the five levels of permission

The 5 Levels of Permission (Chapter 6)“The goal of the Permission Marketer is to move consumers up the permission ladder, moving them from strangers to friends to customers. And from customers to loyal customers. At every step up the ladder, trust grows, responsibility grows, and profits grow.” (Godin, p.97)

1. Intravenous

• Purchase-on-Approval Model

2. Points

• Liability Model

• Point Chance Model

3. Personal Relationships

4. Brand Trust

5. Situation

6. Spam (No Permission)Godin, Seth. Permission Marketing. New york: Simon & Schuster, 1999. 97-130

The 5 Levels of Permission (Chapter 6)The Intravenous Permission Level•The highest level of permission is called “intravenous”

•“A marketer who has achieved intravenous permission from his customer is making the buying decisions on behalf of the consumer. The privilege is huge, but the downside is significant because if the marketer guesses wrong or abuses the permission, it will be canceled in a heart beat.” (Godin, p 98)

•Example: Magazine Subscriptions

Purchase on Approval

•A second level called “purchase-on-approval” consist of having a second level of authorization requirement before the consumer is actually billed.

•Purchase-on-approval is the most powerful form of permission that many marketers will ever achieve because it provides a wide-open channel between the busy consumer and the marketer who needs to reach him

•Example: Amazon.com (filtering to consumers needs and then recommending books)

Godin, Seth. Permission Marketing. New york: Simon & Schuster, 1999. 97-130

The 5 Levels of Permission (Chapter 6)The Points Permission Level•“Points are a formalized, scalable approach to attracting and keeping the prospect’s

attention.” (Godin, p.105)

•Points have a cost, however they also have a result. The more points you spend the

more results you will get.

•Example: Points Reward Cards.

The Point Liability Model•In liability programs, every point delivered has a real value.

•Example: Frequent Flier Miles

The Point Chance Model

•“The chance model is reverse of the liability model. Consumers don’t earn a guaranteed reward instead they earn more chances to win a reward.” (Godin, p.115)

•The biggest advantage of this model is that the cost of one more point is basically zero. The disadvantage would be due to if a consumer doesn’t think he has a chance to win, then he probably is not going to enter at all.

•Example: LotteryGodin, Seth. Permission Marketing. New york: Simon & Schuster, 1999. 97-130

The 5 Levels of Permission (Chapter 6)

The Personal Relationship Level

•“Using the relationship you have with an individual is an extremely effective way to temporarily refocus his attention or modify his behavior, but this approach is completely dependent on individuals.” (Godin, p.119)

•Disadvantage: personal relationships in the business world are slow and difficult to make deeper.

•Advantage: powerful form of permission for making major shifts in a consumer’s behavior. Single easiest way to move someone to an intravenous level of permission. Best way to sell custom products, very expensive products, or products that take an enormous amount of learning to appreciate.

•Example: Wall Street Deals


The Brand Trust Level•“This is the tried-and-true branding that is the mantra of most Interruption Marketers.” (Godin, p.123)

•It’s extraordinarily expensive to create, takes a very long time to develop, is hard to measure, and is harder still to manipulate. Yet brand trust is also the most common way marketers practice their craft because brand trust leads to brand extensions.

•Example: Ivory Soap, extension of brand: Ivory Dishwashing Liquid

The Situation Level•“Situational permission is usually preceded by the question “May I Help You??” (Godin, p.127)

•When you stop to ask for directions, or to ask a store clerk for advice on a gift, or when you buy just about anything from anyone, you’ve given situational permission.

•Advantage: The consumer and the salesperson/marketer have very high physical and social proximity. The consumer has initiated the particular interaction, so there is no question of appropriateness.




The Situation Level (cont.)•Disadvantage: this level of permission is so temporary that if it isn’t handled quickly and well, it disappears.

•Example: Fast Food Restaurants

The Spam Level•At the baseline level, the zero point, the place where every Interruptive Marketer starts, is spam. There is no permission here.

•Most marketing is spam.

•Example: TV ads, Direct mail to strangers, Radio ads, and of course Junk E-Mail


the five levels of permission

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