Nov 14, 20193 min read

Tribes: We Need You to Lead Us by Seth Godin

Who should read Tribes?

Tribes is about harnessing the power of the internet, to find and connect to your audience. Tribes are the reason people find and flock to underground artist and catapult them into the lime light.

In this book, Seth breaks down the need for understanding how to authentically market to your desired audience, and build a meaningful brand behind it.

The rise of the internet and social media allows tribes to be everywhere. Products have built in features for the tribe member to recognize another tribe member. For example something as small as a blue or green text bubble, can allow an Iphone user to differentiate between someone who is or isn’t in their tribe.

You are in a Tribe whether you know it or not, you may defend a company or brand you are apart of not because its superior but simply because you are apart of that tribe.

The new landscape of marketing suggests that a product needs to seem new, and familiar at the same time. In Seth Godin’s early work like Purple cow he briefly mentions Nokia.

Fast forward, when Apple dropped the Iphone, its main talking point was the phone you already know how to use. Even though it was the first touch smartphone, that most would get their hands on. But proclaiming its better than your current phone, and no different than your current phone, allowed Apple to a remarkable product.

Most Iphone users can’t even tell you the difference between there old phone and their new phone, but it doesn’t matter they are content with being in their tribe.

With Cross fit, the keto diet and vegan diet, these tribes, all share and disseminate their information on social media plate forms and their respective sites and forums. These tribes do an excellent job of communicating to their respective audiences, and even had sub cultures or tribe with in their tribe.

The Community and the organization of a tribe

The information online exists for every topic under the sun, keto is not new nor is exercise. But it takes an influencer and someone who is willing to lead, to create a battle cry and get others to rally and join their tribe.

There are far to many sheep walkers, sheep walkers are people conditioned to be a cog in the machine, and wanting to fit in rather than stand out.

Conversely, Heretics are seen as corrupt, delusional and self absorbed but if they are truly leaders of great tribes, then this is just an illusion of the media.. Propaganda to keep the sheep walkers sleep and afraid to think for themselves.

Summary of Tribes by Seth Godin

Any and everything worth doing has inherit risks involved, and doing them will have immense rewards, and solidify your legacy. However being a sheep walker will keep your name out of the history books.

Get your message out and find your tribe, or tribes. You can be apart of multiple ones and create meaningful changes in all of them.