How to Market Without Marketing: Scott A. Martin’s Groundswell Became His Whole Brand
“It’s not what I want to say. It’s what they need to hear.”
Scott A. Martin, author of Groundswell
Scott A. Martin has spent more than 30 years in marketing, advertising, and strategy. He wrote Groundswell to solve what he calls an unsolvable problem: how to market without marketing. The book became the bedrock of his entire business, his company, his podcast, and his framework all share its name, landed him a TEDx talk now viewed about half a million times, and works as the business card that brings him consulting clients.
Market without marketing
The premise came from a challenge to solve an unsolvable problem. Scott, a lifelong surfer, found his answer in the brands that grow on their own, and in a metaphor from the ocean.
“What if you can market without marketing? [...] there’s actually these brands that grow [...] they grow on themselves.”
Scott A. Martin
He named the pattern Groundswell and built it into a formula: build, give, grow, transform. His company, his podcast, and the book all carry the name, so the book became, in his words, a lighthouse for his whole brand.
A thought partner, and his own voice
Scott knew the material cold after decades of applying it. What he needed was help getting it out of his head and onto the page in a way that still sounded like him.
“Having a thought partner is probably the first thing [...] she didn’t create it for me. She just facilitated, organized [...] the one thing that Scribe did really well that I think other authors miss is getting your voice.”
Scott A. Martin
What the book produced
Clip · Scott A. Martin on the TEDx the book landed · 4s
The first thing the book produced was the framework itself, which now runs his company.
“That formula [...] has led to absolutely the bedrock of all the growth in my business, because I use that formula in my business. I teach it.”
Scott A. Martin
It also opened a stage most of his peers are still chasing. Someone read the book, went to his podcast, and called to hand him a TEDx slot. That talk has since been viewed about half a million times.
“People don’t buy from you until they buy into you. She bought into me through the book and through the podcast.”
Scott A. Martin
Day to day, the book is his business card. He bundles signed copies for the teams at companies he consults with, turning the book into the front door of his practice.
His playbook: give first, scale the unscalable
Scott’s marketing advice runs against the automation grain. He treats the book as a relationship tool, not a funnel.
“Start give is the new get [...] You want to create momentum. You need to give.”
Scott A. Martin
“Most people think, how do I automate everything? People don’t want that [...] if you’re an author, you want to build relationship, try to find a way to be accessible.”
Scott A. Martin
Resonate, don’t reach
Clip · Scott A. Martin on resonate, don’t reach · 2s
His closing advice to authors is the same principle that shaped the book, and the reason he is already building a planned, color-matched four-book series around it.
“Don’t try to reach more people. Resonate with more people.”
Scott A. Martin
You can find Scott and a free corner of his community at groundswellinnercircle.com.
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