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Permission Marketing

By: William C. TaylorMarch 31, 1998
Internet marketing pioneer Seth Godin says he wants to change the way almost everything is marketed to almost everybody. Will you give him permission to come in and show you the future?

That said, lots of agencies and companies resist such ideas. Permission marketing challenges some of the most cherished assumptions on Madison Avenue. People in this country are born thinking they have two inalienable rights. One is to become President of the United States; the other is to direct a major motion picture. Making a flashy TV ad is a bit like making a movie. That's what an ad agency is good at. That's why people want to work there. But an ad agency isn't equipped to figure out how to persuade customers to grant a company permission to communicate with them. People there don't want to do it.

Permission marketing also changes how companies evaluate their marketing campaigns. In this model, you don't care about cheap impressions. You care about deep relationships. Forget Nielsen ratings, clicks, hits, page views - that's all rubbish. How many consumers have given you permission to talk to them? How far does that permission go? Does every marketing piece you create invite consumers to "raise their hands," to volunteer to hear more?

There's one last barrier to overcome. If you get permission to talk to customers, you'd better have something to say. You need a marketing curriculum. The point of permission marketing is not just to entertain people (although it does need to be entertaining) but also to teach them about your products. And deep down, lots of companies don't really believe they can make a rational case for what they sell. They think they have to rely on style rather than substance.

Is the Net the only place where these ideas can work?

The Net is the ultimate tool for permission marketing. But the idea itself is more about mind-set than about medium. Many of the best-known Web companies don't get this. Yahoo! is a wonderfully successful operation. But every month, 25 million unique users show up at this site, and Yahoo! flushes those people down the toilet. Yahoo! doesn't know who they are, where they live, what they like - it's all anonymous. That strikes me as foolish. Why doesn't Yahoo! get permission to find out who they are, to learn more about their preferences, to lock in an overt learning relationship?

On the other hand, some companies with mundane products understand these ideas very well. I'm a baker. And I never use any flour but King Arthur flour. That's because every three months, the company sends me a catalog loaded with baking tools, recipes, and flours. King Arthur educates me. It talks to me in a language I understand. It has permission to send this catalog to me. It has permission to follow up with other mailings. In return, I learn a lot about its products. So I bake more often, I eat more flour - and the company makes a lot more money off of me than Pillsbury ever will.

Let's go beyond permission marketing and talk about marketing in general: What other changes are on the horizon?

I see three huge shifts. First, we're going to move from a world where companies sell products to one where they sell subscriptions. Do you know how much it costs America Online to attract one new customer? Something like $98. That's how expensive it is now to talk to strangers. But AOL can afford to spend that much because it's selling subscriptions, not a one-time service. So companies will focus more on creating deep relationships with existing customers than on attracting new customers. Marketing will become less visible - a private affair between consumers and the companies they buy from.

The business model I love most is the Book-of-the-Month Club. You give the company permission to make buying choices for you. Why can't lots of other companies operate this way? If I were advising Amazon.com, I would tell [CEO] Jeff Bezos to stop engaging in price wars with Barnes & Noble and to start his own version of the Book-of-the-Month Club. Instead of creating just one club, he could create thousands of clubs, each one tailored to the preferences of certain customers. I love business books. Once a month, in my email box, I should find a message about the four business books that Amazon.com thinks I should read. I'm willing to give Jeff and his people permission to make choices for me. In that sense, I am willing to subscribe to Amazon.com.

At the same time, Jeff's competitors will have to try to convince me to switch to them - as expensive as that may be. And this is the second big shift: Forget interruption marketing as we know it today. Tomorrow I'll have someone or something that negotiates on my behalf. Every time a company wants me to pay attention, it will have to offer some tangible benefits. Essentially, companies will have to pay me to listen to their ads.

From Issue 14 | March 1998

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Recent Comments | 40 Total

July 16, 2009 at 3:03am by Smith William

Exactly,you're going to get that person's attention.Online management degree But there's too much going on in our lives for us to enjoy being interrupted anymore. So our natural response is to ignore the interruptions.prior learning | journalism degree

July 16, 2009 at 3:04am by Smith William

OMG,There are 45 million people with Web access and 1.5 million commercial sites that are vying for their attention. That's only 30 people per site. The economics just don't work.High School Diploma | Distance learning

August 9, 2009 at 9:33pm by Elle Fenix

A very interesting article indeed. I have printed it out and will re-read for inspiration."The biggest problem with mass-market advertising, Godin says, is that it fights for people's attention by interrupting them."- this is such a good quote and I totally agree. And as you said, I personally do not recall what ad I saw on TV this morning let alone last night, because I consciously block television ads.
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August 26, 2009 at 6:40pm by Jimmy Durran

I have always really enjoyed Seth's approach to marketing and business in general, I think that its refreshing to say the least. He helps ordinarily uncreative people look at their business in a new creative way and not only that, but they can also make it work.

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September 21, 2009 at 6:37pm by Frank Groll

Marketing is taking on a whole life. Advertising is everywhere and will continue to work like this. I even see advertising while sitting on the dual flush toilet. Product placement will evolve with the presence of internet TV.

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October 30, 2009 at 2:28pm by Jack Black

Marketing online, tv, radio and print and have their own advantages and disadvantages. It is always bet to seek highly targeted leads to be sure your marketing dollars are well spent. High School Diploma | Distance learning

October 30, 2009 at 2:28pm by Jack Black

Marketing online, tv, radio and print and have their own advantages and disadvantages. It is always bet to seek highly targeted leads to be sure your marketing dollars are well spent. High School Diploma | Distance learning

November 23, 2009 at 1:50pm by Frank Groll

Advertising will always play a large role in a companies success. It seems like our culture is becoming more word of mouth and viral. Figuring out how to advertise without "advertising" seems to be the issue. dual flush toilet | low flow toilets | dual flush toilets

November 25, 2009 at 3:48am by dsfgty rtyt

What is permission marketing?give more details regarding this topic.

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November 26, 2009 at 4:37am by julie sarji

The purpose of business is to make a profit. This is not necessarily a bad thing, but it can get out of hand.

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November 26, 2009 at 4:39am by julie sarji

The purpose of business is to make a profit. This is not necessarily a bad thing, but it can get out of hand.

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November 26, 2009 at 3:03pm by Igor Gaspar

Yes, great approach to marketing. Of course we can not compare marketing from 30 years ago and nowadays. And all of us are very curious what will future bring to us.

November 30, 2009 at 5:50am by sdfh sdfyhr

The article written here for the marketing techniques is really amazing and the emergency dentist
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December 7, 2009 at 12:13am by kavya sundar

This form of marketing requires that the prospective customer has either obtained explicit permission to send their promotional message or implicit permission. This can be either via an online email opt-in form or by using search engines, which implies a request for information which can include that of a commercial nature.
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December 14, 2009 at 10:02am by Janet Fatham

I think that forms have their place but the main aim of having the website is to get people to contact you, so you have to make it as easy as possible for them.

I personally give my visitors a number of options to contact me - form, email, telephone, Skype, AIM.

Email harvesting is a small price to pay for increasing customer enquiries (and any decent spam software can sort that problem out).

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December 18, 2009 at 7:48pm by Terry Benedict

This is one of the most innovative marketing ideas that I have come across! When I find myself in positions like a break during a Seinfeld episode or something, I feel like listing the brands shown in the commercials and never ever buy them again! I think permission marketing is indeed the next BIG thing.
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December 19, 2009 at 2:22pm by Chandra Shekar

Permission Marketing!!!!!!!!!!

"The biggest problem with mass-market advertising, Godin says, is that it fights for people's attention by interrupting them."- this is such a good quote and I totally agree. It is definitely a big challenge for businesses to grab the attention of prospects these days because individuals have developed very strict filtering processes...Thanks for sharing this information...

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December 23, 2009 at 10:51am by alexia s

permission marketing is the opposite of traditional interruption marketing.
Permission marketing has been hailed as a way for marketers to succeed in a world increasingly cluttered with marketing messages.
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December 23, 2009 at 7:52pm by Sharifah Geoger

I think the most important about business is money, as long as we generate profit, regardless a model of marketing being use, that is fine. However, the marketing model must be legal and practical.

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December 23, 2009 at 11:16pm by Chandra Shekar

Marketing!!!!!!!!!!!!
."The biggest problem with mass-market advertising, Godin says, is that it fights for people's attention by interrupting them."- this is such a good quote and I totally agree.Busines is making money, as long as we generate profit, regardless a model of marketing being use, that is fine. Marketing will increase the company standard. Thanks for sharing ths information....

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December 28, 2009 at 7:46am by Chandra Shekar

with the chaning world it is neccessary to change the way internet marketting
is done,,... i'm sure Seth Godin's company, Yoyodyne Entertainment,will provide a better patform for the new,more advanced and internet marketting,,
...Thank you!!!!!!!!

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December 30, 2009 at 8:37am by Chandra Shekar

Today the growing advertising buisness gives a tough competition,,..
the way of advertising is also changed with the changing world and viewers,
thus the advertisment must be such that it does boredom the people watching
them,,,..........thank you!!!!!!!!!!

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January 2, 2010 at 8:05am by kavya sundar

This form of marketing requires that the prospective customer has either obtained explicit permission to send their promotional message or implicit permission. This can be either via an online email opt-in form or by using search engines, which implies a request for information which can include that of a commercial nature.
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January 3, 2010 at 3:21am by Chandra Shekar

mass-market advertising!!!!!!!!

The mass-market advertising has indeed come a long way ,,wiht a channel especislly for advertising,,,,...
The Seth Godin's company, Yoyodyne Entertainment,is trying to change the face of advertising for new millenium,,...
The change will provide a good chance of imporvising in all aspects,,...
Thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!

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January 6, 2010 at 4:20am by Chandra Shekar

The permission marketting is indeed setting the standards to other inthe feild of marketting and this is decided by effort of people like,,Seth Godin and his company Yoyodyne Entertainment,,,...
Thank you!!!!!!!!!!

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January 6, 2010 at 4:23am by Chandra Shekar

The permission marketting is indeed setting the standards to other inthe feild of marketting and this is decided by effort of people like,,Seth Godin and his company Yoyodyne Entertainment,,,...
Thank you!!!!!!!!!!

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January 6, 2010 at 4:23am by Chandra Shekar

The permission marketting is indeed setting the standards to other inthe feild of marketting and this is decided by effort of people like,,Seth Godin and his company Yoyodyne Entertainment,,,...
Thank you!!!!!!!!!!

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January 11, 2010 at 1:37am by chandra Shekar

Different people have various methods or styles of marketing. But there are specific method/styles wherein we find success in acheiving our goal. Seth Godwin has described the future of marketing - and how your company can get there. THis will help in judging our market value and how do we need to improve ourselves in the marketing..THanks for sharing this article..

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January 14, 2010 at 11:55am by Mahesh Kumar

Marketing is the great advertisement to grab the customers attention, it will be easy to make profit in the marketing level.Game for fun

January 16, 2010 at 6:11am by Babu Rao

Marking is very intresting and challenging field, but i believe marketing by media is more effective, but these days internet marketing also is one of the best option for marketing, i really like to such intresting information about marketing.

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January 16, 2010 at 10:27am by Chandra Shekar

The Seth Godin's company, Yoyodyne Entertainment,is trying to change the face of advertising for new millenium,,...Seth Godwin has described the future of marketing - and how your company can get there,,..Marketting is very intresting and challenging field, but i believe marketing by media is more effective,,,..Thank you,,..download free programs

January 16, 2010 at 10:29am by Chandra Shekar

The Seth Godin's company, Yoyodyne Entertainment,is trying to change the face of advertising for new millenium,,...Seth Godwin has described the future of marketing - and how your company can get there,,..Marketting is very intresting and challenging field, but i believe marketing by media is more effective,,,..Thank you,,..download free programs

January 16, 2010 at 10:29am by Chandra Shekar

The Seth Godin's company, Yoyodyne Entertainment,is trying to change the face of advertising for new millenium,,...Seth Godwin has described the future of marketing - and how your company can get there,,..Marketting is very intresting and challenging field, but i believe marketing by media is more effective,,,..Thank you,,..download free programs

January 16, 2010 at 10:30am by Chandra Shekar

The Seth Godin's company, Yoyodyne Entertainment,is trying to change the face of advertising for new millenium,,...Seth Godwin has described the future of marketing - and how your company can get there,,..Marketting is very intresting and challenging field, but i believe marketing by media is more effective,,,..Thank you,,..download free programs

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THis will help in assessing our market worth and how do we need to advance us in the marketing BeautyItems

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THis will help in assessing our market worth and how do we need to advance us in the marketing BeautyItems

January 28, 2010 at 9:34am by Bobby Dale

Seth says "Marketing is a contest for people's attention". So who are the winners and who are the losers if it's a contest? Isn't it our attention that the advertisers are bidding for? Could we just have a "opt out" from all advertising?

January 28, 2010 at 9:37am by Bobby Dale

Seth says "Marketing is a contest for people's attention". So who are the winners and who are the losers if it's a contest? Isn't it our attention that the advertisers are bidding for? Could we just have a "opt out" from all advertising?

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February 2, 2010 at 4:46am by Joe McDonald

Excellent article and I agree with the majority of what Seth Godin is getting at.

Advertising nowadays is just too much and although the product does register the actual ads become an annoyance rather than something we want to buy.

The only time I enjoy ads now is when they are fresh and clever but when used over and over again they become really boring. The worst thing is the jingles they use that end up being on my head for about 3 days!

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February 5, 2010 at 5:10am by karaoke equipment

Real consent is distinct from presumed or legalistic permission. Just because you someway get my internet note address doesn't signify you have permission. Just because I don't deplore doesn't signify you have permission. karaoke player