Seth Godin is a genius. Not the “invent the best widget” type of genius but rather the “this is how humans buy things” type of genius.

Incredibly, he shares his best thinking free. He often gives away books he knows could become best sellers. And he should know, he’s written many a best seller.

Here is a piece of wisdom from his blog.

It is true in every detail. The world, and especially doing business online, is changing. We will all either adapt or fail.

I’m choosing to adapt.

Here’s what Seth said. Emphasis mine.

Three changes in marketing
1. Advertising and marketing are no longer the same thing.

2. The most valuable forms of marketing are consumed voluntarily.

3. The network effect is the most powerful force in the world of ideas.

(The last assertion is based on the fact that culture changes everything about how we live our lives, and culture is driven by the network effect… society works because it’s something we do together.)

Just about every big organization ignores all three.
– via sethgodin.typepad.com

Notice especially points 1 and 2.

Advertising and marketing are no longer the same thing. This is yet another reason you must have a sales funnel for every product you promote. Yes, every product.

As to point 2, even more reason to have an automated sales funnel. People consume what they want to consume. When we offer them things they want to consume, like content marketing, it helps them know us, like us and trust us.

And that leads to sales.