This Is Marketing

This Is Marketing Plot Summary

Introduction

Marketing has fundamentally changed, yet many of our approaches remain rooted in outdated paradigms. The old model of interrupting strangers with advertising messages they don't want has given way to something more meaningful: the opportunity to make real change happen. But what exactly constitutes effective marketing in today's interconnected world? At its core, modern marketing is about identifying the smallest viable audience that can sustain your work and serving them in ways that create meaningful change. It's about understanding that people don't buy products or services—they buy better versions of themselves, stories they can tell, and status shifts they desire. Through empathetic engagement with those we seek to serve, we can build connections that transcend traditional transactional relationships. The frameworks presented here offer a path to marketing that respects the intelligence of your audience while creating the tension necessary for transformation. This isn't about manipulation or coercion, but about generously leading people toward the change they already desire.

Chapter 1: The Marketing Mindset: Serving Not Selling

Marketing has been misunderstood for generations. The industrial era taught us that marketing meant advertising—interrupting people with messages they didn't ask for. But true marketing is fundamentally about making change happen. It's not about shouting louder or spamming more people; it's about understanding the worldviews of those you seek to serve and connecting with them in meaningful ways. The essence of effective marketing lies in generosity and empathy. Rather than focusing on yourself, your products, or your organization's needs, you focus on the transformation you can create for others. This shift requires seeing marketing not as a department or a set of tactics, but as the core work of making things better for a specific group of people. When you approach marketing as service, you stop asking "How can I get more people to buy what I have?" and start asking "What change am I trying to make happen?" This service-oriented approach requires abandoning mass marketing thinking. Instead of trying to appeal to everyone (which ultimately appeals to no one), you must have the courage to focus on the smallest viable market—a group of people who share a worldview and who will miss you if you're gone. By concentrating your efforts on this specific audience, you can create work that resonates deeply rather than work that merely satisfies the lowest common denominator. The most effective marketers understand that their job isn't to use consumers to solve their company's problems but to use marketing to solve other people's problems. This requires the humility to recognize that those you seek to serve don't want what you want, don't believe what you believe, and don't care about what you care about. By accepting this reality, you can begin to craft messages and experiences that actually matter to them. At its heart, this mindset requires a fundamental reorientation: from taking to giving, from selling to serving, from manipulating to genuinely connecting. When you make this shift, marketing transforms from something people avoid into something they seek out and appreciate. The goal isn't just to make a sale—it's to create change that people will value so much they'll want to tell others about it.

Chapter 2: Finding Your Smallest Viable Market

The concept of the smallest viable market represents a profound shift from traditional marketing thinking. Rather than aiming for maximum reach, this approach focuses on finding the minimum number of people you would need to influence to make your work worthwhile. It's about being specific and intentional about who you serve, rather than trying to appeal to everyone. This approach begins with a crucial question: "Who's it for?" By defining your audience with precision, you gain clarity about what to make, how to talk about it, and where to focus your energy. The smallest viable market isn't just any random group—it's a collection of people who share a worldview, who talk to each other, and who can spread your idea. When you focus on serving this specific group exceptionally well, you create the foundation for organic growth. The power of this approach lies in its ability to create connection and meaning. When you design something specifically for a well-defined group, you can speak directly to their dreams, fears, and aspirations. You can use language they understand and address problems they actually have. This specificity creates resonance that generic marketing simply cannot achieve. As Kevin Kelly noted in his concept of "1,000 True Fans," you don't need millions of casual customers—you need a core group who truly value what you offer. Working with the smallest viable market also gives you the freedom to go to extremes. You can position yourself at the edges of what matters to your audience rather than trying to occupy the crowded middle ground. This positioning isn't about making false claims—it's about doubling down on the attributes that matter most to your specific audience. By creating an XY grid of what people care about and finding an unoccupied quadrant that resonates with your audience, you can become the obvious choice for them. The paradox of the smallest viable market is that focusing narrowly actually enables broader impact. When you delight a small group, they become your evangelists, spreading the word to others who share their worldview. This creates a virtuous cycle where your initial audience helps you find more people like them. As the Grateful Dead demonstrated by focusing intensely on their devoted fans rather than chasing radio hits, serving a small audience extraordinarily well can ultimately lead to greater success than trying to appeal to everyone.

Chapter 3: Status, Trust and Tension: The Core of Change

Status drives human behavior in ways we rarely acknowledge. From the cars we drive to the clothes we wear, our choices are profoundly influenced by how they affect our perceived position in various social hierarchies. This isn't irrational—it's deeply human. We constantly ask ourselves, "Do people like me do things like this?" and make decisions accordingly. Understanding this dynamic is crucial for marketers seeking to create meaningful change. Status operates along two primary dimensions: dominion and affiliation. Some people measure status through dominion (Who has more power? Who's winning?), while others measure it through affiliation (Who trusts me? Am I part of the right group?). Neither approach is inherently better, but recognizing which framework your audience uses is essential. A message that resonates with someone seeking dominion might actively repel someone motivated by affiliation, and vice versa. Trust forms the foundation upon which change can happen. In a world filled with noise and skepticism, earning and maintaining trust has become both more difficult and more valuable. Trust isn't static—it evolves as people move through their journey with you. The most effective marketers understand that trust is built through consistent actions, not just words. When you make and keep promises, when you show up reliably for those you serve, you create the conditions where change becomes possible. Tension is the force that creates movement. Without tension, people remain comfortable with the status quo. Effective marketing creates and resolves tension in ways that move people forward. This isn't about manipulation or fear—it's about highlighting the gap between where someone is and where they could be. When Netflix launched, it created tension for Blockbuster customers by showing them a better alternative. When a new social platform gains traction, it creates tension for those not yet participating. This tension becomes the engine of change. The interplay between status, trust, and tension explains why some ideas spread while others languish. Consider how the Robin Hood Foundation raised $101 million in a single night. They created a status game where Wall Street executives could compete to demonstrate their generosity, built trust through years of consistent impact, and generated tension through peer pressure. By understanding and thoughtfully engaging with these core human dynamics, marketers can create the conditions for meaningful change to happen.

Chapter 4: Building Remarkable Products People Want to Talk About

Remarkable products—literally "worthy of remark"—form the foundation of effective marketing. Rather than interrupting people with messages about average offerings, the modern marketer focuses on creating something so interesting that people choose to tell others about it. This isn't about adding gimmicks or flashy features; it's about understanding what would genuinely matter to your specific audience and delivering it in a way that exceeds their expectations. The key insight is that remarkability must be designed into the product itself, not added as an afterthought. The fax machine spread not because of clever advertising but because it worked better when others had one too. This network effect—where the value increases as more people adopt it—creates a natural incentive for people to tell others. Similarly, Slack grew rapidly because existing users had a powerful reason to get their colleagues to join: the tool became more valuable with each additional team member. The question isn't "How do I get the word out?" but "What would make this inherently worth talking about?" Building remarkable products requires going to extremes. Average products designed for average people rarely inspire conversation. Instead, you need to identify what attributes matter most to your audience and take a clear position at the edges. This might mean being the most sustainable, the most convenient, the most artisanal, or the most affordable—but you can't be all things to all people. Stack Overflow succeeded where Experts Exchange failed because it took an extreme position: making all questions and answers completely free and organizing the community around reputation and contribution rather than payment. The process of creating remarkable products begins with empathy—truly understanding what your audience dreams of, fears, and desires. This goes beyond features and specifications to the emotional transformation people seek. Nobody needs a quarter-inch drill bit; they need a quarter-inch hole. But even that's not deep enough—what they really want is the feeling of accomplishment from completing a project, or the status that comes from having a well-organized home. When you understand these deeper motivations, you can create products that connect on a more meaningful level. Remarkable products create stories worth telling. When Tesla launched the Model S, they weren't just selling a car—they were giving early adopters a story about being environmentally conscious, technologically savvy, and ahead of the curve. The product itself became a conversation piece that elevated the status of its owners. By focusing on creating something genuinely remarkable rather than just marketing harder, you transform your customers into enthusiastic advocates who spread your message far more effectively than traditional advertising ever could.

Chapter 5: Permission Marketing in a Connected World

Permission marketing represents a fundamental shift in how we engage with audiences. Unlike traditional interruption marketing, which steals people's attention without consent, permission marketing is based on earning the privilege to communicate with people who explicitly want to hear from you. This approach recognizes that attention is scarce and valuable—perhaps the most precious resource in our economy—and treats it with appropriate respect. The essence of permission marketing lies in delivering anticipated, personal, and relevant messages to people who have chosen to receive them. Real permission isn't about legal compliance or fine print in privacy policies; it's about creating relationships where people would actually miss you if you stopped showing up. This requires making and keeping promises about what you'll deliver and how often you'll communicate. When Spotify's RapCaviar playlist grew to nine million subscribers, it became the most influential force in hip-hop music precisely because those subscribers had given permission to curator Tuma Basa to guide their musical discovery. Building a permission asset starts with generosity. You earn attention by providing value before asking for anything in return. When Marvel wants to launch a new superhero franchise, they don't begin with nationwide TV ads—they go to Comic-Con and offer exclusive previews and behind-the-scenes content to the most enthusiastic fans. They're not there to sell tickets for a movie that's a year away; they're there to earn permission to continue the conversation. This patient investment in relationship-building creates a foundation for long-term engagement. The digital landscape has made permission marketing both more accessible and more powerful. Email newsletters, RSS feeds, podcasts, and other subscription-based channels allow direct communication with your audience without intermediaries. Unlike social media platforms where you're essentially a "sharecropper" on someone else's land, permission assets like email lists are truly yours. When DailyCandy built an email newsletter for young women looking for local sales and events, they created such a valuable permission asset that it eventually sold for over $100 million. The most powerful aspect of permission marketing is that it creates a virtuous cycle. When you consistently deliver value to people who have given you permission, you earn more trust. This trust allows you to make bigger promises and ask for deeper engagement. As your relationship strengthens, those who have given you permission become more likely to spread the word to others who share their worldview. This organic growth through trusted recommendations is far more powerful and sustainable than interruption-based marketing could ever be.

Chapter 6: Positioning Your Brand Through Stories and Symbols

Effective positioning is about occupying a distinct place in the minds of those you seek to serve. In a world of overwhelming choice, people need mental shortcuts to make decisions. Your positioning helps them understand not just what you do, but how you're different from alternatives and why that difference matters to them. This isn't about making false claims—it's about finding authentic distinctions that resonate with your specific audience. The process begins by identifying the attributes that matter most to your audience and creating an XY grid to map the competitive landscape. For example, a music teacher might position themselves along axes of "rigor/casual approach" and "competition-focused/experience-focused." By choosing a clear position—perhaps as the rigorous, competition-winning teacher—they create a story that attracts the right students and repels those looking for something different. This clarity serves everyone better than trying to be all things to all people. Stories form the backbone of effective positioning. As Bernadette Jiwa explains, good stories connect us to our purpose, celebrate our strengths, deepen our understanding of our unique value, reinforce our core values, and help us make decisions aligned with who we are. Your brand story isn't just marketing fluff—it's a commitment to a particular way of seeing and serving the world. When you claim a story, you're on the hook to deliver on it, which is precisely why many marketers retreat to the safety of generic positioning. Symbols and semiotics play a crucial role in communicating your positioning. People make quick judgments based on what your offering reminds them of. The fonts you use, the design of your space, the language in your communications—all these elements send signals about who you are and who you're for. These signals aren't universal; they vary based on the cultural context of your audience. A hoodie might signal "innovative tech founder" in Silicon Valley but something entirely different in another context. Professional designers understand this language of symbols and can help ensure you're sending the right signals to your intended audience. The ultimate expression of positioning is your brand—the shorthand for the promises you make and the expectations you create. A brand isn't your logo or your colors; it's what people expect when they interact with you. Nike doesn't have a hotel, but if they did, you'd have a pretty good idea what it would be like. That expectation is their brand. In a world where commodities are interchangeable and features can be quickly copied, a distinctive position supported by authentic stories and appropriate symbols creates a marketing asset that can't be easily replicated by competitors.

Chapter 7: Creating Tribes That Make Change Happen

Tribes are groups of people connected to each other, to a leader, and to an idea. In today's fragmented culture, these tribes have become the primary engine of significant change. Rather than trying to reach "everyone," effective marketers focus on organizing and leading specific tribes that share a worldview. These aren't just customer segments—they're communities of people who want to connect with others like them around ideas they care about. The fundamental insight about tribes is captured in the phrase "People like us do things like this." From the clothes we wear to the causes we support, our behavior is profoundly influenced by our desire to belong to particular groups and to signal our membership to others. When the Robin Hood Foundation raised $101 million in a single night, they weren't just collecting donations—they were creating a status game where wealthy Wall Street executives could demonstrate their membership in an exclusive tribe of generous, socially conscious leaders. Building and leading a tribe requires understanding that the tribe doesn't belong to you—you serve the tribe, not the other way around. Marshall Ganz's framework provides a powerful approach: tell the story of self (your personal journey), the story of us (what connects you to the tribe), and the story of now (why action is needed immediately). This narrative structure creates the emotional foundation for collective action. When Susan Piver created the Open Heart Project, she didn't just offer meditation instruction—she built a community where people could connect with others on the same journey. The most effective tribe leaders understand that persistence matters more than perfection. Zig Ziglar succeeded as a salesman not by quickly moving from town to town making easy sales, but by staying in one place long enough to build relationships and cross the local chasm from early adopters to the mainstream. Similarly, the most successful online communities aren't built through viral stunts but through consistent, generous leadership over time. Tribes create change through the power of connection and peer influence. When a village in India gets its first water purification system, the early adopters don't just benefit themselves—they create visible evidence that influences others. The colorful water containers become symbols of membership in a forward-thinking group, and as more people join, those who haven't yet adopted feel increasing social pressure. This peer-to-peer influence is far more powerful than any external marketing message could be. By focusing on building and nurturing the right tribe, marketers create the conditions where change can spread organically through existing social connections.

Summary

The essence of effective marketing can be distilled to this: make things better by making better things for people who actually care. This isn't about manipulation or interruption—it's about creating meaningful change through empathetic service to a specific audience. By understanding the worldviews of those you seek to serve, crafting remarkable offerings that align with their desires, and building permission-based relationships, you can create the conditions where positive change spreads naturally. The frameworks presented here offer a path forward in a world where attention is scarce and trust is precious. By focusing on the smallest viable market, understanding status dynamics, creating and relieving tension, and building tribes connected by shared values, marketers can move beyond short-term transactions to create lasting impact. The most successful marketers aren't those with the biggest budgets or the loudest voices—they're those who most deeply understand and serve the people they aim to change. In doing so, they don't just build successful businesses; they help create a world where marketing becomes a force for positive transformation rather than an unwelcome interruption.

About Author

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Seth Godin

Seth W. Godin, also known as "F. X. Nine", is an American author and a former dot com business executive.

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