My 17 year old son Diego saw me reading the latest Seth Godin masterpiece Poke the Box and started poking into it himself. After a few page turns and a moment of quiet investigation he exclaimed, “but Dad, all he keeps saying is get started, in different ways”. Seth is very good that way. He does not throw a thousand ideas at you in his mostly short books. That’s why I like him. He gives you one or two ideas at a time and you don’t have to give up a long weekend to access them.
So what’s the message of Poke The Box? Just as Diego said: “Get started” So for example, we spend so much time giving others power over us that we don’t start. Because we have an alibi. About 2 years ago our agency pepper started down the E-road. We saw what was happening with how people were embracing online and mobile media. And we knew we had to go (and know) where consumers were going. So we got started. So now when we talk to our clients about a campaign, we don’t just talk about newspapers, billboards, POP and the launch event. More and more we are talking 360 degree campaigns that engage people with brands that understand their world. Like Mario’s, who has been doing some absolutely crazy stuff online. Ask their 78,317 fans on Facebook if you don’t believe me.
Get started people. Write that book. Start that NGO. Feed a child. Do your first painting. Or do something at work that no one gave you permission to do. Like delighting customers. Just get started.
