Focus on Your Audience, Forget the Masses
Welcome to the Why to Wow newsletter, which is all about the Power of Differentiation in our world of AI and commoditization. I thank our power readers who find our messages worthwhile. It’s inspiring to see that thousands are reading and recommending Why to Wow! I ask you to continue sharing this newsletter with friends, family, and associates to help change our world for the better.
Few voices have reshaped entrepreneurship and marketing as powerfully as Seth Godin. For Seth, the renowned author of 22 bestsellers in 39 languages, success is not about trying to appeal to everyone; it’s the opposite. As he said, “Don’t aim for everyone, aim for the right people.” I had the pleasure of speaking with Seth on the Difference Talks podcast. I’ll share what I learned from him during our conversation, including two stories he hadn’t shared before.
Seth is a “one-off.” He looks different with his shaved head, distinctive eyeglasses, and conservative business suits. To say he is prolific is an understatement. For decades, he’s written thousands of daily blogs, all while authoring nearly two dozen books. And he’s in demand, with keynote speeches, TED Talks, and podcast guest spots (most recently with Mel Robbins), in addition to creating training programs, games, and movements. He exudes differentiation. Like the great Fleetwood Mac song, he goes his own way, yet millions follow him, devouring his blogs daily and jumping to buy his books. By understanding what makes him unique and mastering it, Seth has created his own brand and is protective of it, as you’ll learn soon, below.
My personal Seth story. Decades ago, Seth offered a marketing education program at his home in New York. Several people from my firm were excited to attend and learn from him. Midway through the two-day event, I heard from my team that they were returning home. Asking why, they said, “Seth was a couple of hours into the meeting and shut it down. He told everyone that he wasn’t satisfied with the quality of what he was delivering; it wasn’t up to his standards. He apologized and immediately issued full refunds to all involved.” From that moment on, I admired and followed Seth. He didn’t take the money and run. Instead, he differentiated himself by doing the difficult, uncomfortable, but correct thing, which not only preserved his reputation but, in my eyes, enhanced it.
The Two Seth Godins. In our podcast episode together, I stumbled upon a story that he hadn’t shared. I asked about his writing regimen and how he is able to constantly and consistently deliver thought leadership daily in his blogs while simultaneously writing bestsellers. He revealed his regimen. Every day, like clockwork, he sits down and writes a message that comes to mind. Then immediately, he leaves the house to walk to a nearby café or go rowing on the Hudson Bay to refresh himself. Upon returning, he reads and critiques what he wrote, asking this simple, but powerful question: “Is this what Seth Godin, the author, would write?” If so, he publishes it. If not, it’s thrown in the trash. He explained, there’s Seth, the writer, and there’s the friendly guy named Seth who strolls the Hudson Bay area. He knows his audience deserves the best from the former. No compromise.
The message for our readers today is that whether you build port trucks, distill Scotch whisky, or run a minor league baseball team, you have an audience. Your audience. It deserves your best, not a watered-down version that is trying to be all things to all people in the hopes of gaining mass market share. If you attempt to attract everyone and get rid of your wacky eyeglasses, wear a hairpiece to hide your bald head, and dress according to the latest fashion trends, you’ll no longer be the person or brand that attracted the right people, your audience.
Seth’s toughest lesson for us is discipline. Say no to anything that doesn’t fit your story, soul, and highest standards.
Difference-Maker #1: Serve your carefully chosen audience with empathy, courage, and continual reflection.
You build trust by understanding your customers’ needs, challenges, and aspirations on a deeper level, then consistently delivering meaningful value to them. Long-term impact comes not from trying to reach everyone, but from remaining committed to the people you are best positioned to serve.
Difference-Maker #2: Practice creative gratitude.
Show appreciation consistently, celebrate people who support your mission, and create meaningful connections that go beyond transactional. That’s your community. That’s who Seth was thinking of when he refunded money after feeling he didn’t serve his audience. They mattered far more than a few dollars.
Difference-Maker #3: Protect your standards and refuse to compromise excellence for short-term gains.
Strong brands are built through consistency, discipline, and a commitment to doing what’s right, even when it’s more difficult. Long-term success comes from mastering your distinctiveness and staying true to your values.
Seth reinforces that differentiation isn’t a marketing “hack” or a fleeting, fashionable campaign. It’s the beauty (and discipline) of genuinely serving others with your best and the courage to focus only on those who appreciate and believe in you.
As a side note, since we are sharing personal experiences, I hold myself to the same kind of scrutiny Seth does when I write the Why to Wow newsletter. For this issue, I was dissatisfied with what I had written and went through multiple versions until I felt it was up to my standards. Never let your guard down, even if it means missing a deadline to uphold your standards.
Please consider joining the growing number of followers and subscribers of our podcast, Difference Talks. Over 1,640 people have joined the family! Our goal is to inspire over one million people worldwide with our message.