Seth Godin is an author, entrepreneur, and–according to his blog–an “agent of change.” He’s written books like The Big Moo and Marketers Are Liars (see widget below for all books by Seth Godin).
I recently came across his blog posting, “Music Lessons: Things You Can Learn About The Industry (As It Falls Apart).” I thought it was a smart commentary about what artists and record labels should be aware of as the digital music economy commands market share and CDs become distant memory. Here, I have listed Seth’s rules of change. You’ll have to visit his blog to read the entire article.
- 0. The new thing is never as good as the old thing, at least right now.
- 1. Past performance is no guarantee of future success
- 2. Copy protection in a digital age is a pipe dream
- 3. Interactivity can’t be copied
- 4. Permission is the asset of the future
- 5. A frightened consumer is not a happy consumer.
- 6. This is a big one: The best time to change your business model is while you still have momentum.
- 7. Remember the Bob Dylan rule: it’s not just a record, it’s a movement.
- 8. Don’t panic when the new business model isn’t as ‘clean’ as the old one
- 9. Read the writing on the wall.
- 10. Don’t abandon the Long Tail
- 11. Understand the power of digital
- 12. Celebrity is underrated
- 13. Value is created when you go from many to few, and vice versa
- 13. Whenever possible, sell subscription