Purple Cow
Transform Your Business by Being Remarkable
Author: Seth Godin
Length: 160 pages (~3.5 hour read)
Formats: Hardcover, Paperback, Kindle, Audible
Grab your copy of Purple Cow on Amazon here.
Why This Book Matters
If your marketing feels invisible—or your product just “good enough”—Purple Cow is a wake-up call. Godin argues that safe, average, and familiar no longer cut it in a saturated market. The only way to grow is to be remarkable. Like spotting a purple cow in a field of ordinary ones, your business must stand out so clearly that people can’t help but talk about it. This book is ideal for business owners stuck in a sea of sameness and ready to build something worth noticing.
Core Idea
In a world where consumers ignore most marketing, the only way to win is to create products and services so unique, useful, or bold that customers do the marketing for you. You can’t out-spend the competition anymore—you have to out-remarkable them. The key shift? Stop trying to appeal to everyone. Instead, design for the innovators and early adopters who will spread your message for free.
Key Tactics & How to Apply Them
1. Make Something Worth Marketing
Traditional marketing tries to make people want what you’ve already built. Godin flips that: first build something people want to talk about.
How to apply: Instead of pouring money into ads, invest in innovation. Ask, “Would anyone tell a friend about this?” If the answer is no, go back to the drawing board.
2. Appeal to the Sneezers
Sneezers are people who spread ideas. They’re opinionated, connected, and always looking for what’s new.
How to apply: Design for these early adopters. Give them something bold and different that aligns with their identity—and makes them look smart for sharing it.
3. Be Bold, Not Safe
Most businesses optimize for safety and scale. That’s how you get more brown cows. But in doing so, you become invisible.
How to apply: Take creative risks in product design, customer experience, and positioning. Being “too weird” is less dangerous than being boring.
4. Go After a Small Niche First
Trying to please everyone leads to mediocrity. Instead, build for a small, passionate group—and let them turn it into a movement.
How to apply: Identify a niche market that’s underserved or overlooked. Create something remarkable just for them, then scale later once you have traction.
5. Milk the Cow, Then Reinvent It
No product stays remarkable forever. Even a purple cow fades into the background eventually.
How to apply: Once your innovation peaks, don’t coast. Launch the next purple cow while your current one is still generating buzz.
6. Fire the Boring Customers
Average customers want average things. But average doesn’t grow your business.
How to apply: Focus your efforts on customers who demand better, not cheaper. Let go of clients who resist change or innovation—they’ll hold you back.
Real-World Example
Mini Cooper didn’t market to everyone. Instead, they built a small car that looked nothing like its competitors—and leaned into its quirks. It was fun, unapologetically different, and instantly recognizable. By targeting car buyers who valued personality over practicality, Mini became a cult hit and reignited a brand most thought was dead. The buzz spread not from ads, but from passionate fans who couldn’t wait to show off their weird little car.
When to Use This Book
Your product or service feels invisible in a crowded market
You’re spending more on marketing, but seeing less return
You want organic growth through word-of-mouth
You’re launching something new and want it to make a splash
You’re ready to be bold instead of playing it safe
Grab your copy of Purple Cow on Amazon here.