Tribes By Seth Godin LEARNING NEW MARKETING T E C H N I Q U E S B Y U N D E R S TA N D I N G NEW MEDIA SOCIAL NETWORKING NORMS Definition /Common Focus A tribe is a group of people connected to one another, connected to a leader, connected to an idea. Only two things needed to be a tribe: a shared interest and a way to communicate Tribe-isms “You can’t have a tribe without a leader - and you can’t be a leader without a tribe.” Human beings can’t help it: we want to belong. The real power of tribes has nothing to do with the internet and everything to do with people. Three things that have happened to the marketplace . . . Recently three things have happened to the marketplace: 1.) many people are working on stuff that they believe in 2.) many organizations discovered that factory-centric model is not profitable 3.) consumers have decided to spend time on things that matter to them, and on things that they believe in What does this all mean? Heretics Miriam Webster’s definition of “heretic:” “One who dissents from an accepted belief or doctrine: non-conformist” The market place now rewards heretics. It’s clearly more fun to make the rules than it is to follow them, and for the first time, it’s also profitable, powerful and productive to do just that. What’s Different Marketing changed everything. Marketing created leverage. Marketing certainly changed the status quo. Most of all, marketing freed and energized the “tribe.” Permission Marketing In Permission Marketing, years ago, Seth Godin wrote about how marketers must earn the right to deliver anticipated, personal and relevant messages to people who want to get them. And that’s still correct, as far as it goes. But tribes go much further. We’ll talk about APR later on. Tribal Logistics Two things can turn a group to a tribe A shared interest A way to communicate The communication can be four kinds: 1. Leader to tribe 2. Tribe to leader 3. Tribe member to tribe member 4. Tribe member to outsider What’s the difference: crowds vs.. tribes Crowds vs.. Tribes Two different things to know: A crowd is a tribe without a leader A crowd is a tribe without communication Most organizations spend their time marketing to the crowd. Smart organizations assemble the tribe. This is really important to understand. Understand it emphatically. Numbers vs. Fans Too many organizations care about numbers, not fans. Apple cares about “fans;” Microsoft cares about “numbers.” What does that mean? Things to consider Status Quo Initiative = happiness Tribes and movements Discomfort What Should Leaders Do? Defeat ‘fear’ and learn to use it to your advantage The first thing a leader should do is tighten the tribe. A tribe that communicates more quickly, with alacrity and emotion, is a tribe that thrives. The Internet and the explosion in social media have made it easier than ever to market. The first kind of marketing, the act of spreading the word and reaching the un-reached, allows tribes of all sorts to create forums. Sites like Meetup.com and Craigslist.com make it easy for people who aren’t connected to become connected. Catholic Church fiasco Reacting vs. Responding Very Important Point: Reacting is intuitive and instinctive and usually dangerous. Managers react. Responding is a much better alternative. Response is always better than reaction. And that’s what leaders do. They see something others are ignoring and they jump on it. Quotation Corner “ Instead of wondering when your next vacation is, maybe you ought to setup a life that you don’t need to escape from.” Seth Godin — Tribes