guia-matthieu/permission-marketing
Build marketing that people actually want using Seth Godin's Permission Marketing methodology—earn attention instead of demanding it, turning strangers into friends and friends into customers. Use when: **Build an email list** that's engaged and valuable; **Design lead magnets** that earn real permission; **Create content strategy** based on earning attention; **Evaluate marketing tactics** for permission vs. interruption; **Improve email marketing** by increasing anticipation and relevance
npx skills add https://github.com/guia-matthieu/clawfu-skills --skill permission-marketing> Build marketing that people actually want using Seth Godin's Permission Marketing methodology—earn attention instead of demanding it, turning strangers into friends and friends into customers.
Use this skill when you need to:
This skill is particularly valuable for:
Source: Seth Godin - *Permission Marketing: Turning Strangers into Friends and Friends into Customers* (1999) and *This is Marketing* (2018)
Core Principle: Permission Marketing is the privilege (not the right) of delivering anticipated, personal, and relevant messages to people who want to get them. You earn attention; you don't demand it.
> "If you didn't send out your emails tomorrow, would people contact you to find out what happened?"
| Claude Does | You Decide |
|-------------|------------|
| Structures production workflow | Final creative direction |
| Suggests technical approaches | Equipment and tool choices |
| Creates templates and checklists | Quality standards |
| Identifies best practices | Brand/voice decisions |
| Generates script outlines | Final script approval |
When invoked, I will guide you through the Permission Marketing methodology:
Provide information about your marketing challenge:
Example prompts:
Information that helps:
Definition: Buying access to attention by interrupting whatever the consumer is doing.
Characteristics:
Examples:
Definition: Earning the privilege of delivering anticipated, personal, and relevant messages.
Characteristics:
Examples:
Every piece of permission marketing must be:
| Requirement | Definition | Test Question |
|-------------|------------|---------------|
| Anticipated | People look forward to it | Would they notice if it didn't arrive? |
| Personal | Relates to the individual | Does it feel like it's for them specifically? |
| Relevant | About something they care about | Does it solve their problem or interest? |
If any requirement is missing, it's not permission marketing—it's interruption with extra steps.
Build your strategy around earning higher levels of permission:
What it is: Permission in a specific moment
Examples: Chatbot interaction, webinar Q&A, customer service call
Strategy: Convert situational permission to ongoing permission
Tactic: "While I have you, would you like to join our weekly newsletter where we share [specific value]?"
What it is: General positive association with your brand
Examples: "I like that company," positive word-of-mouth, brand preference
Strategy: Build through consistent delivery on promises
Warning: Brand trust is expensive to build, hard to measure, and easily damaged.
What it is: Permission to communicate directly and regularly
Examples: Email subscribers, newsletter readers, social followers who engage
Strategy: This is your primary focus—build and nurture these relationships
Key insight: Powerful but hard to scale. Quality over quantity.
What it is: Permission earned through ongoing value exchange
Examples: Loyalty programs, premium content access, exclusive communities
Strategy: Create structures that reward ongoing engagement
Tactic: Offer increasing value for increasing permission (free → premium → VIP)
What it is: Complete trust to make decisions for the customer
Examples: Amazon Subscribe & Save, managed services, auto-replenishment
Strategy: Earn through consistent delivery, then offer convenience
This is the goal: "Just handle it for me."
You must initially interrupt to get permission. The difference: the goal of the interruption is NOT to sell—it's to get permission to sell later.
Good Interruption:
Bad Interruption:
Give prospects a compelling reason to grant permission.
Incentive Types:
| Type | Example | Best For |
|------|---------|----------|
| Information | Guide, checklist, research | B2B, expertise-based |
| Entertainment | Games, quizzes, stories | Consumer, engagement |
| Access | Early access, exclusive content | Tech, premium brands |
| Discounts | First purchase offer | E-commerce, retail |
| Community | Join the conversation | Lifestyle, causes |
The Incentive Test: Is the incentive valuable enough that people would pay for it?
Permission isn't a one-time event—it's an ongoing relationship.
The Drip Approach:
Warning Signs Permission Is Fading:
As trust builds, ask for more permission.
The Permission Ladder:
STRANGER
↓ [Interrupt with valuable offer]
AWARE
↓ [Provide incentive to subscribe]
SUBSCRIBER
↓ [Deliver consistent value]
ENGAGED SUBSCRIBER
↓ [Invite to deeper content]
ACTIVE PARTICIPANT
↓ [Offer trial/sample]
CUSTOMER
↓ [Deliver exceptional experience]
REPEAT CUSTOMER
↓ [Invite to advocate]
ADVOCATE
Key: Never skip steps. Earn each level before asking for the next.
Eventually, leverage permission to generate sales.
Critical Rules:
> "The test is easy: If you didn't send out your emails tomorrow, would people contact you to find out what happened?"
If yes: You have real permission
If no: You have a list, not permission
The Fork in the Road:
| Permission Marketer | Spammer With a List |
|--------------------|--------------------|
| Clear and open | Skirting edges |
| Delivers anticipated value | Trading lists |
| Personal and relevant | Link-bait subject lines |
| Welcomes unsubscribes | Evades policies |
There's no middle ground.
Rule 1: Permission Is Non-Transferable
You cannot sell, rent, or share permission. Just because someone trusts you doesn't mean they trust your partners.
Rule 2: Permission Can Be Revoked
At any moment, the customer can withdraw permission. One abuse can end years of relationship.
Rule 3: Permission Must Be Earned
You cannot buy permission. No shortcut exists. It must be earned through value exchange.
Rule 4: Permission Deepens Through Use
Use permission well → earn more permission. Neglect it → permission fades.
Rule 5: Permission Requires Patience
Building real permission takes time. Rushing destroys trust.
Current State:
Permission Marketing Audit:
| Tactic | Type | Permission Level |
|--------|------|------------------|
| Google Ads | Interruption | Low |
| Cold email | Interruption | None |
| Trade shows | Situational | Low |
| Gated content | Earned | Medium (if valuable) |
Permission-Based Transformation:
Step 1: Create Ungated Value
Step 2: Earn Subscription
Step 3: Build Relationship
Step 4: Expand Permission
Step 5: Convert
Expected Results:
Current State:
Permission Marketing Audit:
The 10% popup is interruption disguised as permission. People don't want the emails—they want the discount.
Permission-Based Transformation:
Step 1: Reframe the Value Exchange
Instead of: "10% off for your email"
Try: "Join 50,000 customers who get first access to new drops, styling tips, and exclusive content"
Step 2: Segment by Interest
Step 3: Deliver Anticipated Value
Step 4: Make Emails Personal
Step 5: Earn the Right to Sell
New Welcome Sequence:
Email 1 (Immediate): Welcome + the thing they signed up for
Email 2 (Day 2): Founder story + brand values
Email 3 (Day 5): Most popular content based on their interest
Email 4 (Day 7): Customer story from someone like them
Email 5 (Day 10): Personalized product recommendations
Email 6 (Day 14): Invitation to follow on social/join community
Expected Results:
For each marketing tactic, ask:
Is it Anticipated?
Is it Personal?
Is it Relevant?
If any answer is "No": It's not permission marketing.
Before creating a lead magnet:
| Question | Good Answer | Bad Answer |
|----------|-------------|------------|
| Would people pay for this? | "Probably yes" | "Definitely not" |
| Is it immediately useful? | "They can apply it today" | "Maybe someday" |
| Does it demonstrate expertise? | "Shows we know our stuff" | "Generic info" |
| Does it attract the right people? | "Our ideal customers" | "Anyone with a pulse" |
| Does it set up next permission ask? | "Natural next step" | "Dead end" |
Run this monthly:
| Metric | Healthy | Concerning | Action |
|--------|---------|------------|--------|
| Open rate | >25% | <15% | Re-engagement or cleanup |
| Click rate | >3% | <1% | Content relevance audit |
| Unsubscribe rate | <0.5% | >1% | Value proposition review |
| Reply rate | >1% | 0% | Personalization needed |
| "Missing you" messages | Some | None | You have a list, not permission |
EMAIL 1 (Immediate)
Subject: Here's your [thing they signed up for]
Goal: Deliver promised value immediately
CTA: Access the content
EMAIL 2 (Day 1-2)
Subject: Why we created [thing]
Goal: Share story, build connection
CTA: None (pure value)
EMAIL 3 (Day 3-4)
Subject: The one thing most [audience] get wrong about [topic]
Goal: Demonstrate expertise
CTA: Read the full guide
EMAIL 4 (Day 5-7)
Subject: How [customer name] achieved [result]
Goal: Social proof, possibility
CTA: See the full story
EMAIL 5 (Day 8-10)
Subject: [Name], a question for you
Goal: Create dialogue, understand them
CTA: Reply with their answer
EMAIL 6 (Day 12-14)
Subject: Ready for the next step?
Goal: Expand permission or convert
CTA: Depends on permission level earned
Primary Sources:
Additional Resources:
Take guia-matthieu/permission-marketing from the repository into ~/.claude/skills for personal
use, or into .claude/skills inside a project.
The agent identifies a skill by the name field in its header. Two skills with the
same name cannot sit side by side — one of them will be ignored.