Weird is The New Wonder Bread
The folks at CopyBlogger.com put out a podcast recently that got me thinking. It was about Seth Godin's new book, We Are All Weird:The Myth of Mass and the End of Compliance. In it Seth discusses the end of mass marketing and the emergence of fragmented tribes, and the opportunities that presents.
I'm not reviewing the book, so if you're looking for that go elsewhere. I haven't read the book yet. Still the idea is interesting, and like a lot of Seth's work, the idea is right in the title. We are all weirdos, and being a weirdo is a good thing.
This is why: the mass market appeals, a bit, to everyone, because it's not bad and there used to be no alternative. If you aren't mass market, though, you still have an appeal to someone. The web allows you to be genuine and express yourself. Everyone needs to do this. Now you can.
What's the plan? Create a website, or service, or product that caters to...you. Guy Kawasaki was recently talking about this (prior to Steve Jobs' passing) and saying that Apple didn't ask it's customers what they wanted. It gave them something cool. He recommends following that model and creating what you like in order to sell it. Obviously a meatball sundae won't be really successful, even if you like them, but there's a good chance that if you're weird enough (while not being completely out of the solar system) there will be people who appreciate you being a pioneer.
So, what makes you weird? We probably should define "weird". Godin defines it as anything that is not normal, that flies in the face of the culture of mass, weird is an opportunity. Sonia Simone, of CopyBlogger talks about the long tail as the collection of everybody on the internet who is weird in the way you are. And so weird is a product of the fragmentation of culture.
What makes me weird? My likes and goals. I like flying, and real estate, and business, and cooperatives, and food security. I have compliance defiance disorder, and am very independent. I like alternate energy, and going off grid. I love history and politics. And it makes me want off grid property that I can fly to in order to raise organic beef with other people.
That's weird. Good weird, but weird. Thirty years ago it was almost impossible to achieve weird. Not now. Now there are lots of others just like me. We can connect, and if I can inspire action and create a workable model, nothing holds me back.
Why should anyone even care? You should care because now that the idea has been enunciated it presents you with a choice: are you going to market something that you think the masses want, or are you going to create something that you want and find people who will support you? The possible answers will determine very different paths.
I'm not reviewing the book, so if you're looking for that go elsewhere. I haven't read the book yet. Still the idea is interesting, and like a lot of Seth's work, the idea is right in the title. We are all weirdos, and being a weirdo is a good thing.
This is why: the mass market appeals, a bit, to everyone, because it's not bad and there used to be no alternative. If you aren't mass market, though, you still have an appeal to someone. The web allows you to be genuine and express yourself. Everyone needs to do this. Now you can.
What's the plan? Create a website, or service, or product that caters to...you. Guy Kawasaki was recently talking about this (prior to Steve Jobs' passing) and saying that Apple didn't ask it's customers what they wanted. It gave them something cool. He recommends following that model and creating what you like in order to sell it. Obviously a meatball sundae won't be really successful, even if you like them, but there's a good chance that if you're weird enough (while not being completely out of the solar system) there will be people who appreciate you being a pioneer.
So, what makes you weird? We probably should define "weird". Godin defines it as anything that is not normal, that flies in the face of the culture of mass, weird is an opportunity. Sonia Simone, of CopyBlogger talks about the long tail as the collection of everybody on the internet who is weird in the way you are. And so weird is a product of the fragmentation of culture.
What makes me weird? My likes and goals. I like flying, and real estate, and business, and cooperatives, and food security. I have compliance defiance disorder, and am very independent. I like alternate energy, and going off grid. I love history and politics. And it makes me want off grid property that I can fly to in order to raise organic beef with other people.
That's weird. Good weird, but weird. Thirty years ago it was almost impossible to achieve weird. Not now. Now there are lots of others just like me. We can connect, and if I can inspire action and create a workable model, nothing holds me back.
Why should anyone even care? You should care because now that the idea has been enunciated it presents you with a choice: are you going to market something that you think the masses want, or are you going to create something that you want and find people who will support you? The possible answers will determine very different paths.
About the Author:
Looking to find the best advice on online business, then visit www.getrichslowonline.com to find the best advice on the new economy for you.