Godfather marketing Posted by Tomi Heikkinen , Wednesday, August 5, 2009 at 18:39, in Labels: godfather marketing, marketing, mindset, seth godin, tomi heikkinen

Seth Godin does what he does best, makes the light bulb go on in his readers' heads that is, by writing about operating and marketing under the circumstances. Mark Pocock then writes about avoiding pushy sales person syndrome, brushing Godin's issue. Reading these followed by some thinking brought forth a painful realization. You know, those realizations you didn't want to have - when you realize what you had been thinking and doing for the past years was awfully dumb. Like finding out your fly had been open for the whole day (or worse!) and recollecting the smirks and funny looks of people who had been around you. Worst is that the thing you realized is bloody obvious.

My realization concerned my marketing mindset. Godin tells us as marketers we can change the circumstances of our customers in order to help them realize our offering is the best for them (and it is!). He uses an analogy from a famous scene in the Godfather, which I think is fantastic. Maybe because I simply love the first two Godfather movies. Pocock uses the words demonstration and showing not telling and urges the marketer to let the customer make her own conclusions before reaching a decision. Which the customer does, according to her circumstances. You don't win over the customer by pressuring her, you win her over by adjusting her perception and helping her think by herself. Pocock reminds us that everyone as a customer wants to feel in control during the sales process, and he's right.

I might just call my marketing mindset Godfather marketing henceforth. Respect your customers, adjust their perception by your communication. Is not the best marketing something that time and time again makes the customer herself realize matters that are important or relevant to her and that demonstrates that the best way to move forward is with the help of the marketer? Isn't this what pull is really about?

Why is a mindset important then? It helps to have consistent thinking, action and communication. On my office wall, next to my business mantra, I'm sticking Godfather marketing. Also what Godin and Pocock are telling fits perfectly with Kevin "Lovemarks" Roberts' ideas of Mystery in succesful marketing - don't tell everything, leave room for imagination and realizations.. or in Godfather's case, pure fear!