All Marketers Are Liars

The Power of Telling Authentic Stories in a Low-Trust World

By: Seth Godin

Narrated by: Seth Godin

Length: 4 hrs and 17 mins

Publisher's Summary

Every marketer tells a story. And if they do it right, we believe them. We believe that wine tastes better in a $20 glass than a $1 glass. We believe that an $80,000 Porsche Cayenne is vastly superior to a $36,000 VW Touareg, which is virtually the same car. We believe that $225 Pumas will make our feet feel better, and look cooler, than $20 no-names... and believing it makes it true.

Successful marketers don't talk about features or even benefits. Instead, they tell a story. A story we want to believe.

This is a book about doing what consumers demand; painting vivid pictures that they choose to believe. Every organization, from nonprofits to car companies, from political campaigns to wineglass blowers, must understand that the rules have changed (again). In an economy where the richest have an infinite number of choices (and no time to make them), every organization is a marketer and all marketing is about telling stories.

Marketers succeed when they tell us a story that fits our worldview, a story that we intuitively embrace and then share with our friends. Think of the Dyson vacuum cleaner or the iPod.

But beware: If your stories are inauthentic, you cross the line from fib to fraud. Marketers fail when they are selfish and scurrilous, when they abuse the tools of their trade and make the world worse. That's a lesson learned the hard way by telemarketers and Marlboro.

This is a powerful book for anyone who wants to create things people truly want as opposed to commodities that people merely need.

©2005 Seth Godin (P)2005 Audible, Inc.

Grossed me out

Don't LISTEN to this audiobook. If you are interested in what Seth has to say, READ the ACTUAL BOOK. Seth has a horrible reading voice. Every other sentence he pauses and you can hear the saliva swishing around in his mouth as he prepares for the next sentence. Every time this happens I stop comprehending what he's saying and focus on the disgusting noises he's making. I wish I could review this audiobook on the merits of the content, but unfortunately I was so distracted by Seth's terrible diction and smacking that I couldn't comprehend half of what was said. I still intend to read the book because people tell me it's good; I just hate that I wasted the money here first. I don't understand why Seth didn't pay a voice over professional to read his book... or at the very least pay to have it professionally produced and remove the nauseating noises he makes while reading.

Must Read

We own the oldest advertising firm in our market. This book is so good that we are thinking about giving it as a gift to our clients at the end of the year.

The essense of marketing has been defined.

This is a must be read before writing your next marketing plan or investing in any marketing activities. With this simple, practical wisdom you will gain greater results.

Seth has presented a clear, coherent definition of the core of what marketing is all about. All great marketing is based on the principle Seth explains with such clarity and simplicity: telling stories.

There is no preaching in this book. It is a story about marketing. All good stories comes from the heart. As Seth explains your story in all your marketing must be authentic. Hearing Seth tell his story about marketing you realise just how much he understands the importance of the subject to all marketers. When people express things with such authenticity it can easily be misread as preaching.

A good companion to fully understanding this very important basis of marketing in greater detail I would suggest you also listen to, "The 4 Agreements" by Don Miguel Ruiz also available here at Audible.

Another Audible book that touches on this subject, and is fiction, is "Ishmael: An Adventure of the Mind and Spirit" by Daniel Quinn

dont be offended

It seems some people were offended by the message of this program. Probably because the book exposes how a good story can make you really believe and commit to something whether the story is true or not. The book says that once we decide to believe a story that our brains will do anything to continue to believe it. The book goes on with examples of how and why stories have worked and spread. I have a feeling that the low scoring people were somehow offended due to their own personal beliefs that Seth must have commented on. I only give it a four because its not a complete marketing program. The message is excellent and very revealing.

Bottom of the barrell

When the author is so egotistical that he has to read his own work you know you've made a purchasing mistake. If you can understand his slured words and make it past his "toung too big for mouth" way of speech, you will find that Seth Godin wastes this book (and your time) to push his political views of the world. By the end of the book you all you really learn is he doesn't like Bush, wants Hillary to win in '08 and basically has nothing new to say about marketing (but must have needed some money so he wrote another book anyway). He may have done well with "purple cow" but is now just trying to ride the wave as long as he can. Seth, it's about to crush you. No one should have to sit through the agonizing self indulging hours of this book. It will do you no good to listen to this book. Buy something else that will be of better use to you in business and personal growth.

Just OK for me.

Interesting book. For me, it basically just emphasized the importance of story telling and how the story needs to be consistent to the company's product/service, vision, mission and core values.

full of it

I couldn't stand to listen to it, this man was so full of "it" and of himself.

Good concepts, poor focus

I bought this book expecting some insights into marketing and at first it seemed to be delivering until the author got on his liberal soapbox and started preaching. I didn't necessarily disagree with everything he said it just wasn't the correct venue for this dialogue

Great Tips on Marketing Communications

Seth offers some very useful insight into what works in marketing communications today and offers some good advice for getting customers to notice your product. It's all about experience and what they believe, not truth or facts or features and benefits. I've used his ideas successfully to structure some recent marketing campaigns.

A must read

I'm on the third listen of this, and I'd imagine I'll listen to it a few more times to internalize the depth of what he is saying. As a dyed in the wool conservative, Seth really does show his colors, but also gives credit where credit is due, for both parties. In fact, I found them very relevant and helpful in a modern context of how to "tell a story".

he goes through the early days, to the "golden age" of marketing, and the modern changes and power of marketing and "telling a story".

I'm ordering the rest of his books. It's changed my mindset about marketing. This audiobook spawned what I think are going to be very profitable ideas and approaches to marketing. Time will tell, but overall a great insight.

Disappointed

In the earlier days Seth wrote good informative content that was useful, over the last few years it's been same old stuff just re done, there are 2 issues I have with this purchase
1 the content is not fresh, inspiring or dynamic, rather is what he has said many times over and over
2 Seth is now well down and unfortunately become victim to arrogance , presumption and a hubris writing style, which I don't like especially when the content is so poor
I really wish I had not bothered buying this audiobook, this book is an example for writing for the sake of writing for a little financial cause u can with little bearing on delivering quality

I don’t get it!

It just seemed like one central point being restated 15,324 times without any obvious reason.
Basically, have a clear message. There we go. Done.

1h content meets 3 h repeat and vaguen examples

Some interesting thoughts, but nothing new. A lot is recounting success stories (a lot of Apple) and somehow trying to link it to his reason "they only managed this because they had a good story".
oh and by the way, for someone saying "it is all about the story" there is remarkably little story in this book itself ;)

great thought provoking book for any marketing pro

A brilliant book that make should think about using more story telling within your campaigns.

Absolute must read for any marketing professional

Good for new ideas in Marketing!

From the title of this book you that Seth Godin is telling you to lie as a marketer but he's not, he's merely telling you to use personal interest stories in your marketing. That testimonials and good stories about the product really do make a difference to your bottom. If you look at story telling throughout time, people always exaggerate and add little bits on but it is these exaggerations and add ons that make a story memorable. Being memorable is what you have to do

The only thing I would take away from this book is that the key ideas are heavily repeated. It is however extremely well written. If you haven't read any new ideas on marketing I would suggest all of Seth Godin's books as a basis and use his recommended reading for further study.

intriguing how storytelling manipulates

a great listen. an intetesting insight into the power to guide and control.
is actually quite a balanced view!

Worth listening even for non-marketers

This is a book worthwhile to listen to. Even if you are not a marketer you will benefit to understand their strategies to resist temptation and avoid traps. You can also get inspired from some of the strategies in your personal life such as applying for jobs.

He doesn’t know what he’s talking about!

I was recommended a list of books about marketing and I chose this one due to the controversial title.. I listened intently to understand where he was coming from and the power of story telling and the lies we tell ourselves.
He doesn’t know what he’s talking about, in fact he’s a master of his trade.

Useful listen

As has been mentioned on other reviews, this book does essentially hammer home one point. However, there are lots of good examples and questions to think about. I got a number of ideas and realisations whilst listening. Would recommend to anyone looking to grow their business.

Short and Sweet

Short and sweet. Few examples of how effective marketing works. The power of a story and framing are explained in multiple ways over and over throughout the book. The audiobook is read by the author and he has a pleasant voice.