Having finished reading the pile of books I took out of the library, I broke down and started reading Seth Godin’s new book, which I got for free at my firm’s recent conference (where Godin spoke). After page three, I had had enough, and started thinking about the books that Godin should have written:
- The Dip Shit: A Little Book That Teaches You How To Deal With Lousy Bosses
- Purple Haze: Transform Your Business By Doing LSD
- The Big Yoo: Stop Trying To Be Perfect And Start Accepting Your Weight Problem
- The Big Dead Prez: How To Make Any Democrat Feel Better
- Small Is The New Big: The Power Of Telling Authentic Lies To Dumb-Ass Consumers
- The Bootlicker’s Bible: There’s never been a better time to kiss the boss’ ass. This manifesto will show you how.
Now those are books I might get past page three on.
Technorati Tags: Marketing, Marketing Books, Management Books, Seth Godin, The Dip
Ron Shevlin's Marketing Whims 
That’s very funny stuff, Ron.
I even laughed out loud at a few.
When your new book is ready, give me a shout and I’ll be sure to review it.
Seth
Ron,
You forgot….
Mediocre to Good: Let’s Face It. You’re Never Gonna Be Great Cuz It’s Too Hard
Who Moved My Stapler? The Sequel to Office Space
SUCK UP TIME: Seth, I think you’re the bomb.
Oh, and I DID write a book. Tattoos: The Ultimate Proof of a Successful Brand. Available on Amazon.com
D.
Can’t agree on not getting past page 3 of The Dip (I’m in the midst of listening to it for my third time), but I’m loving the suggested reading.
How about “Free Prize Outside: If They Don’t Pay, Don’t Let Them In.”
Brett: Listening to the book for the third time, eh?….At least Denise admits to being a suck up.
Denise: I would expect a self-professed Seth Godin fan like yourself to know that Seth didn’t write Good to Great or Who Moved My Cheese? If you’re going to be a suck-up, you’re going to have to do better than that.
(If the 2nd were written today it would be called “Don’t Touch My F*ing Cheese Or I’ll File A Complaint Against Your Sorry Ass”)
Ron,
Once again you’ve over analyzed my post.
Relax. It’s fun…..
Okay –now that I know the rules:
All Former Forrester Research Employees Are Angry: The Power of Telling off Loyal Blog Posters in a Low Self-Esteem World
Ron,
If you couldn’t get past page three, I dare say that you may have missed the point of the book. But we’ll save that for later 🙂 Here’s my contribution:
Arrival Is Only A Bluff: Queuing, Pollution and the Future of the Airline Industry.
I’ve already run the NPS score and it would be the talk of the town. Thanks for a laugh!
Bill: I didn’t miss the POINT of the book at all. It’s just that I don’t need to read another book that tells me something that I already know. I’d be better served DOING what I know I should do, rather than READING about it. You don’t lose weight reading exercise books. (well, OK, you do — but VERY VERY slowly).
Ron,
If you know, then you know. However, there are many that do not know. They read (or learn some other way) and then do. I think that is the whole point of your blog (or most anyone’s blog) – you are hoping that others will read so that we can do – or at least corroborate what they already know.
Yes, I’m a suck-up. And thick-headed.
Brett: One rule I honestly try to keep to is this: Criticize the action, not the person. I said I didn’t like Seth’s book. That doesn’t diminish the respect I have for him. And if something I said led you to arrive at “thick-headed”, then I’m truly sorry. In no way did I mean to imply that.
Bill: “the whole point of this blog” is something I’ve been struggling with lately. Your perspective did slap me upside the head, and make me realize this: I should quit worrying about what the point of the blog is, and let whoever reads it come to their own conclusion.
Ron,
Well said…and keep blogging away.
Ron Shev-lin,
[Read this comment while listening to “Just a Ride” by Jem.]
I love your blog, your attitude and the people you attract. Not sure why, but I do.
Don’t forget to enjoy the ride…..
Denise — Thanks for the comment. I’d prefer to read it to the Dead’s Hell In A Bucket: “I may be going to hell in a bucket, but at least I’m enjoying the ride.”
How ’bout “Permission to Market Like a Wimp: How to Operate Invisibly Inside a Mediocre Marketing Organization and Keep Your Job for at Least a Year”
Full disclosure: I read “Permission Marketing” in one weekend and it changed our direct marketing shop forever. Check out our work in email and you’ll see what I mean.
There’s no way I’m ever writing a book now…
Books That Jeffry Pilcher Should Have Written:
Stickin’ It Where The Sun Don’t Shine: Growing A Marketing Services Agency In Seattle
The Assault On Reason: Getting Execs To Believe That Branding Matters
The Seven Habits Of Over-Caffeinated People
[tell me when to stop]