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This weekend Seth Godin launched 1,000 conversations -
- well, maybe not 1,000. I haven’t counted them all, but he definitely generated more than a few postings and comments in the blogosphere.
What’s remarkable is the way he did it: By refusing to have a conversation. First he allowed comments at his blog (contrary to his historic pattern), then he turned comments off again giving this explanation.
Howard Rheingold's shoes came to my non-linear mind. I have often puzzled over Howard's question, “Why doesn’t everyone paint their own shoes?”
Why doesn’t every marketing blogger allow comments on their blog? Why doesn’t everyone paint his or her own shoes like Rheingold? The simple answer is: We aren’t all the same – though I wish more of us would paint our shoes.
Seth has his own unique brand ownership fingerprint - just like yours varies from mine. This is where the genetic material for “purple cows” begins.
Temperament varies. Seth confesses to being a bit compulsive when he reveals that his obsessive nature would compel him to answer every comment.
Season of life and career vary. At this point in his career, Seth doesn’t have the time to answer every comment.
Style varies. Seth says he doesn’t want his thinking and writing to be influenced by those leaving comments.
I know lots of you are thinking, “But this is inconsistent with what Seth teaches!” Yeah. So? I know we like our marketing gurus the way some of us like our theologians and politicians: Consistent. But where’s the fun in that?
“A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds.” so said Emerson. If we want the marketplace and the blogosphere to be a “human place,” expect inconsistency. It’s what people do best!
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Comments
I'm actually surprised that so many people were surprised by these posts from Seth. He hasn't allowed comments on his blog for some time and, despite allowing comments for the one post, it seemed unlikey to me that he would turn on comments for all his posts. I'm also disappointed that so many seem to have taken this as a slight and are now angry.
The 'rules' that he posted were, themselves, inconsistent. I think that nicely highlighted the diversity out there in the blogosphere and indicated to us that his real message is that there is no "one, true way."
Occasional change keeps us engaged. We need to be able to rely on things (like our sources for marketing inspiration), but an appropriately placed surprise renews interest and keeps us from getting too complacent.
I appreciate Seth's posts for provoking thought and, if I care enough about the subject or think it's valuable to others, I'll go talk about it on my own blog. This has the advantage of forcing the conversation to spread to other people for topics that inspire us. Topics that we don't care as much about won't get picked up. Would those same ideas spread as far if we could always comment directly on his blog? Or would we see more of an echo chamber effect?
Posted by: Ariel | 06.05.06
And now it's time for the backwash of Seth Sycophants who bravely rush to the defense of their Messiah in hopes of attaining his grace and nirvana in the form of a link to them from him.
Seriously, Seth is an idiot and in no way a marketing God. I wouldn't hire him to market the most sellable item in the world, because obviously he's got nothing if he can't even live by his own credo.
And if you can't write because you're worried about what commenters might say, then I submit that you're just a piss poor writer.
I'm glad that all this conversation came up, because now I can avoid this windbag like the plague.
Posted by: J.D. Matthews | 06.05.06
Why doesn't Seth allow people to comment on his posts? Because he doesn't have to. Period.
Whatever you think about the merits or follies of his work and wisdom, you can't help but acknowledge his success. In his position, he doesn't need to play nice-nice with the self-appointed pundits of the blogosphere.
Marketing is about selling stuff. If you're really obsessed with "open exchanges" and "two-way conversations," form a circle in the woods and sing around the campfire. The rest of us have work to do.
Posted by: Jonathan Kranz | 06.08.06