David vs Godiath: Calling out Seth Godin's cult of personality.

I'm generally not one to waste time shaking my fist at the top-tier pundits of marketing. But today, best-selling author Seth Godin is just asking for it.

In a blog post titled "Are you in the tribe?", Godin announced today that he's starting an exclusive social network called "Triiibe". (Presumably because Triiiiiibe was taken.) This network will have one unifying requirement: You've bought his new book.

Before I embark on a minor diatribe about what a poor example he's setting for the rest of the marketing world, let me say this: I have no beef with Seth Godin. His writing is crisp, intelligent and on-target. I'm not surprised in the least that books such as Purple Cow have been huge best-sellers.

So with the niceties out of the way, here are a few reasons I won't be joining Seth's Triiibe:

• Exclusivity can be a good thing, but what's exclusive about the fact you pre-ordered a best-selling book? What's that? You've got $14 and an Amazon account? Well step right past this velvet rope, Mr. LaBeouf.

• Here's one requirement: "Everything on the triiibe, stays there. We agree not to cross post or to quote without permission." I have to sign a non-disclosure agreement to join your social network? Do I at least get to bareknuckle box with Meatloaf and Brad Pitt?

• Another note from Seth: "It's not a promotional platform. The goal is to learn and to help, not to sell." Obviously. I don't know where I would have gotten that idea while I was buying your book and telling all my friends to join "Seth's Tribe." The rule should probably say, "It's not a promotional platform — for anyone but me."

• The network will banish "lurkers" who aren't consistently contributing to the discussion. This is great in theory, except that it could just as easily result in a "drinking from the firehose" kind of sensation as marketing people chatter endlessly for fear of a momentary silence.

• Seth's Tribe announcement comes just on the heels of a study that found corporate social networks are an overwhelming waste of time and money. (It was even called the 2008 Tribalization of Business study!) You could argue that Seth isn't a corporation, but come on. A brand name is a brand name. 

I'm sure the Triiibe will do tremendously well. But I'm also scared it will. Seth is a role model for marketers everywhere. He has the charisma and celebrity to pull this off. But is this a "best practice"? What will happen when other business leaders want to do the same thing? Walking on water is a great trick until everyone else on the boat tries it.

Again, I'm not demonizing Seth Godin, his readers or his fans. And I promise I will never think less of anyone who joins his Triiibe.

But let's recap: We're being asked to pay for the right to join a social network that offers nothing you won't find elsewhere for free. You won't be allowed to share anything you learn there. And — like some Dantean circle of hell — no one in this elite community of marketers will be allowed to promote their own work.

What a deal!

UPDATE: The girl Riot points me to the fact that Seth might be creating a sudden traffic spike for Triiibe.com, a performance art collective founded by identical triplets.

Comments

[Amrita]

Yes, there is a danger of this Triiibe becoming more of a Briiibe. But I joined it out of curiosity to see what exactly he is offering. (Curiosity doesn't always kill the cat, does it?)

I do agree with you that it is laughable that Seth said it wasn't a promotional platform!

However, I can't say for sure that this network offers nothing else you won't find elsewhere, until I try it out and see. Will keep you posted (if you keep your promise not to hate me!)

[Ben Kunz]

Seth missed a golden opportunity here by making his tribe so crassly commercial.

Instead, imagine if he had invited the world to submit concepts related to his new book; then, have a community vote on the best ideas; then, have the intellectual winners be crowned as members of the tribe?

a. He would have gained a better select audience to banter with and cowrite future books
b. He would have gained a million free ideas
c. He would have sold more copies of the book (via the PR from competition)
d. He would have avoiding alienating fans (I'm a bit hurt I have to pay for admission, Seth)

Too bad. Entire thing leaves a bad taste in the mouth. I'd jump, but only if the country club offered beach access and golf, too.

[David Griner]

Good points, Ben. I think anything that set the bar for getting into the "Exclusive" club would be better than paying for it.

[John Carson]

Nice analysis, David. Blogged your response too.

I did sign up for two reasons:
1) Pure curiosity;
2) I want to see who else joins.

Cheers,
John Carson.

[Kristina Halvorson]

When did Seth Godin mind meld with Joseph Jaffe?!

http://memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/Vulcan_mind_meld

Dude has jumped the shark.

[Eben Carslon]

Why shouldn't anyone do anything they feel like? It's not like he's clubbing baby seals.

I think that people paying nominal amounts to improve the quality of free content, free discussion and the like could be very, very useful from a cultural, social and business perspective.

I can't imagine that there's anyone excluded from saying anything on the internet. We have enough free, cheap and mediocre content and need lots more quality, inspired discussion. I for one am tired of the dictatorship of the majority that exists on YouTube, Myspace, etc. Even if something important was being said, you can't find it because there's so much drama and junk.

It's like an entire world of restaurants that only serve fast food. Is a filet mignon a sin because it costs more to mak available? What about linen tablecloths, silver and candlelight?

Lots of very important things never would have been developed without financial incentive--organic foods, catalytic converters and lots of other progressive halmarks included.

It's not like $14 is going to exclude anyone who would otherwise be interested in business strategy.

It sounds like you just want in.

[Mack Collier]

From Seth's post: "I can already see how powerful it can be to have a safe, well-lit place on line where like-minded people can connect. I hope you can join us."

Basically this sounds like a fan-club for Seth. My guess is that some people that are NOT big fans of Seth will sign up just to see what the deal is, or challenge this idea.

If Seth shows them the door, that will lead to negative blog posts about the site. Which will either just boost interest (what happens when half the people love something and other half hate it? everyone's talking about it), or if the backlash is enough, he may have to close the site down.

I think this is a potentially risky move for Seth, and one that could backfire. But I do know this, there's more than enough marketing/social media knowledge out there that none of us have to go to one place to get it. It will be interesting to see what happens.

[Jan Schultink]

Already #5 on the Amazon best seller list at the moment.

[francois gossieaux]

Hi David,

First off, I need to disclose that I was one of the ringleaders on the Tribalization of Business Study on communities that you mentioned - which was a very interesting project to work on.

I can see some benefits from having a closed community, although not the way Seth is doing (and btw, I am a fan). I started a marketing 2.0 community on Facebook that was open, and it turned into spam pit with 9,000+ members which I could no longer control while doing my day job.

Once I closed the group, two things happened - applications to join went up, and spam went down.

I started another experiment by creating a closed marketing 2.0 group on Ning (www.marketingtwo.net), and the result is almost no spam and more than 500 members in a few weeks. Add this to the Fiskateers community example and having people go through at least one hoop before they can join a community has some benefits.

[Andrew Meyer]

Hey David, I found your blog via LG's FriendFeed. Good stuff.

When Seth announced his Triiibes book/exclusive club thing on his blog the other day it piqued my interest.

Digging further into it, I noticed something interesting on Triiibes.com the exclusive club he built on Ning. The Triiibes.com/Ning sign-in page says "This network is by invitation only until October 2008."

This matches up with a line in his blog post "After August 10th, it's closed. We may decide to re-open the tribe a bit later, but I think that's unlikely."

Maybe if we wait until Oct, we don't have to pay to get into exclusive club?

[plain*clothes]

I follow Seth's blog and books closely because he's obviously a very astute marketer. but based solely on this horrifyingly clumsy approach, I'm going to pass on this book until someone hands me a copy for free. when the author/promoter gets it this wrong, it's just a matter of principle.

[Matt Kern]

Well, 80% of the people were going to buy the book, anyway.

Doesn't that actually make it free?

[Christen Dybenko]

Hi there.

I'm actually in the Triiibe. I was skeptical at first too, but I knew I'd buy the book eventually so I thought, why not?

Having been a part of many online communities, I figured it would be similar, but the activity and QUALITY of the posts, the interactions and the full-on participation in there is incredible.

It's almost daunting, sometimes you feel like a free-loader for not participating because everyone is so on fire.

Seth gives out tiny assignments and other activities that he'll use for his book.

I've been impressed thus far, and it also has many location based groups that have started so I'm getting to meet fellow marketers in person.

Kinda cool, and kind of shows that if you have to work to get something, you'll appreciate it more when you're on the inside.

[David Simon]

Just wanted to say it is always to critisize when you are on the outside looking in on any organization. Being a closed network certainly has made the environment more genuine.