It’s a rather obvious statement, but one that still takes you by surprise when you read how clearly Seth Godin articulates his point – that our entire economy (and therefore YOUR business) rests on marketing value which is heavily influenced by scarcity.
In his recent blog posting "The Scarcity Shortage", Seth argues that the scarcity shortage (and therefore opportunity if I’m reading him right) is honesty, credibility and long-term relationships.
He’s right – in today’s fast-paced, web2.0, Blackberry, rapid development environment the main emphasis is on speed where the argument often exists that we don’t have time to gain the trust of our market because someone else will come along and change our entire business overnight.
Yet, as someone who has helped companies and individuals create millions of dollars in products and services, it is these deep, meaningful, trust-laden relationships with your market that allow you to "get it right" in the fastest way possible.
As an ebook author, for example, you create new topics by understanding what your market wants to know – sometimes even before they do. How? By forming relationships with your marketspace such that you spot the nuances that shed light on potential demand. People often don’t come out and say I want to know X, but more often say "I’m frustrated with…" or "If I only knew how to…then…"
Viola – as an information publisher, you have your topic on a silver platter.
So – building trust, fostering relationships and having empathy for your marketplace is how to really succeed in the long-run. And if Seth is right, that there is a shortage of such qualities, then your value just went up a great deal.
Jeff
