Want people to remember you? Here’s how to be impossible to ignore
Picture this: You’re scrolling through Instagram, and you see the same fitness posts, the same “hustle harder” quotes, the same before-and-after pics. Then BAM! Someone posts a workout routine for people who hate working out. You stop scrolling, right?
That person just became a purple cow.
Seth Godin (smart marketing guy) came up with this idea. Basically, if you saw a field full of regular cows and one purple cow, which one would you remember? The purple one, obviously!
That’s exactly what you need to do with your content, business, or freelance work.
Why Being Different Actually Works
Here’s the deal – our brains are lazy. They ignore boring stuff but perk up when something’s different.
Think about it:
- You remember the teacher who made math fun, not the boring one
- You talk about the restaurant with weird food combos, not the basic ones
- You follow creators who say unexpected things, not copy-paste content
The psychology is simple: Different = Memorable = More opportunities
Real Purple Cow Examples (That’ll Inspire You)
MrBeast: From Zero to 200M Followers
What everyone else did: Keep ad money from YouTube
What MrBeast did: Gave away ALL his money in videos
Started with $10,000 giveaways, now gives away millions. Why? Because nobody else was literally burning their profits to entertain people. He became impossible to ignore.
Gary Vaynerchuk: Wine Guy Turned Business Guru
What everyone else did: Serious wine reviews in fancy magazines
What Gary did: Rated wines like a regular dude on video
“This wine tastes like my grandmother’s purse!” became more famous than any fancy wine critic. He turned wine tasting into entertainment.
Marie Forleo: Business + Spirituality
What everyone else did: Separated business advice from personal growth
What Marie did: Mixed them together
She talks about manifestation AND marketing funnels in the same video. Sounds crazy, but it works because nobody else was doing it.
How to Find Your Purple Cow (Super Simple Method)
Step 1: The “Only” Game
Fill in this blank: “I’m the only who ”
Examples:
- “I’m the only fitness coach who teaches workouts for people who hate gyms”
- “I’m the only business coach who uses Harry Potter analogies”
- “I’m the only designer who creates logos while live-streaming”
Step 2: The Opposite Test
What’s everyone in your field doing? Do the opposite (if it makes sense).
Everyone says: “Post every day”
You could say: “I only post once a week, but it’s always epic”
Everyone does: Long tutorials
You could do: 30-second solutions
Step 3: Mix Weird Things Together
Combine two things that don’t usually go together.
Examples that worked:
- Cooking + Business lessons
- Meditation + Marketing
- Gaming + Life coaching
- Pets + Productivity tips
Purple Cow Strategies by Field
For Content Creators
Instead of: Another “How to get followers” post
Try: “Why I deleted 50K followers and you should too”
Instead of: Perfect lifestyle content
Try: Behind-the-scenes chaos (people love mess!)
Instead of: Following trends
Try: Starting your own weird challenges
For Entrepreneurs
Instead of: Competing on price
Try: Being the most expensive option (and worth it)
Instead of: Following market research
Try: Creating something YOU desperately wanted
Real example: Spanx founder Sara Blakely cut the feet off pantyhose because nothing else worked. Now it’s a billion-dollar company.
For Freelancers
Instead of: “I do graphic design”
Try: “I create memes that sell products”
Instead of: Bidding on everything
Try: Only working with plant-based startups (or whatever you love)
Instead of: Hiding your personality
Try: Being yourself (even if you’re quirky)
Your 7-Day Purple Cow Challenge
Day 1: Figure out your “only” statement
Write it down. Make it specific.
Day 2: Study your competition
What’s everyone doing the same? Write it down.
Day 3: Pick one thing to do differently
Just one. Don’t overwhelm yourself.
Day 4: Create something only you would make
A post, video, or service that screams “YOU”
Day 5: Share your weird perspective
That opinion you’ve been hiding? Share it (nicely).
Day 6: Start a conversation
Ask your audience something nobody else asks.
Day 7: Double down
Whatever got the best response, do more of it.
Quick Purple Cow Hacks
The Story Hack
Share the story behind why you do what you do. Make it personal.
Boring: “I’m a social media manager”
Purple Cow: “I help introverted business owners shine online because I used to hide behind my computer screen too”
The Personality Hack
Use YOUR words, not business jargon.
Instead of: “I provide solutions”
Try: “I fix stuff that’s broken”
The Vulnerable Hack
Share what went wrong, not just what went right.
Example: “How losing my biggest client taught me to be picky”
What NOT to Do (Learn from Others’ Mistakes)
- Don’t be weird just to be weird – Make sure it adds value
- Don’t copy another purple cow exactly – Find your own way
- Don’t change every week – Pick a lane and own it
- Don’t sacrifice quality for uniqueness – Be different AND good
- Don’t be mean or controversial for clicks – Be remarkable, not obnoxious
Real Talk: Will This Actually Work?
Look, being a purple cow isn’t about becoming famous overnight. It’s about:
- Getting noticed by the RIGHT people
- Charging higher prices (because you’re unique)
- Having more fun with your work
- Building something that lasts
The truth: Most people won’t do this because it feels scary. That’s exactly why it works for those who do.
Your Next Move
Right now, think of ONE thing you could do differently tomorrow. Just one.
Maybe it’s:
- Starting your posts with a weird question
- Sharing a behind-the-scenes story
- Mixing two topics nobody mixes
- Taking a stand on something you care about
Whatever it is, do it. See what happens.
Before You Go…
Your homework: Comment below with your “only” statement. Let’s see those purple cows!
And hey, if this made sense and got you thinking differently about standing out, share it with someone who’s tired of blending in.
Because honestly? The world has enough regular cows.
We need more purple ones.
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P.S. – Still not sure what makes you different? That’s okay. Sometimes it takes time to figure out. Start by just being more YOU in everything you do. The purple cow thing will happen naturally.
Tags: #ContentCreation #PurpleCow #StandOut #Entrepreneurship #Freelancing #PersonalBranding #CreatorTips #BeRemarkable
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