Seth Godin on Modern Marketing

Marketing is not a random exercise. Rather, marketing is effective when it is done with intent and planning.

Start marketing by answering this question: What is your marketing for? All marketers make change happen. It can be trivial: marketers change non-customers into customers, but it is often much more profound. We help customers become the person they want to be.

For example, Harley Davidson turns a specific group of people from disrespected outsiders into beloved insiders.

Marketing is the act of going into the world with the intention to make a change happen.

This means you're responsible. You're making the change and bringing it forward. That makes you responsible for the effects and side effects of what you do.

Marketing gives you the leverage and the tools to make a change happen. Marketers can get under people's skin. They tell a story that spreads. They make stuff that people want to engage with.

What do you want to change? From what state to what state, from what belief to what belief, from what status to what status?