Good stories make promises, but great ones actually deliver. It’s the difference between grabbing attention and building a legacy. This simple idea flips how we think about marketing and connection.
Share Image Quote:Table of Contents
Meaning
At its heart, this is about the contract you make with your audience. A promise creates expectation. Delivery builds trust.
Explanation
Look, anyone can spin a good yarn. You can talk about your “world-class service” or your “revolutionary product.” That’s the promise. It gets people in the door. But the magic—the real, sustainable magic—happens in the follow-through. Does the service feel world-class? Does the product actually revolutionize their day? That’s the delivery. And that delivery is what turns a one-time customer into a raving fan. It’s what makes a story not just something you tell, but something you live. It becomes authentic.
Quote Summary
| Context | Attributes |
|---|---|
| Original Language | English (3668) |
| Category | Relationship (329) |
| Topics | delivery (7), trust (147) |
| Literary Style | succinct (151) |
| Emotion / Mood | reflective (382) |
| Overall Quote Score | 78 (178) |
Origin & Factcheck
This gem comes straight from Seth Godin’s 2005 book, All Marketers Are Liars. It’s a US publication, and the title is intentionally provocative—he’s arguing that we all tell stories, and the best ones are “lies” that are true because they are authentic and delivered upon. You won’t find this quote mistakenly attributed to others; it’s pure Godin.
Attribution Summary
| Context | Attributes |
|---|---|
| Author | Seth Godin (100) |
| Source Type | Book (4032) |
| Source/Book Name | All Marketers Are Liars: The Power of Telling Authentic Stories in a Low-Trust World (57) |
| Origin Timeperiod | 21st Century (1892) |
| Original Language | English (3668) |
| Authenticity | Verified (4032) |
Author Bio
Seth Godin writes and teaches about marketing, leadership, and creative work. After earning an MBA from Stanford, he founded Yoyodyne, sold it to Yahoo!, and later launched ventures like Squidoo and the altMBA. He has authored bestsellers such as Permission Marketing, Purple Cow, Tribes, Linchpin, and This Is Marketing. He posts daily at seths.blog and speaks globally about making work that matters. If you’re starting with the Seth Godin book list, expect insights on trust, storytelling, and shipping creative projects that change culture.
| Official Website | Facebook | X
Where is this quotation located?
| Quotation | Good stories make promises. Great stories deliver on them |
| Book Details | Publication Year/Date: 2005; ISBN/Unique Identifier: 9781591841009; Last edition: Portfolio Penguin 2012; Number of pages: 240. |
| Where is it? | Chapter 27: Promise and Delivery, page 232, 2012 edition |