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Friday Finds #2 — Heros

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I have furthered developed the format for Friday Finds, deciding that it will highlight three (3) related finds each week. When you are the author, you get to set the rules.

This week the theme is “Heros”.

Everyone has heros. These are the folks that inpsire us to be more or better, whether in our personal or professional lives, or both.

Today I will introduce you to my three professional life heros. More specifically my marketing heros.

#1: Seth Godin

Seth is one of those writers that can say really, really well in 10 words what others take 100 to say less well. The term pithy was defined with Seth’s writing in mind, I believe. On his blog, Seth shares his thoughts and insights about marketing in a thought provoking and incisive way. Some of my favourite recent posts include:

• Direct From Consumer Marketing – why businesses should be listening to their customers, but how most aren’t really into it.
• Looking for Yes — is there a simpler, clearer way to explain what marketing a service is ultimately all about?
• The panhandler’s secret — “interact first, sell second”

In his books — Tribes, the dip, Purple Cow, Permission Marketing – and others, Seth does the same but with more juice and in a format that is easier to read on the beach during spring break, in your bed late at night or on the commuter train in the morning. His books are like a short story collection, with each story good enough to stand on its own and collectively building a compelling case.

Bottom line: read Seth, on-line or on paper, every day.

#2: Don Tapscott

In Don’s own terminology he is a digital immigrant. As someone who has immersed himself and adapted to an unfamiliar culture (the web), Don sets the bar very high for other digital immigrants.

In his most recent books — Growing Up Digital, Wikinomics, and Grown Up Digital — Don has described the influence and importance of internet technology in our present and future lives in a way that is both exciting and terrifying. On a more personal level, he has helped me understand how my 15 year old daughter can listen to her iPod, surf the web, participate in 6-10 instant messaging chats and watch television all while doing her homework (see Grown Up Digital for the answer).

Don gets hero points for writing about a potentially dry subject in an entertaining way; giving presentations that are funny, content rich and riveting while showing the rest of us how PowerPoint was meant to be used; and being a Canadian … and Trent U graduate (note to Don: Great presentation at Trent U last Wednesday — thanks!).

You need to read Don’s books or listen to his presentations now to understand how today’s 12-30 year olds might just be able to clean up this economic, social and environmental mess my generation (Baby Boomers) created.

#3: Jackie Huba & Ben McConnell

Ok … so I cheated a little. Total number of heros is actually 4, but Jackie and Ben (J&B) are a team and I count them as one.

Church of the Customer Blog is where J&B hang out on a regular basis. You can also find them at The Society for Word of Mouth — a Ning (read: you can join and contribute) site they coordinate.

The best way to explain why I like them is simply to share some of their quotes:

• “There’s no recession when it comes to making special-edition items for your hardcore evangelists”
• “Based on the context of decades, I know that sometime soon, the Dow will right itself. Until then, I’m focusing on producing something of value every day.”
• “Tropicana spent $35 million learning that their customer evangelists matter.”
• “Trust is a bank account that can be quickly depleted. It’s almost impossible to refill.”

To me, their blog is brain candy that is also good for you… wish I had come up with the blog name first.

So, who are your marketing heros? Leave a comment here or tweet me @DArcyMcK