Megan Walker:
Hi, my name is Megan Walker and Iâm the Director of Market Savvy. Today I have the pleasure of speaking with Seth Godin on the topic of marketing for health and community professionals.
Seth Godin is the author of 18 bestselling books translated into more than 35 languages. He writes about the post-industrial revolution, how ideas spread, leadership, marketing, quitting, and change. You may know him from Linchpin, Tribes, The Dip, or Purple Cow. He founded Yo-Yo Dyne and Squidoo, and his blogâfound simply by typing âSethâ into Googleâis one of the most popular in the world. He has been inducted into the Direct Marketing Hall of Fame, and his newest book, What to Do When Itâs Your Turn, is already a bestseller.
Hello, Mr. Seth Godin. A warm welcome from Australia and thank you for joining us.
Seth Godin:
Itâs an absolute pleasure. Good to talk to you.
Megan Walker:
Over the past few weeks, Iâve been talking about a dilemma many health and community organisations face here in Australiaâthough I suspect itâs global. Some organisations are embracing marketing principles; others resist; and some refuse entirely, saying that marketing feels like an insult to their expertise. Why do you think some health professionals are reluctant to take on marketing responsibilities?
Seth Godin:
Let me start with a question: When was the last time someone treated smallpox? Neverâbecause smallpox is gone. But it didnât disappear on its own. It required a huge effort, especially in the later years when people refused the vaccine. Without persuasion, communication, and storytelling, eradication wouldnât have been possible.
If Bill or Melinda Gates said, âWe donât feel like pushing people to get vaccinated; it feels beneath us to explain and reassure,â that would be malpractice. Health professionals take an oath to bring health to people. In todayâs worldâwhere misinformation spreads faster than truthâwe have an obligation to speak in a way people can hear.
Iâm not talking about hype or manipulation. Iâm talking about helping people understand whatâs possible. Most health outcomes now depend not on pharmaceuticals, but on choices, behaviours, interpretation, and self-care. If we canât communicate that clearly, weâre not doing our job as health professionals.
Megan Walker:
Fantastic. And I love that because it really connects with the true purpose of being in health in the first place.
Seth Godin:
Thatâs right.
Megan Walker:
I often hear clinicians say, âI canât put my name on those slides,â or âI donât want to give my website; it feels shameful,â or âIâve been at university for 10 yearsâI shouldnât need to promote myself.â What do you say to those personal barriers?
Seth Godin:
Most people immediately imagine the worst exampleâthe scammy, pushy person selling snake oil. Nobody wants to be seen that way.
But think about your own decisions: what car you drive, your coat, who you vote for. You didnât do hours of detailed research. You made human decisions based on emotion, trust, and story.
We need to trust ourselves to know the difference between honest communication and manipulation. If you truly canât trust yourself, then yesâavoid marketing. But most health professionals are capable of speaking truthfully and generously.
And remember: you already use marketing symbols. The white lab coat is a badge. The stethoscope is a badge. Todayâs badges include publishing helpful work where the public can find it, having an accessible website, making your clinic easy to find, presenting information clearly. Thatâs not self-promotionâthatâs professionalism.
Megan Walker:
Fantastic. So what does ethical marketing look like when itâs done beautifully?
Seth Godin:
Marketing isnât advertising or spam. Marketing is who you are and what you do.
I had surgery two years ago with a highly regarded New York surgeon. After the procedure, I went home and was uncomfortable for days. I didnât hear from him at all. No clear written instructions. No advice about what to expect. No follow-up call. He didnât act like a humanâhe acted like a surgeon.
So when someone asks me for a referral, I donât give one.
If he had simply called me the next morning, he would have earned my trust. I know at least 18 people who will eventually need the same surgery. Thatâs $21,000 worth of referralsâall for a three-minute phone call. That is marketing.
Megan Walker:
Itâs funnyâwhen I take my dog to the vet, I often think, âI wish my doctor treated me the way the vet treats my dog.â Warm greetings, check-ins, kindness. But I hear some GPs say things like, âSome of our patients donât pay anything, so they should be grateful we see them at all.â That really unsettles me. Whatâs your response?
Seth Godin:
Two hundred years ago, what doctors do was priceless. Two hundred years from now, it will be almost worthless. Arguing over what people âdeserveâ feels callous. If you treat your work as mechanical, people will treat you like a mechanicâreplaceable.
Health is human. Itâs emotional. Youâre creating an environment where people feel seen and safe. There are many ways to do that that cost nothing: hiring a kind receptionist, being attentive, showing care.
Burnout is real. Over decades, you see the same frustrations, the same behaviours. But under all those behaviours is fear. If you can see the fear, you can treat the person. If youâre brave enough to move past the annoyance and into the humanity, you can help them heal.
We are both in the change business. You change bodies; I change minds. Change always involves fear. Our job is to help people move through it.
Megan Walker:
Thank you for the goosebumps. That was beautiful. And for people being asked to adopt marketing behaviours within their organisationsâwhat tips would you give them?
Seth Godin:
Just as 90% of medical advice online is nonsense, 90% of marketing advice is nonsense too. You wouldnât tell a patient to bathe in grapefruit juice just because a website said so. Donât do the marketing equivalent.
Ignore shortcuts, hype, SEO tricks, keyword stuffing. Look for the long wayâthe meaningful path that makes you trusted, irreplaceable, and missed if you were gone. That path always works.
Megan Walker:
And thatâs the same path for people wanting true thought leadership. Itâs not a quick bolt-on.
Seth Godin:
Exactly.
Megan Walker:
Thank you so much for this conversation. I know it will help so many people. I really appreciate your time.
Seth Godin:
Thank you, Meg. And thank you for the work you do. It really matters.
Megan Walker:
Thank you.
