“Purple cow” by Seth Godin

The author 🖋

Seth Godin is considered to be one of the top marketing experts in the world and has written over 20 bestselling books on the topic.

He founded Yoyodyne - which pioneered the concept of permission marketing - in 1996 and sold it to Yahoo for almost $30 million 2 years later to become Yahoo's vice president of direct marketing and then founded Squidoo in 2006 which in 2 years became one of the 500 most visited sites in the world.

Key takeaways 🎓

1. Be different to stand out

Being ordinary is actually the riskiest strategy.

If we do the same things that everyone else is doing, people won't pay attention.

To succeed, we must create products or services that are truly remarkable - like a purple cow in a field of ordinary brown cows - because in a busy marketplace not standing out is the same as being invisible.

2. Focus on people who like new things

Don’t start by marketing to a mass audience.

Rather than trying to appeal to everyone, concentrate on targeting innovators and early adopters who are more likely to embrace new ideas.

They’re much more likely to take a chance on something different and spread the word if they like it - this enthusiasm helps build momentum which eventually attracts a broader audience.

3. Take risks and try new ideas

We need to push boundaries and embrace experimentation.

Playing it safe leads to mediocrity, while taking risks opens the door to innovation.

Not every new idea will work, but trying new things protects us from becoming invisible in a world that craves fresh and exciting experiences.

Closing thoughts 🧠

The book argues that if we don’t stand out from the crowd, we become invisible.

Godin believes that sticking to what’s been working is actually the riskiest strategy while being bold and innovative is the “new safe”.

By the way, Seth’s blog is an amazing resource if you want to dive deeper into his approach to marketing.