Seth Godin’s new book is about telling good and authentic lies, that are framed in accordance to to the prospective customer’s worldviews.

Stories let us lie to ourselves. And those lies satisfy our desires. It’s the story, not the good or the service you actually sell, that pleases the customer.

Seth Godin makes a strong case for story telling and defends the marketers who tell stories/lies that customers tell themselves.

The book would have been even better, if it did not try to trivialise or ignore the old marketing ideas. For instance, market research helps to know more about the worldview, which is the very foundation of Seth Godin’s work. And, it is not a 100% online world yet, the customers today still notice the ad jingles and the huge billboards on the freeway. (Remember the recent Google’s hiring campaign?)

Despite these reservations, Seth Godin comes with a thought-stirring effort. A good read for anyone who is attempting to sell. And if you go by him– Don’t hard-sell, tell an authentic story instead.