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Small Is the New Big: And 183 Other Riffs, Rants, and Remarkable Business Ideas
As one of today's most influential business thinkers, Seth Godin has now collected the most provocative short pieces from his pioneering blog. This book also includes his most popular columns from "Fast Company" magazine and several of the short e-books he has written in the last few years. It "Clinging to Your Job Title?"; "The Persistence of Really Bad Ideas"; "The Seduction of 'Good Enough'"; and, "Judging a Book by its Cover Do Less". "Small is the New Big" is packed with inspiring as Godin says in his introduction, 'I'm certain that you're smart enough to see the stuff you've always wanted to do buried deep inside one of these riffs. And I'm betting that once inspired, you'll actually make something happen'.
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First published July 24, 2006
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About the author
Seth Godin
163 books6,551 followersSeth W. Godin, also known as "F. X. Nine", is an American author and a former dot com business executive.
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May 15, 2017
The subtitle of small is the new big is helpful for understanding the book: and 183 other riffs, rants, and remarkable business ideas. It's a collection of posts from Seth Godin's blog, as well as a 35-page postscript discussing the value of, and how to approach crafting, a website, a blog, and a marketing conversation about your product/services. These brief essays are by turns funny, informative, boring, repetitive, surprising, and helpful.
If you're reading this to find a handful of groundbreaking ideas or shortcuts to success, you're going to be disappointed. Rather, Godin offers new ways of seeing things, new ways of thinking about business and success, new ways of behaving in the rapidly changing online marketplace. Because the book is now over a decade old, some of the content is outdated—but this happens far less than might be expected. Godin manages to be insightful and timeless even while he's talking about how you need to change the way you operate as a businessperson or entrepreneur because the world is evolving.
Some of his ideas are stupid, but these are mostly peripheral to his main points. For instance, he says at one point that monks (I think he means priests) light candles and burn incense to convince people that God hears their prayers. Clearly he knows nothing about the ancient Divine Liturgy, or the deep meaning behind the physical acts involved in it. Oh well, you say, I'm not reading a Seth Godin book to learn liturgical theology.
Very true, but this attitude (he frequently talks about marketing your church) reveals a particular approach, and shows us something about why Godin is writing all this. That approach is this: it doesn't matter the ultimate validity or truth of your propositions and statements in regard to the product or service you're trying to market as long as you express them well and with conviction. In other words, start your marketing conversation well and you'll be successful, truth be damned. Of course, he frequently reminds readers that they should believe in what they're selling, and that they should be trustworthy, etc. But he also praises the monks for what he thinks they're doing, revealing that for Godin the bottom line is the end of the conversation.
Many of these essays reveal glimpses of a completely mercenary edge, so read with caution. Even as he's describing how the new entrepreneurs can best serve themselves and their customers through ingenuity, openness, and adaptability, Godin betrays the desire for gain that motivates the entire marketing field that he often castigates for just this stance. If you've got a product or service that you believe can (and should) change the world, you won't need all of the advice proffered in small is the new big. In the spirit of Godin's advice, then, take what you need and leave the rest.
If you're reading this to find a handful of groundbreaking ideas or shortcuts to success, you're going to be disappointed. Rather, Godin offers new ways of seeing things, new ways of thinking about business and success, new ways of behaving in the rapidly changing online marketplace. Because the book is now over a decade old, some of the content is outdated—but this happens far less than might be expected. Godin manages to be insightful and timeless even while he's talking about how you need to change the way you operate as a businessperson or entrepreneur because the world is evolving.
Some of his ideas are stupid, but these are mostly peripheral to his main points. For instance, he says at one point that monks (I think he means priests) light candles and burn incense to convince people that God hears their prayers. Clearly he knows nothing about the ancient Divine Liturgy, or the deep meaning behind the physical acts involved in it. Oh well, you say, I'm not reading a Seth Godin book to learn liturgical theology.
Very true, but this attitude (he frequently talks about marketing your church) reveals a particular approach, and shows us something about why Godin is writing all this. That approach is this: it doesn't matter the ultimate validity or truth of your propositions and statements in regard to the product or service you're trying to market as long as you express them well and with conviction. In other words, start your marketing conversation well and you'll be successful, truth be damned. Of course, he frequently reminds readers that they should believe in what they're selling, and that they should be trustworthy, etc. But he also praises the monks for what he thinks they're doing, revealing that for Godin the bottom line is the end of the conversation.
Many of these essays reveal glimpses of a completely mercenary edge, so read with caution. Even as he's describing how the new entrepreneurs can best serve themselves and their customers through ingenuity, openness, and adaptability, Godin betrays the desire for gain that motivates the entire marketing field that he often castigates for just this stance. If you've got a product or service that you believe can (and should) change the world, you won't need all of the advice proffered in small is the new big. In the spirit of Godin's advice, then, take what you need and leave the rest.
February 2, 2012
Once an artist puts some work up for sale, he or she, like it or not, becomes a small business owner. The time to read Seth Godin’s, “Small is the New Big,” is before taking this momentous step.
The book, though not written specifically for those in the arts or even small business owners, is crammed with riffs, rants, and provocative ideas that are worth contemplating if you’re thinking about transitioning from creating art to creating markets.
Take writers. Many worry about criticism, which blocks the path to innovation. Godin argues that no one starts conversations about those who play it safe. “The products and services that get talked about,” he notes, “are the ones that are worth talking about.”
And how about this: “Turn strangers into friends. Turn friends into customers. And then do the most important job: Turn your customers into salespeople.”
If there ever was a mantra for the self-published author, that’s it.
Godin’s all over the place these days. His other work includes, “Unleashing the Idea Virus,” “Permission Marketing,” and, “Purple Cow.” There’s also plenty of free stuff at his blog, www.sethgodin.com, which, by the way, starts many conversations. And he happens to be one of the speakers now featured at www.authorlearningcenter.com.
I’d be surprised if you read this book and didn’t walk away with at least five good ideas. For that, it gets all five of my stars.
The book, though not written specifically for those in the arts or even small business owners, is crammed with riffs, rants, and provocative ideas that are worth contemplating if you’re thinking about transitioning from creating art to creating markets.
Take writers. Many worry about criticism, which blocks the path to innovation. Godin argues that no one starts conversations about those who play it safe. “The products and services that get talked about,” he notes, “are the ones that are worth talking about.”
And how about this: “Turn strangers into friends. Turn friends into customers. And then do the most important job: Turn your customers into salespeople.”
If there ever was a mantra for the self-published author, that’s it.
Godin’s all over the place these days. His other work includes, “Unleashing the Idea Virus,” “Permission Marketing,” and, “Purple Cow.” There’s also plenty of free stuff at his blog, www.sethgodin.com, which, by the way, starts many conversations. And he happens to be one of the speakers now featured at www.authorlearningcenter.com.
I’d be surprised if you read this book and didn’t walk away with at least five good ideas. For that, it gets all five of my stars.
April 6, 2008
I don't often read business books, but this one was amazing. Easy to read, with lots of anecdotes.
Here are some great tips/quotes:
Every single article about Google (until recently) included the phrase 'And employees eat lunch in a cafeteria where the food is prepared by a former chef for the Grateful Dead.'...For no good reason. It's a jarring juxtapositions of facts that no one expects but is pretty easy to remember. Oxymorons make it easy to tell stories. (BTW, This is the reason why I want to do a marketing campaign like Don't Go to the Library. It will get people's attention. Just like the darn tees at B.D.'s Mongolian Barbecue that say: We do it on the Grill.)
Use sentences and short words.
Tell stories and give scenarios.
Use verbs, not nouns. "Shopping" says more than "Gifts."
A confirmation note that customers receive when buying a CD from CD Baby: Your CDs have been gently taken from our CD Baby shelves with sterilized contamination-free gloves and placed onto a satin pillow. A team of 50 employees inspected your CDs and polished them to make sure they were in the best possible condition before mailing. Our packing specialist from Japan lit a candle and a hush fell over the crowd as he put your CDs into the finest gold-lined box that money can buy. We all had a wonderful celebration afterwards and the whole party marched down the street to the post ofice where the entire town of Portland waved Bon Voyage to your package, on its way to you, in our private CD Baby jet on this day, Tuesday, June 18th. I hope you had a wonderful time shopping at CD Baby. We sure did. Your picture is on our wall as
Customer of the Year. We're all exhausted but can't wait for you to come back to CD-BABY.com! (This is what I would love to do for our Hold and Overdue notices at the library. Think it would fly?)
Always look to re-imagine your product or service. Why make a better CD player when you could invent the iPod?
Instead of changing, try "zooming." Zooming is about stretching your limits without threatening your foundation. It's about handling new ideas, new opportunities, and new challenges without triggering the change avoidance reflex. You already zoom every day...by buying a new CD or trying a new restaurant.
Blogs work when they are based on: candor, urgency, timeliness, pithiness, controversy, utility.
In the new world of business, you either have to be cheaper or different. Otherwise, you'll sink.
Here are some great tips/quotes:
Every single article about Google (until recently) included the phrase 'And employees eat lunch in a cafeteria where the food is prepared by a former chef for the Grateful Dead.'...For no good reason. It's a jarring juxtapositions of facts that no one expects but is pretty easy to remember. Oxymorons make it easy to tell stories. (BTW, This is the reason why I want to do a marketing campaign like Don't Go to the Library. It will get people's attention. Just like the darn tees at B.D.'s Mongolian Barbecue that say: We do it on the Grill.)
Use sentences and short words.
Tell stories and give scenarios.
Use verbs, not nouns. "Shopping" says more than "Gifts."
A confirmation note that customers receive when buying a CD from CD Baby: Your CDs have been gently taken from our CD Baby shelves with sterilized contamination-free gloves and placed onto a satin pillow. A team of 50 employees inspected your CDs and polished them to make sure they were in the best possible condition before mailing. Our packing specialist from Japan lit a candle and a hush fell over the crowd as he put your CDs into the finest gold-lined box that money can buy. We all had a wonderful celebration afterwards and the whole party marched down the street to the post ofice where the entire town of Portland waved Bon Voyage to your package, on its way to you, in our private CD Baby jet on this day, Tuesday, June 18th. I hope you had a wonderful time shopping at CD Baby. We sure did. Your picture is on our wall as
Customer of the Year. We're all exhausted but can't wait for you to come back to CD-BABY.com! (This is what I would love to do for our Hold and Overdue notices at the library. Think it would fly?)
Always look to re-imagine your product or service. Why make a better CD player when you could invent the iPod?
Instead of changing, try "zooming." Zooming is about stretching your limits without threatening your foundation. It's about handling new ideas, new opportunities, and new challenges without triggering the change avoidance reflex. You already zoom every day...by buying a new CD or trying a new restaurant.
Blogs work when they are based on: candor, urgency, timeliness, pithiness, controversy, utility.
In the new world of business, you either have to be cheaper or different. Otherwise, you'll sink.
February 11, 2022
For me it was hard to read as it is a bit outdated, also the style that might catch in a conference of 10 steps to succeed. All in all I got a couple of new sites I didn't know, but most don't exist anymore 🤷♂️. So, nice history book.
March 15, 2019
Although some might find this a dated book, I believe Seth Godin is a legend and way ahead of his time. The topics still resonate today, for example for emerging countries and markets on the digital/marketing transformation journey, so much is still valid. For the individuals looking to get a kick or boost, to think differently, there's much to find here. Seth is remarkable, his breadth and depth of topics never ceases to amaze me.
It's not a book to read in one setting though!
It's not a book to read in one setting though!
August 23, 2019
To the author's credit, this book was written in 2006 so it's outdated and not very useful in 2019.
That being said, it reads VERY thin and doesn't offer much real help. In fact, most of it reads like petty boomer whining. "I get too many spam emails!" His advice is usually something along the lines of "don't do things that annoy me!"
I'm sure this guy is successful and knowledgeable in a lot of ways but he doesn't share much wisdom here, and his writing comes across as uninformed or like he can't be bothered to back things up with research. It all reads like blog posts which I think they are. He talks about writing blogs and columns so I think this whole book is just his blog posts loosely patched together. I am a certified idiot and even I could punch holes through a lot of his arguments.
The most laughable section is the one about how companies should choose a good name. He lists off many very successful companies with bad names, then lists some of his own companies with good names, names like "Skidoozle" or something. He also says that "PRIUS" is a terrible name and then one chapter later mentions that he drives one. I think Prius is doing fine, and their name is fine.
There are a lot of really helpful books about small businesses and marketing, don't spend your valuable time with this book.
That being said, it reads VERY thin and doesn't offer much real help. In fact, most of it reads like petty boomer whining. "I get too many spam emails!" His advice is usually something along the lines of "don't do things that annoy me!"
I'm sure this guy is successful and knowledgeable in a lot of ways but he doesn't share much wisdom here, and his writing comes across as uninformed or like he can't be bothered to back things up with research. It all reads like blog posts which I think they are. He talks about writing blogs and columns so I think this whole book is just his blog posts loosely patched together. I am a certified idiot and even I could punch holes through a lot of his arguments.
The most laughable section is the one about how companies should choose a good name. He lists off many very successful companies with bad names, then lists some of his own companies with good names, names like "Skidoozle" or something. He also says that "PRIUS" is a terrible name and then one chapter later mentions that he drives one. I think Prius is doing fine, and their name is fine.
There are a lot of really helpful books about small businesses and marketing, don't spend your valuable time with this book.
May 29, 2015
I didn't feel like reading the book anymore at "Egomaniac." I borrowed this book, because it's popular and gives actually really helpful advice about product design. It was very informative in terms of thinking differently to improve or start a business, but I can't stand the way he sounds. Just like how to a like a subject but don't like a professor's personality, each "post" made me think about design differently, but the author's tone and voice just overpowered the ideas. It was to the point I can't tell if he's speaking out of wisdom or ego.
Conclusion: Great ideas, gets straight to the point, makes sense, but too self-centered and over sensitive (it includes a screen shot of a rejection e-mail from Google, but just read the book to find out why). Read if you love TED talks, because every little snippet is so different and really gets you thinking, like a lot. This book is like if TED just threw up a bunch of little snippets in book-form. He talks a lot about moving forward, thinking, differently, ideal things that are just not concrete enough for me to keep on reading for. The only thing I like about the author is he's okay if you disagree.
Conclusion: Great ideas, gets straight to the point, makes sense, but too self-centered and over sensitive (it includes a screen shot of a rejection e-mail from Google, but just read the book to find out why). Read if you love TED talks, because every little snippet is so different and really gets you thinking, like a lot. This book is like if TED just threw up a bunch of little snippets in book-form. He talks a lot about moving forward, thinking, differently, ideal things that are just not concrete enough for me to keep on reading for. The only thing I like about the author is he's okay if you disagree.
February 19, 2022
I didn't like it. I only got to about 10% but its not worth it. Maybe I'm not the obvious crowd but still:
A. It's a blog, not a book. It's an endless series of blog posts, most of them of very low quality, that the author probably made up in a moment of inspiration and never took another moment to actually review and see that they're not worth publishing.
Imagine you would publish all of your Facebook posts or your tweets or your blog posts in a book. Most of it is useless.
B. Most of it is useless, but some of it is actually nonsense. Just random thoughts that don't mean anything.
C. They're supposed to be inspiring, but most of the time, they're not. They're just random thoughts, lacking editing.
D. It's really outdated. And I mean really outdated. Very niche, very specific to its time.
You see how I broke this paragraph to different sections? Somewhat related to each other but you're not exactly sure what I meant by that? Good, welcome to this book.
A. It's a blog, not a book. It's an endless series of blog posts, most of them of very low quality, that the author probably made up in a moment of inspiration and never took another moment to actually review and see that they're not worth publishing.
Imagine you would publish all of your Facebook posts or your tweets or your blog posts in a book. Most of it is useless.
B. Most of it is useless, but some of it is actually nonsense. Just random thoughts that don't mean anything.
C. They're supposed to be inspiring, but most of the time, they're not. They're just random thoughts, lacking editing.
D. It's really outdated. And I mean really outdated. Very niche, very specific to its time.
You see how I broke this paragraph to different sections? Somewhat related to each other but you're not exactly sure what I meant by that? Good, welcome to this book.
October 12, 2011
Since I follow Seth Godin's blog, I impulsively picked up his 2006 collection of earlier blog posts the last time I was in the library. Have I mentioned I love Seth? He rants about the same things I rant about and there is nothing more endearing than knowing someone else thinks as you do.
Like all his work, he sparks your creativity. You are free to pick and choose and see what makes sense in your own world.
Loosely alphabeticalized, you can read this book in small or larger (would that be appropriate?) chunks over a period of time.
Like all his work, he sparks your creativity. You are free to pick and choose and see what makes sense in your own world.
Loosely alphabeticalized, you can read this book in small or larger (would that be appropriate?) chunks over a period of time.
December 29, 2014
I'm really done with reading Seth Godin altogether. I don't see any original points in his work, nor any actionable insights. It's just babble with no end in sight. I friend of mine put it very precisely - Seth Godin is the Paulo Ceolho of marketing.
January 31, 2022
Marketing Under Magnifier...
Small Is the New Big: and 183 Other Riffs, Rants, and Remarkable Business Ideas
Those who do not learn history are doomed to repeat it.
Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.
~George Santayana, writer, and philosopher
No person or company can escape their past.
What, then, should you do?
Should we bite and live in fear of our past deeds and words that come back to haunt us?
I don't think so!
We have a great opportunity ahead of us that is waiting to be used by both organizations and individuals: spend your future on creating your past, starting today.
Live your life transparently, fully aware that everything you say can (and will) be used against you (or in your favor).
When the time comes, the seeds you sow will bear fruit.
Blogs, newsgroups, professional organizations, and everything else are the perfect tools for someone who wants to leave a striking, positive mark.
~ Seth Godin
Marketing Under Magnifier...
Do the right thing as marketers to build trust.
~ Jon Dick, VP Marketing, HubSpot
Marketing is not a conversation.
Marketing is an act that triggers a conversation but doesn’t have to involve it, at least not from the beginning.
Marketing, like publishing, basically comes down to one person wanting to expose their idea to others.
If everything is in place, the idea spreads!
~ Seth Godin
The creative process is fueled by divergent thinking — breaking away from familiar or established ways of seeing and doing.
~ The Innovator’s Toolkit, Harvard Business Essentials
If you take a risk and it doesn't go as planned, welcome to the club.
~ Fran Hauser, Startup Investor, Advisor, & Author
Marketing Timeline ...
Speak to your audience in their language about what’s in their heart.
~Jonathan Lister, VP Global Sales Solutions, LinkedIn
SPEAK AND LISTEN ...
It all boils down to that.
It turns out that marketing comes down to two things.
... to speak and listen.
People were addressed as objects, through radio and television commercials or through street posters. People were addressed as objects through product design, characteristics, or pricing policy.
For someone who wants to be in show business, marketing is seductive. You have the opportunity to create a show every day.
Then, decades ago, listening became important.
Focus groups came to the forefront, and highly paid marketing experts began to pay special attention to small, self-proclaimed groups in the darkened spaces of shopping malls.
The companies said they were listening, but they were actually using focus groups to justify what they wanted to do from the start.
Feedback loops are too fast and although you can ignore the market, you can’t do that for long.
Speech:
Old, one-way speech is slowly dying out due to noise and overcrowding.
TV is in crisis.
Radio worked in a crisis.
Newspapers and magazines are in crisis, and almost out of the game.
Consumers ignore you all the time.
The most important type of speaking is storytelling.
Not dictation from the top, but stories that have an impact, stories that are authentic, stories that spread.
Nothing sticks in your head better than a story. Stories can express the most complicated ideas in the most digestible ways.
~ Sam Balter, Sr. Marketing Manager of Podcasts, HubSpot
Listening:
Custom focus groups are in crisis.
Unfiltered, non-anonymous feedback through blogs is growing in importance.
Listening to your call centers is growing in importance.
Fast production cycles involving users in product design are growing in importance.
The same goes for open source, where users are designers.
Addressing dissatisfied customers directly is also growing in importance.
Platforms are the next big thing because they allow you to create tools that will make it easier for clients or customers to communicate with each other.
Blogging is a platform that allows an organization to talk to people who want to hear.
~ Seth Godin
The most powerful person in the world is the storyteller. The storyteller sets the vision, values, and agenda of an entire generation that is to come.
~ Steve Jobs, Co-Founder, Apple
November 16, 2021
I also picked Seth Godin’s Small is the New Big from the pile of books abandoned by a now-retired assistant chief. The cover is creepy but I liked the idea of reading a collection of Blog posts from an innovative business leader. As Godin predicted, many of the sections didn’t resonate with me but some certainly crossed into my experiences. I especially appreciated the ones emphasizing human relationships.
Not surprisingly, I can’t stop thinking about the entry called Clean Fire Trucks. He notices that the fire trucks at his local station are always clean. He interprets that attention to cleanliness as an unwillingness to do anything except wait for an emergency: “Clean fire trucks show attention to detail but rarely lead to growth and success.” Granted, I have a significant bias here, but what he doesn’t see are the fire department employees behind the scenes repairing those vehicles, dispatching emergencies, teaching the public, enforcing the fire code, making sure firefighters have the right equipment and proper training, and doing all the administrative and overhead work. He also doesn’t realize that clean fire trucks show how firefighters demonstrate their appreciation for the massive investment that the public pumps into their jobs. Clearly, Godin didn’t research the topic. Instead he opted for a half-baked, half-assed attempt at insight, which makes me question the validity of his other 300 pages of Blogs.
Overall, I’m not impressed with Godin’s book. His emphatic recommendation that all business leaders Blog may have sounded great in 2006, but that is now one of many social media platforms. While technology and the Internet have changed exponentially over the intervening years, his ideas haven’t aged well. I liked the idea of reading his 184 “riffs, rants, and remarkable business ideas,” but they didn’t meet my expectations.
Not surprisingly, I can’t stop thinking about the entry called Clean Fire Trucks. He notices that the fire trucks at his local station are always clean. He interprets that attention to cleanliness as an unwillingness to do anything except wait for an emergency: “Clean fire trucks show attention to detail but rarely lead to growth and success.” Granted, I have a significant bias here, but what he doesn’t see are the fire department employees behind the scenes repairing those vehicles, dispatching emergencies, teaching the public, enforcing the fire code, making sure firefighters have the right equipment and proper training, and doing all the administrative and overhead work. He also doesn’t realize that clean fire trucks show how firefighters demonstrate their appreciation for the massive investment that the public pumps into their jobs. Clearly, Godin didn’t research the topic. Instead he opted for a half-baked, half-assed attempt at insight, which makes me question the validity of his other 300 pages of Blogs.
Overall, I’m not impressed with Godin’s book. His emphatic recommendation that all business leaders Blog may have sounded great in 2006, but that is now one of many social media platforms. While technology and the Internet have changed exponentially over the intervening years, his ideas haven’t aged well. I liked the idea of reading his 184 “riffs, rants, and remarkable business ideas,” but they didn’t meet my expectations.
May 16, 2024
O mais interessante de estudar marketing é descobrir que esse lance de gurus do sucesso é muito mais antigo do que eu imaginava.
Falo isso porque essa síndrome estranha de ser guru acomete até os autores mais interessantes dentro do tema, como é o caso do Seth Godin neste livro aqui.
As ideias são legais, o texto flui bem, mas não tem como, a hora que ele decide que vai dar uma de guru, sai de baixo porque lá vêm blábláblá! Desde previsões que deram completamente errado ou ultimatos sobre regras de sucesso que não tem muito sentido a coisa vira quase humorística (no maior estilo Guy Kawasaki e Google plus). O problema é que a hora que o riso passa esses momentos dão uma empobrecida considerável em um texto que de outra maneira poderia até ser considerado um dos melhores que já li na área de marketing.
Triste, mas este é estado do mundo que vivemos. Por fim fica um pensamento, será que é possível falar de marketing sem parecer um Prometeu sagrado que acaba de chegar com o fogo divino?
Falo isso porque essa síndrome estranha de ser guru acomete até os autores mais interessantes dentro do tema, como é o caso do Seth Godin neste livro aqui.
As ideias são legais, o texto flui bem, mas não tem como, a hora que ele decide que vai dar uma de guru, sai de baixo porque lá vêm blábláblá! Desde previsões que deram completamente errado ou ultimatos sobre regras de sucesso que não tem muito sentido a coisa vira quase humorística (no maior estilo Guy Kawasaki e Google plus). O problema é que a hora que o riso passa esses momentos dão uma empobrecida considerável em um texto que de outra maneira poderia até ser considerado um dos melhores que já li na área de marketing.
Triste, mas este é estado do mundo que vivemos. Por fim fica um pensamento, será que é possível falar de marketing sem parecer um Prometeu sagrado que acaba de chegar com o fogo divino?
September 27, 2019
"Riffs" is right. These range from mini blog posts to random thought dump to meditations, after which you imagine Godin's enraptured audience intoning "Selah."
They're personal insights he had during the week, but even Godin unbelievers will find it useful since he documents them compares, contrasts, and inverts them to understand WHY. I deeply agree with his worldview that the only way to know whether something works is to try it and measure it, then try alternatives and measure those, think about the numbers, formulate a theory, try it out, then measure it.
Also, customers are smart people who buy more when you respect them. Many marketers don't realize the contrapositive is also true.
They're personal insights he had during the week, but even Godin unbelievers will find it useful since he documents them compares, contrasts, and inverts them to understand WHY. I deeply agree with his worldview that the only way to know whether something works is to try it and measure it, then try alternatives and measure those, think about the numbers, formulate a theory, try it out, then measure it.
Also, customers are smart people who buy more when you respect them. Many marketers don't realize the contrapositive is also true.
March 2, 2018
This one took me a while to get through; but at the very beginning, Seth Godwin recommends reading this in chunks - not like a narrative.
What I really like about it is that it was written maybe 10-12 years ago, and some of his predictions have become hilariously true.
The other thing I like is the focus on small, nimble, agile organizations. That long ago, he recommended small orgs to get things done and make a difference. Now, “big” Fortune 100s are admonishing their teams to “think small” and be agile to be competitive in today’s marketplace. Hmmm. . .
This would be a good book to read/review again in about 5 years to see if his advice still holds true. ;)
What I really like about it is that it was written maybe 10-12 years ago, and some of his predictions have become hilariously true.
The other thing I like is the focus on small, nimble, agile organizations. That long ago, he recommended small orgs to get things done and make a difference. Now, “big” Fortune 100s are admonishing their teams to “think small” and be agile to be competitive in today’s marketplace. Hmmm. . .
This would be a good book to read/review again in about 5 years to see if his advice still holds true. ;)
May 25, 2019
Another great Seth Godin book.
This is a collection of posts from his great writings across many different topics.
Having read this as an audiobook, I unfortunately cannot recap some great quotes, but Seth brings forward the importance of the customer and "making moments matter". He reflects that too often the image is not the reality, and our role as leaders is to align words to action.
Interestingly I was reading this at the time as "The Startup Playbook" by David Kidder (that one on the Kindle). These really complemented each other for key customer focus and challenging yourself and the organisation.
Seth covers that the hardest thing to do is make hard decisions, which may involve people. However, passion, purpose and customer centricity are values, not tasks.
Seth always inspires you to think differently.
Do yourself a favour and read this book; as an audiobook it is great.
This is a collection of posts from his great writings across many different topics.
Having read this as an audiobook, I unfortunately cannot recap some great quotes, but Seth brings forward the importance of the customer and "making moments matter". He reflects that too often the image is not the reality, and our role as leaders is to align words to action.
Interestingly I was reading this at the time as "The Startup Playbook" by David Kidder (that one on the Kindle). These really complemented each other for key customer focus and challenging yourself and the organisation.
Seth covers that the hardest thing to do is make hard decisions, which may involve people. However, passion, purpose and customer centricity are values, not tasks.
Seth always inspires you to think differently.
Do yourself a favour and read this book; as an audiobook it is great.
January 11, 2024
Reading this series of essays 18 years after its 2006 publication, it comes across as occasionally helpful, sometimes dated, and somewhat repetitive with a splash of contradiction. In my opinion one of the enduring ideas touched upon in this collection is to focus on the customer experience as a way to invent or hone a product/business idea - similar to Clayton Christensen's famous milkshake story. I also found his rants on how most people are lazy and don't want to work hard and make waves very evocative of current thinking (proving that it's in fact, not a novel/recent concept with the rise of Gen Z).
August 30, 2018
If you like business books and can’t go ten minutes without being interrupted by your kids or phone, then you’ll like this book. It’s a collection of blog posts from Seth Godin’s website about business, marketing, and how the economy has changed over the past few decades. I find the author can make you think even with the few paragraphs he writes a topic, many of which are from his day-to-day experiences.
It doesn’t have to be read from start to finish, so you can put it down for a while and pick it up again without feeling you’ve forgotten what the book is about.
It doesn’t have to be read from start to finish, so you can put it down for a while and pick it up again without feeling you’ve forgotten what the book is about.
May 5, 2018
Enjoyed reading this book with many marketing and business thoughts by author.
I also liked the points made, specifically about a shift and reality of small businesses becoming in some instances more successful and profitable, than big corporations.
The minimalist approach by SMEs, that bears fruits of profits. The business structure, that became ever more agile and adaptive to the changes, that gives small businesses an edge to succeed.
Not a guide though, but good read anyway.
I also liked the points made, specifically about a shift and reality of small businesses becoming in some instances more successful and profitable, than big corporations.
The minimalist approach by SMEs, that bears fruits of profits. The business structure, that became ever more agile and adaptive to the changes, that gives small businesses an edge to succeed.
Not a guide though, but good read anyway.
April 28, 2020
Solid. A lot of outdated information. Would be cool to have Seth do a rewrite in today and see how things change. Many of the riffs and principles are sound still today. Sure makes me want to create and rethink the way that I do things. I am grateful that I have had a part in creating something amazing in the 2000s.
November 20, 2018
Seth Godin people are my kind of people. After hearing him on Tim Ferris podcast I was reminded to dive in to some of his books. I don’t follow his blog so this book of riffs and rants was perfect for me and convinced me to read Purple Cow.
December 20, 2018
Old book from Seth Godin but really impressive how he can go deep into situations and insights in business, marketing that we usually miss or just don't consider important.
how technology, web are playing to create new ways of doing marketing.
how technology, web are playing to create new ways of doing marketing.
February 19, 2019
This book is somewhat outdated (published in 2006) and the evolution of the internet, blogging, web sites, music, devices, etc....has been rapid over the past 13 years. Still, there are some interesting and relevant business and marketing ideas that might spark thought or conversation.
March 11, 2019
Whilst this book is over a decade old there are very few aspects that are outdated. I’m sure the reference to widgets and podcasts may have changed.
I enjoyed the chapters on rifting and his final chapter that spoke about mishaps; packaging and emotional attachment.
I enjoyed the chapters on rifting and his final chapter that spoke about mishaps; packaging and emotional attachment.
July 22, 2020
Will this pandemic do otherwise though is a question worth asking!
Though best time to create new categories and disrupt existing play
as its a compilation of old blogs of Seth Godin, this was read as one blog post a day and hence took 6+ months
Though best time to create new categories and disrupt existing play
as its a compilation of old blogs of Seth Godin, this was read as one blog post a day and hence took 6+ months
December 5, 2017
Didn't like it as much as some of his other books. Still solid ideas/takeaways.
March 16, 2018
Decent concepts & well written but this book started to feel very redundant after a while.
May 14, 2018
Entertaining
July 25, 2018
Material is useful and entertaining. It really is a collection of things related to doing things differently. One could read just a portion and still get benefit.
November 19, 2018
Timeless insights from Seth Godin
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