People want to believe. Give them a story… That’s the entire game right there. It’s not about features; it’s about fulfilling a deep-seated human need for a narrative that makes sense of the world.
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Meaning
At its core, this quote means that persuasion isn’t about logic and data; it’s about connecting with the beliefs people already hold and wrapping your idea in a story that resonates with that worldview.
Explanation
Look, I’ve seen this play out a thousand times. You can have the best product, the best specs, the best price. But if you just lead with that, you’re just noise. What Seth is really saying here is that our brains are wired for story. We use narratives to make sense of complexity. So when you give someone a story—a genuine one, not a fabricated lie—you’re giving their belief a place to live. You’re not convincing them of something new; you’re activating a belief they already wanted to have. It’s the difference between selling a drill and selling the ability to build your child’s treehouse. One is a tool, the other is a chapter in a family’s story.
Quote Summary
| Context | Attributes |
|---|---|
| Original Language | English (3668) |
| Category | Business (233) |
| Topics | belief (103), storytelling (19), trust (147) |
| Literary Style | compact (12) |
| Emotion / Mood | encouraging (304) |
| Overall Quote Score | 79 (243) |
Origin & Factcheck
This comes straight from Seth Godin’s 2005 book, All Marketers Are Liars, published in the United States. A quick note on the title—it’s often misunderstood. The “liars” part is provocative, but Godin later clarified the book’s subtitle to “Tell Stories That Matter,” which really gets to the heart of it. It’s about authentic storytelling, not deception.
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 | People want to believe. Give them a story that lets them |
| Book Details | Publication Year/Date: 2005; ISBN/Unique Identifier: 9781591841009; Last edition: Portfolio Penguin 2012; Number of pages: 240. |
| Where is it? | Chapter 35: Let Them Believe, page 262, 2012 edition |