COMMENTS
I don't represent traditional media but do think this movement against them is uncalled for. Marketers dont need religion, they need to use whatever works. It can be inbound, outbound or a mix of both. Making it an either/or option is unfair and unnecessary. Marketers should have an open mind and understand what delivers results for their particular product/industry/customer/budget and choose the right mix. It shouldnt matter if it was traditional or not. Just my two cents.
@Sam and Ed,
I'm not saying that there is no place for traditional media outreach.
I'm simply trying to illustrate that there is huge potential in leveraging the power of bloggers to get your message out. Traditional media is no longer the only way to spread your news, and as bloggers gain more influence, you should learn how to harness their power, too.
Companies should experiment with different outlets and determine what mix works for them.
Pamela
this is another great article! i will look forward to reading seth's book.
This is why I really encourage clients I work with to start building relationships with bloggers who are making a name for themselves in the community.
Even if you're a little guy and just starting out, good relationships in the business can support you when you need affiliates or people to give you a nod when you need it most.
Seth Godin is setting a gold standard in that we can not only benefit from reading what he writes but also doing what he does.
The next step is businesses starting to see bloggers as people and investing time and money into creating good relationships even if it doesn't affect the bottom line immediately.
It makes me even more passionate to get out there and help my clients meet more bloggers!
With all due respect, let's not forget that Seth Godin has more of a reach than some of these traditional media outlets he's not using. I don't mean to throw cold water on this party, but everyone needs to understand that part of the reason he's not using traditional media is that he doesn't need it.
Having said that, Seth has been at the forefront of non-traditional marketing for a long time and there are certainly lessons to be learned about getting publicity.
I'm a fan of Hubspot and Inbound Marketing, but you guys seem to be very confused about PR. One minute it's dead and irrelevant, and the next it's reinvented and vital.
For anyone to try to take a lesson from Seth Godin's playbook on how to launch a book or product is laughable. You think maybe the world's leading marketing guru gets to play by a slightly different set of rules?
Here's the formula in 2 steps. Step 1: become Seth Godin. Step 2, launch your new book using the "non-traditional" media approach.
If your point is Step 2 works like a charm, I totally agree. But that's irrelevant. Everyone will be dead in the water at Step 1.
Good for Seth. I am all for social media, however what Seth did makes a lot of sense if you are a known brand like he is. People want to write about you because it gives them readership and helps them build trust and reputation, which I think is great.
But, what if know one knows you and you want to launch a new product or book? and you don't have the time it takes to build the relationships needed to leverage social media?
Any thoughts?
I'm looking forward to seeing the end result of his contemporary approach to book promotion. As a first-time author, I feel like I'm shooting at a moving target!
This is not meant to be critical of The Seth, but virtually no business books use traditional media any more. This is how most books are launched now, especially from big name authors. Your headline could have read "Seth Godin Uses Standard Template for Book Launch." Granted, Seth was a pioneer in building this template.