Permission Marketing: Turning Strangers Into Friends And Friends Into Customers Reviews

• Why interrupt when you have the permission to talk

  
  By AFP8LN6IA7DKZ on 1999-11-25
  When traditional methods of advertising or direct mail don't work as effectively in attracting your customer's attention, what do you do? Read up 'Permission Marketing' and apply the principles and practices recommended by Seth Godin. According to Godin, an advertising message which interrupts a customer's life - her time, privacy and peace of mind - has a lower chance of persuading her to buy a specific brand. Instead, he advocates, a marketer can build a relationship with a customer over time and win her permission to market to her. In other words, make friends with the customer. The customer, then, not only becomes more receptive to the advertising message, but actually anticipates it. Godin calls this method 'permission marketing' and illustrates its strengths with success stories ranging from Amazon.com to Yahoo!. Simple? Well, not exactly. It requires a deep understanding of direct marketing and using the Internet as a direct marketing tool. But, Godin makes all this easier in his new book. Read it before your competitors do.
  
  

• Change agent Seth Godin reveals the future

  
  By A10872FHIJAKKD on 2002-01-21
  In addition to working in the profession of advertising and marketing, I'm an adjunct professor at a nearby university. I taught Seth's principles in my course on Direct Marketing last semester, and I intend to teach his principles in my course on Fundamentals of Advertising this semester. In fact, I intend to teach his material in every class I have that's even remotely related. Frankly, I think Seth's material should be taught in every university throughout the land -- and shouted from the rooftops amongst those in my profession.

  Simply put, the material in this book -- deceptively clever, succinct and, at times, humorous -- is explosive. I say deceptive because if you don't "get" what Seth's trying to tell you, I imagine it would be possible for you to dismiss the entire concept as shallow or gimmicky. However, I believe this information represents nothing less than the future of advertising and marketing. You will ignore it at your own peril.

  One of the biggest thrills for me was hearing my students put into use Seth's Permission Marketing phrase "Turning strangers into friends and friends into customers" -- even months after the class ended!

  Not only is that a testament to the clarity and brevity of Seth's ideas, it's also the distillation of his book's premise.

  For in today's world, we're bombarded by no less than 3,000 paid advertising messages per day. There's no way we can assimilate, remember and act on that many messages. No matter how creative they may be. It's no longer a matter of breaking through the clutter with killer creative; it's now a battle for one of the most precious commodities we're left with: our attention. And advertisers lose that battle every single minute of every day.

  Therefore, agencies who seek ever more creative (and expensive!) creative approaches to help boost their clients' sales would do well to read Permission Marketing. Clients who whip their agencies mercilessly, sometimes changing them as often as they change their underwear (because they just aren't seeing the results they expected), would do well to read Seth's Permission Marketing book. BEFORE they blow millions of dollars looking for the next 15-minutes of fame for their advertisement.

  Odds are, it ain't gonna happen.

  Permission Marketing clearly describes the problem and equally as clearly provides the answer: ask permission first. Then only send your advertisement to those who ask to see it. Reduced to a catchphrase, what you need to do is turn strangers into friends and friends into customers through the power of direct marketing.

  Since my field of expertise IS direct marketing, I grasped immediately what Seth was saying. I "got" it. And I know as sure as I know my own name that what he writes is rock-solid, essential information.

  The only critical point I'd make is that right now Seth's ideas have a chance to work. And maybe work for a decade or two into the future. But what happens when even those who have given "permission" to receive advertising messages don't have time to read all the messages they've given permission to receive? I'm a great example of that. I've given permission to receive about a dozen online e-newsletters. (In direct marketing parlance, I've "opted in.") However, I simply don't have time to wade through them all. (Truth be told, the only one I read -- and look forward to -- on a regular basis is Seth's.) So not all permission is created equal. I imagine as people get even more busy that even those advertisers with whom they have a relationship will begin to see a drop-off in response.

  But until that time, Permission Marketing should be required reading for all university students, direct marketers (who likely already know its simple, yet powerful message), advertisers, marketers and clients.

  Once you "get" what Seth is saying, you'll never look at advertising the same way again!
  
  

• A watershed book--I recommend all my clients read it

  
  By on 1999-07-01
  Internet marketing and relationship marketing are the subject of numerous books, but Seth Godin's Permission Marketing does a better job of explaining the concepts better than any other single volume.

  Permission Marketing explains the differences between Interruption Marketing (old-style newspaper, TV and radio ads) and Permission Marketing--where visitors ask to be kept informed and willingly share information about themselves and their purchasing needs. It reinforces the successes I've enjoyed in over twenty years of marketing and shows how customer relationship-building techniques that were previously inefficient and, thus, unaffordable are now within the reach of all.

  Permission Marketing cuts through the clutter of marketing theory and web technology and provides a highly readable, jargon-free conceptual framework for viewing web marketing in an new light. Throughout, Permission Marketing emphasizes integrity and customer respect--in contrast to books which are often subconsciously predicated on an adversarial relationship with prospects and customers.

  Permission Marketing will change the way you think about advertising and marketing and suggest a whole new approach to your web site. It will inspire you to break out of the mold of price advertising.
  
  

• Interesting Points But Falls Short

  
  By A27TA5HHC6UQ1A on 2000-01-20
  Overall the book raises some good points with regards to developing open dialogs with both existing and potential customers. The book definitely could have been summarized in fewer chapters. Some of the cases cited were great examples of developing interest in a product or service that definitley displayed excellent built in follow up mechanisms. However, since the jest of the book leaned towards the use of the Internet and e-mail as a marketing vehicle the case studies did not necessarily match the vehicle for outreach he was promoting. The book also left one feeling that unless games and sweepstakes were involved the Internet campaign would not necessarily be successful (I may be stretching this view point a bit but it's the impression I left with). Sweepstakes do not work within some arenas. Finally, what I was expecting was some strong advice on Intenet marketing but I felt more like I was getting a sales pitch as to why the firm I worked with should consult with Godin's firm. Perhaps an excellent method of permission marketing! But with any good book I did leave with a few good ideas I could replicate. If I increase my sales from the points of this book it will definitely be well worth the cost.
  
  

• Permission Marketing

  
  By A2NA93W63HY3WJ on 1999-12-24
  This book was a quick read, and I'd have to say more inspiring than informational. Instead of in-depth looks at permission marketing in action, there are quite a few brief examples. Overall, I'd recommend purchasing this book, but not if you are looking for a "How To".
  
  
• The book that defines Internet Marketing
  By A1CU82YCILUVW6 on 2000-01-31
  If you're going to spend any time or money marketing your business on the Net, you really need to read this book. Every major site has adopted the principles you'll read here, and my company is spending more than half its budget executing them.

  On the other hand, maybe you shouldn't buy it... more market opportunity for the rest of us!
  
  

• A MUST READ FOR MARKETERS, ONLINE AND OFF...
  By A1A7VS5J7OR71D on 2001-10-01
  If you are in the marketing field I believe Seth Godin is a guy who knows his stuff. He and Jay Abraham are gurus on the subject. His books are normally very timely and his more recent book, Unleasing the IdeaVirus (a book on viral marketing), builds upon what he writes in this book. I have also read Kim McPherson's Permission based E-mail marketing that Works! While both are excellent books about the subject I believe Mr. Godin goes into more depth about why current marketing efforts are becoming inefficient and how the Internet can change the overall efficiency of marketing through better targeting and lower cost delivery (e-mail). I believe he understands the big picture better than most.

  I am trying to continue my reading on e-mail marketing before launching my e-business and I have found Mr. Godin's books to be very easy to read and have me saying "That's why so and so does this and that...."

  Conclusion: A must read, definitely worth the money.

  Anyone that is interested in marketing should also look into Robert Cialdini's Influence, and The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing by Al Reis and Jack Trout. I would also read one or two books on viral marketing. Mr. Godin's unleashing the ideavirus is the best that I have read and I have heard good things about Anatomy of a Buzz by Emmanual Rosen. I have read The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell and thought it wasn't as well written as Mr. Godin's book.
  
  

• Offers Absolutely Nothing Of Interest
  By A516L0BNQSSLY on 2000-08-07
  I am writing this review in the hope that I can save someone the twenty dollars that are now lost to me.

  I have noticed that many of Seth Godin's titles begin with the words "If You're Clueless..." For instance, he is the author of "If You're Clueless About the Stock Market (but want to find out.)" He is also the author of "If You're Clueless About Accounting and Finance and Want to Know More."

  It follows then that if you AREN'T clueless, if you have even a shred of a clue, if you know a friend who might lend you their clue for the day, then please, save your money and DO NOT buy this book. I wish I could call you personally, dear reader, and tell you how very sorry I am to have purchased "Permission Marketing." I might get my money back through Amazon's returns' policy, but I will never get the hours back I spent looking through these dull pages searching for something of interest, something I didn't know, something my eight-year old (Jesse) didn't know.

  Friends and neighbors, it ain't there. If you are in any way experienced in business, do not buy this book. You already know everything in it. If you are in any way experienced in marketing or publicity, do not buy this book. You already know everything in it. If you are a desperately bored coroner and want to find a way to pep up your afternoon with what amounts to a 255 page motivational infomercial, by all means, this is the book for you.

  Please, do not make the mistake I did. Don't buy this book. And if someone gives it to you, don't read it. Save yourself.
  
  

• No news
  By on 2003-08-30
  While Godin does a good job retelling an old story about properly targeting, utilizing appropriate messaging and benefiting from modern (post-internet) media, it is not new. Some of his retelling is convoluted in endless metaphores. And, as this book was written before 9/11 and the dot-bomb, much of it is out-of-date and of reduced relevance.

  There are more helpful and current books out there about internet and other direct-marketing topics.
  
  

• Permission based marketing systems.
  By A1YLWECYDYHTVU on 2000-04-15
  Seth Godin is the Vice President of Direct Marketing atYahoo,and before that founded the successful web startup Yoyodyne. Inthis book he tells us what he has learned about 20th century marketing and how it is evolving as a result of media saturation. Media saturation is making traditional forms of marketing less effective. Seth refers to traditional marketing practices as Interruption Marketing and contrasts this with Permission Marketing. There is room for both forms of marketing in Godin's universe, but Seth exhorts most marketers to begin creating a permission-based marketing system for immediate and long term survival. The alternative to a permission based marketing system is the current interruption based marketing system that consists of big budgets for wow advertising that is meant to capture your interest long enough to deliver simple branded messages. Interruption marketing is about being clever at getting attention. You get attention with a great ad campaign where consistent attention grabbing messages are repeated in various media. Marketing research has demonstrated that over time familiarity can build trust in a brand as the solution to a particular class of problems. Trust equals profitability. Relying on interruption marketing techniques to attain "brand trust" is very expensive but can and has been done. TV, radio, and newspapers are required to create initial interest in your product and services. Godin argues that there is no getting around this cost of marketing. To build brand trust, however, you should try to use your interruption marketing to develop a permission based marketing system. In a permission based marketing system, the customer is asked for their permission to receive messages from the marketer. Often the marketer will offer an incentive that makes it worth the customers while to give their permission. The marketer will need to continue to offer incentives for the ongoing permission of the customer. In return, the marketer has permission to educate the client about their product or service and to build trust in their brand. This is most often done through email. In fact, Godin's book could be read as the authoritative guide to managing opt-in email lists for profitability. Saying that the book is about email is not to denigrate the scope of this book. Email is the internet for alot of people. Email is the killer app! Email marketing needs to be understood and mastered by anyone calling themselves a marketer. Godin's book has alot of good advice for marketers who would like to expand their marketing savvy into the domain of permission based marketing systems. On the surface, Permission Marketing is mostly about opt-in email and how to manage it over time. I think that you will find, however, that it has alot to say about how any technology involving personalization should be managed over time. All such technologies are likely to require substantial amounts of permission before they can become effective. Personalization is about more than filling out a form with your name, address and phone number on it. It is about collecting data on users over the long term, looking for patterns in the data, and adapting your interaction with the users based on those patterns. The precondition for this heartier form of personalization is the perception by the user that they can trust you with the data being collected on them. Getting the users permission is central. Godin discusses a variety of techniques and case studies that show how permission can be attained and increased over time. Permission marketing can be done honestly or dishonestly. All you know is that you have to offer free goodies frequently and try to trick the customer into a higher level of permission. I can imagine that many permission marketing systems are run in this manner. They may even be successful. Alternatively, permission marketing may reflect the ethical manner in which you choose to do business with your clients. You ask for permission to educate first and strive to retain that permission by consistently delivering superior value. This form of permission marketing has been practiced by many successful business people over the ages and it is hoped that Seth Godin's book will help us to see this method of business in a clearer light.
  
  
• Sick of advertising? What will replace it? Read and learn.
  By A2BNPSXWWJFJCV on 2000-05-30
  Mr. Godin does a great job of setting up traditional adveritsing's history, leading it into what has become its fatal flaw in contemporary culture. He further exlplains EXACTLY how the internet does indeed change everything, and how to take advantage of it. What's so great about this is that there's none of the typical shysterism and spin usually associated with marketing in this brave new world of permission marketing. Finally, honesty really is the best policy--so refreshing! The future of commerce is the one-to-one relationships enterprises build with their customers. One of the great ironies of the internet age is that even in speeded up "internet time", we must take time to build trust and establish ouselves with our customers. One email at a time. Carefully. Strategically. I can boldly say that anyone involved in the web (which will soon be everyone) who doesn't read and grok this book will be left far behind with no money in the bank and no customers. Anyone who reads this book and "Designing Web Usability: The Practice of Simplicity" by Jakob Nielson will rule over all their competitors.
  
  
• poorly written drivel
  By A1DA04XV52VDVZ on 2003-06-06
  This is a poorly written book with an interesting concept but it contains minimal content and is full of repetition. I was very disappointed by this book.
  
  
• Must-read. Future Classic.
  By A3DPTLLJH4TGR2 on 2000-02-19
  In 10 years marketers will look back and consider this book the turning point. It defines the new age of marketing with outstanding clarity. It is an absolute must-read for everyone in sales, marketing and product development of tradition and electronic products. I read it then order 7 more copies to distribute to the people I work with. If they read and apply it, it will make at least $7 million for my company.
  
  
• This is the book you want to read!
  By A4XW6DCWGYZ8F on 1999-11-25
  I read a brief review of this book on a local newspaper in Argentina. I bought it. Wow! It's not "Everything you always wanted to know...". Nor is it "Get rich overnight". It's a clever, easy-to-read, interesting book on marketing. Most of the things are valid not only for Internet, but also for any business you may be involved in. Do yourself a favor and READ THIS BOOK. Mr. Godin has done a wonderful job.
  
  
• chapter eight
  By on 2000-08-22
  few people in this day and age have the time to read more than a couple of business books a year. seth godin's is a gem for being so brief (a mere 242 small pages minus the index) where the american tradition is that volume (in books) is better than sex. however with the shortage of time at hand, do read chapter 8 "everything you know about marketing on the web is wrong". it has proved immensely instrumental and educational for clients and friends I have come across. needless to say I read everything - and liked it, was enlightened from it - yet if you're already familiar with one-to-one marketing, skip loads of the book.
  
  
• OUCH!
  By A2UMDKI46LJPKA on 2000-06-13
  I read fifty or more books a year, one-third of them about marketing. That is what I do for a living. This book is, by far, the worst material I've ever slogged through. This book is 200 pages of poorly supported examples, contradictions, hyperbole, and erroneous conclusions. For example: Ivory soap, made with coconut oil, was a smashing success; coconut oil was in limited supply so Proctor and Gamble scrambled for four years to create a new product that would use MORE coconut oil as a solution to the limited supply problem! Uh, what did I miss?

  The book is rife with such statements as: Cadillac buyers being "a tough to reach audience." Ever consider automobile registration data bases? The names and addresses can be had for pennies each. What's "tough to reach" about pennies?

  Seth Godin proposes "interruption" marketing is destined for failure. It probably is. He says it doesn't work anymore and that's why American car-makers can't sell cars. Uh. I thought they were selling a lot of them. He says their interruption advertising doesn't work. Americans buy more American-made cars per capita than any nation buys any car per capita. The audience is hooked on new cars. That's a failure?

  I am tempted to go on and on with more than one hundred examples of conclusions that are not supported by the facts. I won't. Just one more.

  Seth says Internet banners don't work. Okay, I agree. How did Seth build his company, Yoyodyne?

  "1. Attract target customers with banner ads promising a great prize. Interested consumers get more information by clicking on the banner, which takes them to a registration page."

  And that paragraph (about interruption advertising) is in the chapter on case studies showing how permission marketing works!

  The funny thing is that permission marketing works. It's an old concept, been with us for thousands of years. This book presents nothing new, nothing informative, certainly nothing to take back to the office. There is no meat to this sizzle.

  Permission Marketing got my permission through my purchase of the book. Seth Godin then abused me for three hours. It's the last time he'll get my permission.

  It should be sufficient to say, if you can read, don't bother to read this book.
  
  

• Insightful!
  By A1NATT3PN24QWY on 2001-04-23
  Imagine how effective your marketing would be if you had individual relationships with all of your customers and each had agreed to receive your company's advertising, either because they want the information or because they've been tempted by an incentive. Author Seth Godin makes this connection real, with the help of technology and he says you can do it, too. Godin argues that individualized "permission marketing" can break through the increasing clutter of traditional advertising, which he dubs "interruption marketing." The Internet is ideally suited to building this one-to-one relationship, he says. His engaging book provides a powerful case for this approach to marketing, which begins with getting the customer's consent to receive frequent messages. Godin combines a historical overview and a discussion of advertising's principles with a description of hands-on methods. We [...] recommend his highly accessible book to marketing executives in any industry and especially to managers of Internet-dependent businesses.
  
  
  
• Do not buy this e-book!
  By AGR08Z99UC4QG on 2001-10-11
  I have not read this book yet, and I probably won't because I don't have "permission" to print this file. I'm stunned that I'm not allowed to print this! I would never have bought it knowing that I couldn't print it. I've printed every e-book and pdf manual that I've ever bought because it's so much easier to read. I would never go sit at my computer to read a couple hundred pages of anything. I'm very angry.
  
  
• This book is totally overrated like everything 'internet'!
  By on 2000-03-24
  If the author would have limited himself to a 2 page article in a magazine, his basic idea of buying permission and upgrading it to increase consumer loyalty would have been fine. But since he chose to write an entire book and keeps repeating himself over and over again it is an insult for any half witted marketeer.

  The book is also extremely US foucsed since no other country gets anywhere near the reach via internet that America can achieve. While it will improve in the future, any internet activity can currently only be one part of an overall marketing approach and it seems that the author does not understand 'traditional marketing' at all.

  In summary, a nice basic idea but not worth a book!
  
  

• Dead solid wrong
  By A3BJAK3OXJZ9UG on 2003-10-04
  The suggestion that the old is out and the new, permission marketing, is in has been so thoroughly disproved by actual experience that it's reasonable to ask, just why does anyone believe there is anything behind that screen that a little tiny man pretending to be the Wizard?

  A few marketers tried to implement these ideas and found they had offended far more people than traditional advertisers ever had. For that reason, this books ranks with books touting Day Trading as the route to riches. No, never: nonsense.

  I couldn't even bear to offer this to a used bookstore. Instead, we used it as kindling for a fire. Expensive, but the result was good, and perhaps better than a PrestoLog.
  
  

• Permission is a Beautiful Thing
  By AI1XBFR26EF7K on 2000-02-08
  Seth Godin is a marketing genius. His analysis of what customers want is completely true. Mr. Godin shows that when something is personal and relevant, it is accepted. The book is written in plain English. It does't require much knowledge of marketing terms to be understood. This book is excellent!
  
  
• What if he's right?
  By A1A0CEJSI9O1X0 on 1999-10-27
  Seth Godin explains it all to you: the death of "interuption marketing" and the rise of "permission marketing." And he makes his point well.

  Anyone interested in the theory OR the practice of marketing should read this book. Although you may take exception to his style (brash) and his degree of certainty in the wisdom of his views(absolute), the fact remains he accurately and forcefully describes a meaningful trend.

  I happen to think he's right. You may not. But you owe to yourself to hear his arguments.
  
  

• Old concepts that can be "discovered" in Marketing 101
  By on 1999-06-05
  This work is yet another from the growing list of "new economy" prophets who write as if the basic marketing concepts described have only recently been discovered through the author's personal marketing epiphany. The author, who is hardly alone in the Amazon.com database, ridicules existing practice as a requisite for demonstrating the importance of his "new and visionary" technique rather than supporting his position with a more coherent argument. The first 71 pages and many thereafter derisively attack what the author calls interruption marketing as ineffective, inefficient and an unnecessary money sink. However, the author repeatedly acknowledges interruption marketing as critical to his success story (e.g., "...the first step is still to interrupt the consumer"; and "Permission Marketing can't deliver that first audience of strangers any faster or cheaper than an ad can"). The author's statements would not be so galling had he not so desperately depended on trashing current practice to make the meager case for his concept. The books provides a catchy label to existing marketing communication concepts; it is hardly revolutionary thinking.

  The writing is particulary irritating to anyone who has taken a basic course in marketing or advertising. The book is littered with contradictions and distorted treatments of advertising concepts such as reach and frequency. If advice such as "Change all of your advertising to include a call to action" (taken from the author's final checklist of "first steps to take to get started with Permission Marketing") sound like a marketing revolution to you, I'd invite you to sit in on a few classes at your local community college or university.

  No marketing communications professional worthy of the profession can consider this book worth the three hours it takes to read it. BTW, Amazon.com gives second authorship to Don Peppers, who appears to only have written the foreward.
  
  

• Please point out the obvious a few more times
  By on 2000-08-08
  Ok, I guess everyone fell asleep in marketing 101. Because I'm amazed at how many people are overjoyed with the obvious concepts this book touts.

  First off, this book is boring to the core. The writing style is slow, repetitive, and did I mention...repetitive ? He says the same thing (nothing) over and over again. This book should've been condensed to about 50 pages, which is all it needed.

  The concepts he touts are all quite obvious, which leads me to believe marketing as a whole has shifted to a sad state of affairs if they need this book to point out the obvious to them. C'mon people, of course we don't want to get spammed and we would like more control over how marketing is pitched at us. This wins the "DUH!" award.

  It's interesting to me that all these marketers are swearing this is the new Holy Bible of the Church of Marketing, yet I doubt more than 10% of those readers have put any of Mr. Godin's observations into practical use. God knows, everywhere I go, I have to OPT OUT of marketing campaigns instead of OPTING IN.

  Just look at the recent flap over online retailers sending data to third parties (and you know who you are). It's obvious marketers want to say they are concerned with the customer, and spout out chapters of this book during meetings, but I'll be amazed if they ever do anything about it.
  
  

• Challenges assumptions - source of ideas
  By on 2001-12-11
  "Permission marketing , turning strangers into friends and friends into customers" is a challenging concept. Chapter 1 challenges the assumption that customers/potential customers like to be bombarded with intrusive "interuption marketing". We do not like it ourselves, so why should our customers? Chapter 2 has "five steps to dating your customer", all based on value to the customer, and investing in the relationship. You find Godin applying good principles from personal relationships, into relevant lessons for businesses. For a book that takes this further, with some new examples from USA and UK/Europe, check out Cram's "Customers that Count"

  Godin's permission marketing thinking applies to Direct Mail, telemarketing and face to face situations. He quotes McD's "Do you want fries with that?" as the most six most profitable permission marketing words in the world. In chapter 9 he applies Permission based marketing to the web and has some good advice. For other books that add value in this area, take a look at Fred.Newell's "Loyalty.com" and Patricia Seybold's "Customer.com"

  I also found the evaluation section - Chapter 11 - and the Frequently asked questions in Chapter 12 useful. On page 239/40 of my edition there is a simple but compelling checklist of 12 things to do to put Permission marketing into practice. That is the essence of the book, and I recommend it to you
  
  

• Clues for the Clueless
  By AM3XXUA0H8P46 on 2000-07-27
  This is a clever little book. Not full of great wisdom nor packed with "Wow" insights. In fact the writing verges on dull and is partitioned such that every page or so is one full section.

  However, it is a rich source of ideas when you are stumped as what to do next in marketing or selling. Sort of the book that you hide at home and come in Monday to throw a new idea on the table during the bull session on weekend sports.

  Don't pay full price for it, but it is a handly little resource.
  
  

• A disappointing repackage of old concepts.
  By on 1999-05-04
  This book was a disappointment. If you know the concepts behind either targeted advertising or relationship marketing, then this book is a waste of time to read. Basically this 'Permission Marketing' is a repackage of old concepts using new words and adding case studies. It is nothing new to apply targeted advertising concepts to the web, that is what is already being done. Sure not everyone is doing it, but then again, not everyone thinks customers are important either. Renaming the old concepts to 'permission marketing' does not change the fact that there really is not much of anything new here unless you were born yesterday or don't keep current reading any of the many online business magazines. After the disappointed read of this book, I came to question the online reviews that claim the author as an expert. Checking further I find books by the same name author who acording to the list in Amazon has books on subjects such as Poker, Backyard Gardening, Disneyworld, Golf, Traveling, Super Crossword Puzzles, Insurance, and Trivia Challenge. That explains some of the disappointment, maybe, but I guess that does not mean that you can't write a good book on marketing. But then again, maybe it does... In any case, before you spend the money, I suggest you go to your local bookstore and check out this book in person.
  
  
• Don't buy this book
  By A1XZT928YT9RYF on 2001-01-31
  I had a lot of respect for this author from reading his previous work "The Bootstrapper's Bible : How to Start and Build a Business With a Great Idea and (Almost) No Money". That's why I bought this book. What a DISAPPOINTMENT. This book was very poorly written, badly organized. Nothing new. Believe me, skip this book and save your money.
  
  
• Interruptive Marketing Lives!
  By A2CGPWOSNNI2UJ on 2003-06-07
  While Godin astutely details the need to build relationships with customers, that's been amply covered by other authors. My main beefs with this book are its dismissal of all forms of "traditional advertising" and its specious claim that offering prospects incentives is revolutionary. Wasn't John Caples offering how-to booklets to ad respondents sixty years ago?

  However, Godin frames these tried-and-true techniques within the context of the Information Age, offering helpful examples of relationship marketing using e-mail, the Net, databases and the like. That may be particularly useful to business-to-business marketers. But anyone marketing to consumers should beware...brand story, great copywriting and broad visibility do matter still.
  
  

• Thanks for asking . . .
  By A103U0Q3IKSXHE on 2004-08-08
  Mr. Seth Godin, V.P. Direct Marketing at Yahoo!, tells us how to turn strangers into friends and friends into customer in the excellent book on how to be successful in marketing your products and services. I can only hope that every SPAM marketer, direct mail marketer and fax-blast marketer reads this book. Perhaps if they do, we will all have a lot fewer useless intrusions in our lives.
  
  The bottom line of this very well written and entertaining book is that Godin advises us that "The goal is to avoid surprising the consumers and interacting with them by sending only messages they expect." Those of us who were trained in consultative selling techniques will recognize much of what Godin advocates, but he packages even these "old ideas" in such a way as they are now usable in the new world of internet communications and e-commerce.
  
  Godin gives us the logic behind what most of us have intuitively decided is true - TV advertising doesn't work, direct marketing (as done today) is a waste of time and money, we are squandering our internet marketing opportunity, and we are alienating potential long-term relationships. Godin outlines for tests for permission marketing which, by definition, offers consumers incentives to accept advertising voluntarily. Permission Marketing must: 1. encourage learning relationships with your customers. 2. track the people who have given you permission to communicate with them. 3. provide marketing curriculum to teach people about your products/services. And 4. allow you to deepen your permission to communicate with those people in your permission marketing database.
  
  
  

• Purple Cow: Transform Your Business by Being Remarkable
• Unleashing the Ideavirus
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