Seth's Message to Marketers

Seth Godin posted his latest Fast Company column on his blog today. It's all about marketers and why it is that so many people hate them. He also offers some good thoughts about how to move beyond this as a marketer and become more effective, trustworthy and loved.

A few excerpts:

Somewhere along the way, marketers stopped acting like real people. We substituted a new set of ethics, one built around “buyer beware” and the letter of the law. Marketers, in order to succeed in a competitive marketplace, decided to see what they could get away with instead of what they could deliver.

RULE ONE: Smart marketers treat their customers like respected colleagues and admired family members.

If an organization makes a promise, then keeps it, delight kicks in. If a manager or an employee or a co-worker takes an extra minute or jumps through an extra hoop to honor a commitment to you, it’s something you’ll remember for a long time—precisely because it’s such a rare occurrence.

Do more than you promised, not what the contract says. Assume your colleagues are smart, and show leadership by respecting their work as if it were your own. RULE TWO: Treat your colleagues the way a smart marketer would. With respect. And keep your promises.

Link