Are you a marketer or a magician?
Seth Godin says don't be an entrepreneur - be this instead.
The guru of corporate myth-making says that to make magic in marketing, you need to do these 3 simple things.
Many business owners and marketers position themselves as entrepreneurs — risk-takers who put it all on the table to bring that new venture to market.
But Seth Godin, master marketer and guru of corporate myth-making, says this is not the only way to make an impact.
In his 2012 book, The Icarus Deception, he makes the case that the best marketing comes from the mind of what he calls the impresario.
This rare breed consists of artists, creators, and tellers of tall tales who make order out of chaos and do it with the skill of a craftsman and the showmanship of a magician.
Here's what it takes.
Don't wait for permission
The impresario is a pathfinder. She’s the person who figures out what to do next—and then does it. She improvises.
— Seth Godin, The Icarus Deception
See an opportunity? Act on it.
Godin says impresarios don't wait for permission. They have a vision and they carry it out at all costs.
Find unique ways to reach people
The junior partner who takes initiative to start a weekly conference series or the cello player who organizes an annual music festival—these are impresarios without a business plan or a board of directors.
— Seth Godin, The Icarus Deception
Impresarios often do things above their pay grade and outside their repretoire.
They want results and are willing to ask for the reward after they get them.
Make magic from the mundane
The cog waits for instructions. The entrepreneur often needs an exit in sight. But the impresario takes what’s available and makes magic.
— Seth Godin, The Icarus Deception
It's not about having the right resources or waiting for the right time.
The impresario acts now with whatever's available.
When Coss Marte started offering workout sessions in the park, he had no clue his business would grow to $2 million dollars per year.
But he kept at it, finding new and unique ways to reach his customers.
When I set out to publish a book, I had no clue what it would take.
But I made do with what I had, making the budget up and finding the necessary resources as I went through the process.
It's this kind of creative spirit wrapped up in a business suit that makes us impresarios. It's a willingness to put yourself out there, treat your work like an artist, and grab every opportunity by the horns.
The only question that remains is...
Do you have what it takes?