, restart your computer. If that doesn’t work, visit duckduckgo and type in your question. You’ll be amazed at how many people have had the problem you’re having.
- To become an expert in something, you’re going to need to read more than the first link that comes up in a search. And before you forward something you’re not an expert in, check Snopes.
- Offer help on something you’re good at to the community at least three times before you ask that community for help. Someone is always coming up behind you.
- Don’t believe everything you read online. In fact, don’t believe most of it.
Bonus #11: Be kind. Thanks.
Limelight Department’s 5 Golden Rules:
- Track and measure your results. Internet marketing takes time. You can prioritize your activities only if you know what really works.
- Hire experts. Whether your business is carpet cleaning or catering, you believe you’re the best for the job because you really know the industry. The same is true for other professional service providers such as writers and editors, graphic designers and photographers. It is worth it to hire someone with professional knowledge. Just like hiring an inexperienced cater might get you food on the table, you’re going to get an overall smoother, more enjoyable and more effective experience if you hire pros.
- Diversify. Don’t rely only on your website, or only on your Facebook page. Don’t rely only on paid advertising, or only on phone calls. Putting all your eggs in one basket leaves you vulnerable if there’s a change or breakdown in that one thing. There is a vast array of marketing tactics out there now, from video to infographics. Take advantage of them.
- Solve a Problem, don’t just sell a service. Try and figure out why someone should hire you over anyone else. What problem can you solve for people? Make that your selling proposition. If you figure out what you can do that no one else can, you’ve automatically separated yourself from everyone else in the best way.
- Customer start with content. Again, no matter what you’re selling, customers will find you only if you offer what they are looking for. If they have questions about carpet cleaning or catering, start a page on your website where you answer those questions. Create content they’re looking for and put it out there. They will find you and so will the search engines.
