Book Review: Purple Cow by Seth Godin
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What’s a Purple Cow?
Today we're diving deep into Seth Godin's "Purple Cow" – the book that's basically a manual for entrepreneurial rule-breaking.
If you're tired of the same-old business advice, ready to stand out in a crowded market, and want to build something truly remarkable, this is your jam.
Buckle up. It's about to get purple.
The Herd Mentality: Why Blending In is a Death Sentence
Let's be real: most businesses are boring.
They're brown cows in a field of brown cows – easy to ignore, forgettable, and frankly, not worth your time.
In today's world, being average is the same as being invisible.
You need to be exceptional, different, and dare I say it...remarkable.
That's where the Purple Cow comes in.
It's the idea that your product, service, or brand should be so unique, so attention-grabbing, that it stops people in their tracks.
The Power of Remarkable: Why You Need to Be a Purple Cow
Think about the brands you love and admire.
They're not just good – they're extraordinary.
They're the ones you tell your friends about, the ones you can't stop thinking about.
That's the power of being a Purple Cow.
It's about creating something so remarkable that it generates its own buzz, its own word-of-mouth marketing.
When you're a Purple Cow, you don't have to chase customers – they chase you.
You don't have to shout to be heard – you naturally stand out.
From Brown Cow to Purple Cow: A Framework for Remarkability
So, how do you transform your boring brown cow of a business into a magnificent Purple Cow?
It's not as hard as you think.
Here's a simple framework to get you started:
Challenge the Status Quo: Don't be afraid to break the rules, question assumptions, and do things differently.
Embrace Your Weirdness: What makes you unique? What are your quirks and idiosyncrasies? Don't hide them – celebrate them!
Solve a Real Problem: The most remarkable products and services solve a real pain point for their customers. Find a problem worth solving and go all in.
Create an Emotional Connection: People don't just buy products or services – they buy into stories, experiences, and emotions.
Never Stop Innovating: The world is constantly changing. To stay remarkable, you need to constantly evolve and adapt.
The Purple Cow Mindset: Embracing Risk and Rejecting Mediocrity
Being a Purple Cow isn't just about creating a remarkable product or service – it's about embracing a mindset of risk-taking, innovation, and relentless pursuit of excellence.
It's about rejecting the safe, the comfortable, and the mediocre.
It's about daring to be different, daring to stand out, and daring to create something truly extraordinary.
So let’s get into the nitty-gritty: how to actually become a Purple Cow and the mindset shifts that separate remarkable entrepreneurs from the rest of the herd.
The Ideavirus: The Power of Contagious Ideas
Your Purple Cow needs to be more than just a product or service – it needs to be an idea that spreads like wildfire.
Godin calls this an "Ideavirus."
To create an Ideavirus, focus on these key elements:
Remarkable: Your idea needs to be so unique and attention-grabbing that people can't help but talk about it.
Emotional: It should evoke strong emotions – joy, excitement, surprise, or even a little bit of fear.
Shareable: Make it easy for people to share your idea with others. This could be through social media, email, or even good old-fashioned word-of-mouth.
The Fear of Failure: The Entrepreneur's Kryptonite
The biggest obstacle to becoming a Purple Cow is fear.
Fear of failure, fear of rejection, fear of being different.
But here's the thing: failure is part of the entrepreneurial journey.
Every successful entrepreneur has failed multiple times.
The difference is that they learned from their mistakes and kept going.
The key is to embrace failure as a learning opportunity.
Don't be afraid to experiment, take risks, and try new things.
The more you try, the more likely you are to stumble upon your Purple Cow.
Purple Cow Action Plan: A Few Tips to Get You Started
Find Your Niche: Don't try to be everything to everyone. Focus on a specific target audience and create something that truly resonates with them.
Design for Remarkability: Every aspect of your product, service, or brand should be designed to stand out.
Tell Your Story: Craft a compelling narrative that captures the essence of your Purple Cow.
Leverage Sneezers & O.P.P (more on this later).
How to Market Your Purple Cow
This is where it gets juicy for those ready to truly differentiate their ventures.
Building something remarkable is only half the battle.
Getting it in front of the right people is where the magic happens.
There’s two ways to do this, Sneezers and O.P.P.
The Sneezers: Your Secret Weapon for Viral Growth
Let’s start with Sneezers
Seth Godin introduces this brilliant concept in "Purple Cow": Sneezers.
They're the early adopters, the tastemakers, the people who love discovering new things and telling their friends about them.
Think of them as your word-of-mouth marketing army.
When Sneezers catch a whiff of something truly remarkable (like your Purple Cow), they can't help but share it with everyone they know.
How do you find Sneezers?
Look for people who are passionate about your industry or niche.
They're the ones who are always on the lookout for the next big thing.
Cultivate relationships with them, offer them exclusive access, and make them feel like they're part of something special.
The O.P.P. (Other People's Platforms): Amplifying Your Purple Cow
Now let’s talk about O.P.P
O.P.P. – Other People's Platforms.
Think of it like this:
Your Purple Cow: The remarkable product, service, or idea you've created.
The Sneezers: Your early adopters and enthusiastic fans.
O.P.P.: The channels, networks, and communities where your ideal customers hang out.
Leverage existing platforms to get your Purple Cow in front of the people who will love it most.
This could mean:
Social media: Partner with influencers, run targeted ads, or participate in relevant groups.
Media outlets: Get featured in articles, podcasts, or news segments.
Industry events: Attend conferences, trade shows, or networking events to connect with potential customers and partners.
The Permission Marketing Paradox: Turning Strangers into Raving Fans
In the world of Purple Cow marketing, we're not just playing a different game—we're rewriting the rulebook. Forget about the old-school, interruptive tactics that bombard your audience with messages they don't want. It's time to embrace a new philosophy: earning attention, not demanding it.
The Old Way:
Interruption: TV commercials, pop-up ads, cold calls—these are the blunt instruments of traditional marketing. They interrupt your audience's flow, demanding their attention whether they like it or not.
Quantity over Quality: The old model focuses on reaching as many people as possible, regardless of whether they're actually interested in your product. It's a numbers game, not a relationship game.
One-Size-Fits-All: Generic messaging that tries to appeal to everyone ends up resonating with no one. It's like trying to sell a steak to a vegan—a waste of time and resources.
The Purple Cow Way:
Remarkable Products: The foundation of Purple Cow marketing is creating products or services so extraordinary that they practically market themselves. They're not just better—they're different, unique, and undeniably attention-grabbing.
Targeted Outreach: Instead of casting a wide net, we focus on identifying our ideal customers—those who are most likely to resonate with our Purple Cow. We then tailor our message to speak directly to their needs and desires.
Authenticity and Value: We don't just want to grab attention—we want to earn it. That means delivering genuine value, building trust, and fostering authentic connections with our audience.
The Result:
When you shift your focus from interruption to earning attention, something magical happens.
Your audience stops seeing you as a marketer and starts seeing you as a trusted advisor, a source of valuable insights, and a creator of remarkable products they can't help but share with others.
This is the power of Purple Cow marketing.
It's not just about selling more—it's about building a brand that people love, a community that rallies around your products, and a movement that changes the game.
The Marketing Event: Turning Your Launch into a Spectacle
Lastly, when you’re launching your Purple Cow, don't settle for a boring product launch.
Instead, create a Marketing Event – a spectacle that captures attention and generates buzz.
Think of it like a grand opening, a red-carpet premiere, or a festival celebrating your Purple Cow.
How to create a Marketing Event:
Theme it: Give your event a unique theme that aligns with your brand and message.
Make it interactive: Encourage participation and engagement from your audience.
Create shareable moments: Design photo ops, social media contests, or other elements that people will want to share with their networks.
Purple Cow Case Studies: Inspiration from the Remarkable
We're in the final stretch of our Purple Cow journey.
By now, you should have a solid understanding of what it means to be remarkable and how to apply those principles to your business.
Now, we'll solidify everything with real-world examples and a tactical blueprint.
Let's take a look at some brands that have successfully embraced the Purple Cow philosophy:
Tesla: Elon Musk's electric car company has revolutionized the automotive industry with its sleek design, innovative technology, and cult-like following. They didn't just create a car – they created a movement.
Apple: From the iconic iPod to the iPhone, Apple has consistently pushed the boundaries of design and technology, creating products that are both functional and beautiful. Their focus on user experience and attention to detail sets them apart from the competition.
Dollar Shave Club: This subscription-based razor company disrupted the men's grooming industry with its quirky marketing, affordable pricing, and convenient delivery model. They turned a mundane product into a fun and engaging experience.
Warby Parker: This eyewear brand revolutionized the way people buy glasses by offering stylish frames at affordable prices and allowing customers to try them on at home. They disrupted the traditional retail model and built a loyal following through their social mission and exceptional customer service.
These are just a few examples of brands that have embraced the Purple Cow philosophy and reaped the rewards.
They all share a commitment to innovation, creativity, and customer-centricity.
The Purple Cow Blueprint: A Step-by-Step Guide
Ready to create your own Purple Cow?
Here's a simplified blueprint to get you started:
Find Your Niche: Identify a specific target audience and a problem they're facing. Don't try to be everything to everyone.
Challenge Assumptions: Question the status quo and look for ways to do things differently. Don't be afraid to break the rules.
Design for Remarkability: Make every aspect of your product, service, or brand stand out. From the packaging to the customer experience, every detail should scream "Purple Cow."
Tell Your Story: Craft a compelling narrative that captures the essence of your brand and connects with your audience on an emotional level.
Leverage Sneezers: Identify your early adopters and empower them to spread the word.
Leverage O.P.P.: Identify the platforms and channels where your target audience hangs out and use them to amplify your message.
Build a Community: Foster a sense of belonging and connection among your customers and fans. Encourage them to share their experiences and spread the word about your brand.
Measure and Iterate: Track your results, learn from your mistakes, and constantly improve your offerings. The Purple Cow journey is an ongoing process of evolution and adaptation.
One final thought.
I challenge you to take the Purple Cow philosophy and apply it to your own business.
Don't settle for mediocrity.
Dare to be different, dare to stand out, and dare to create something truly remarkable.
Scott