Permission Marketing Book Summary - Permission Marketing Book explained in key points

Permission Marketing summary

Name: Permission Marketing
Rating: 4.5 (112 reviews)
Author: Seth Godin

Seth Godin

Turning Strangers into Friends and Friends into Customers

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4.5 (112 ratings)

22 mins

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What is Permission Marketing about?

Permission Marketing (1999) confronts the conflicts and challenges that modern marketers face in the digital age and offers a viable alternative. It explains how the advertising landscape is filling up and how this makes traditional advertising ineffective. The author suggests that smart marketers no longer simply interrupt consumers but invite them to volunteer their time and become active participants in the marketing process.

About the Author

Seth Godin is an influential marketing professional, entrepreneur and bestselling author. He has also founded several successful companies, including Yoyodyne and Squidoo. Aside from Permission Marketing, he has written 14 other books based on his professional experience, including Purple Cow and Tribes.

Table of Contents

Key idea 1 of 9

What's in it for me? Learn how to do marketing better

The world is constantly bombarding us with commercials, special offers, and advertisements. And, if you’re like most people, this constant influx of ads is nothing but an annoyance you learn to tune out.

So, how can today’s marketers break through the babble and buzz to actually connect with potential customers?

Well, to start, they can stop interrupting. This is the idea behind permission marketing, my model of advertising that’s all about enticing customers to willingly hand over their valuable time. These blinks outline the theory and practice behind this bold new approach. Listen on and you’ll learn why the traditional modes of marketing no longer fly and how actually honoring peoples’ attention is the real key to making a lasting impact.

The traditional model of mass marketing no longer works.

When you go out tomorrow, I’d like you to try and keep track of all the advertisements you come across during the day.

You likely see dozens before you even leave the house. There’s promoted posts in your social media feeds; logos on your clothes and appliances; and, of course, that pile of junk mail on your kitchen table. Outside it’s even worse. There’s billboards along the road, jingles on the radio, and, if you look up, maybe even skywriters putting taglines in the clouds.

Interruption Marketing no longer works, but Permission Marketing does.

Let’s say you want to get married. Great! Now, all you need is a spouse. What’s the best way to go about finding a partner, and, crucially, how do you get them to that fateful “I do”?

Well, if you’re an Interruption Marketer, your approach would look like this: First, you’d spend heaps of cash on an expensive suit, flashy haircut, and bouquet of flowers. Then, you’d hit up every singles’ bar in town to propose to each and every patron. Would it work? Nope.

Permission Marketing turns interested strangers into loyal customers.

Hooked on Phonics wants to help your kids. At least, that was the gist of their very successful advertising campaign.

You see, this company sold educational materials designed to teach children basic reading skills. But, in order to make sales, they first had to teach parents about their products—and they did that through Permission Marketing.

Permission Marketing excels by building trust over time.

Happy anniversary! You and your spouse are celebrating ten happy years together. To mark the occasion, you want to buy them an elegant necklace. Now, where should you go to pick up this new bling?

Well, you could go to the family-owned jewelry store downtown. They’ve been there for generations. But, there’s also a guy selling discount jewelry from a briefcase on the corner. Opt for him and you could save some dough.

There are different degrees of trust and familiarity, and each comes with their own privileges and boundaries.

Your best friend can get away with a lot. They can dole out unsolicited advice on your intimate relationships. They can playfully tease you about your quirks and foibles. Maybe they can even drop by your home unannounced—some might even be allowed to let themselves in without knocking.

However, if your colleague, or worse, a stranger, tried the same thing, it’d be a different story. You might look into changing your locks.

The internet is the perfect environment for Permission Marketing.

The internet is not television. It seems obvious, yet somehow, so many major companies, marketing firms, and advertisers forget this basic fact. It’s not a small mistake either—confusing these two mediums can lead to lots of wasted time and money.

The difference is that TV is a broadcast medium. There are only so many channels and the majority of viewers only tune in to a few of them. On the other hand, the internet has millions of websites—so many that the average web surfer most likely won’t visit yours. And, if they do, they probably won’t come back without a good reason.

Every business can benefit from a well-executed Permission campaign.

Each year, this small kosher catering company makes the same mistake. Toward the start of spring, they pay a hefty sum to run an ad in The New York Times. The spot promotes their “Kosher for Passover” special and lists the entire menu in tiny lettering.

Unfortunately, this Interruption approach is always a bust. First, the vast majority of Times subscribers don’t celebrate the holiday, so the message is lost. And next, those who do aren’t going to drop everything to place an order based on one cluttered ad.

Final Summary

The main message in these blinks is:

The traditional model of marketing is all about interrupting a customer’s daily life with flashy, one-size-fits-all advertisements. This is both ineffective and annoying! Permission Marketing is different. In exchange for perks, potential customers opt-in to receive more relevant and personalised communications from your business. Over time, this communication develops into a dialogue that builds familiarity and loyalty. By giving you permission to market, customers get better offers and you get happier customers.

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Who should read Permission Marketing

Anyone who works in the marketing field
Anyone interested in marketing or advertising
Anyone who freelances or runs a small business
Anyone hoping to found a start-up company

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Permission Marketing summary

Listen to the first key idea

What is Permission Marketing about?

About the Author

What's in it for me? Learn how to do marketing better

The traditional model of mass marketing no longer works.

Interruption Marketing no longer works, but Permission Marketing does.

Permission Marketing turns interested strangers into loyal customers.

Permission Marketing excels by building trust over time.

There are different degrees of trust and familiarity, and each comes with their own privileges and boundaries.

The internet is the perfect environment for Permission Marketing.

Every business can benefit from a well-executed Permission campaign.

Final Summary

Key ideas in Permission Marketing

What's in it for me? Learn how to do marketing better

The traditional model of mass marketing no longer works.

Interruption Marketing no longer works, but Permission Marketing does.

Permission Marketing turns interested strangers into loyal customers.

Permission Marketing excels by building trust over time.

There are different degrees of trust and familiarity, and each comes with their own privileges and boundaries.

The internet is the perfect environment for Permission Marketing.

Every business can benefit from a well-executed Permission campaign.

Final Summary

Who should read Permission Marketing

Categories with Permission Marketing

Books like Permission Marketing

What our members say

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