Find a niche, and fill it. That’s the secret sauce Seth Godin serves up in Purple Cow. It’s about becoming the only logical choice, not just another option in a sea of sameness. Stop trying to be for everyone and start being everything to someone.
Share Image Quote:Table of Contents
Meaning
Stop competing with everyone and start dominating a specific, underserved area. It’s the strategic move from being a commodity to becoming a category of one.
Explanation
Look, I’ve seen this play out so many times. The “generalist” Godin mentions? That’s the company or person who’s a mile wide and an inch deep. They’re okay at a lot of things, but they’re not the *best* at anything. And in today’s noisy world, “okay” gets you ignored. Finding a niche isn’t about limiting yourself; it’s about focusing your energy so intensely that you become the undisputed expert. You’re not just another marketer; you’re *the* marketing expert for vegan skincare brands. You’re not just another coffee shop; you’re the only place in town that sources single-origin beans from female-owned farms in Rwanda. You fill the “it” by solving a very specific problem for a very specific group of people better than anyone else. That’s how you build a tribe. That’s how you become remarkable.
Quote Summary
| Context | Attributes |
|---|---|
| Original Language | English (3668) |
| Category | Career (192) |
| Topics | focus (155), niche (4) |
| Literary Style | concise (408), direct (414) |
| Emotion / Mood | realistic (354) |
| Overall Quote Score | 81 (258) |
Origin & Factcheck
This wisdom comes straight from Seth Godin’s 2003 marketing classic, Purple Cow: Transform Your Business by Being Remarkable. It was published in the United States and really captured the early internet’s shift away from mass-market advertising. You sometimes see the sentiment echoed elsewhere, but this is the definitive source.
Attribution Summary
| Context | Attributes |
|---|---|
| Author | Seth Godin (100) |
| Source Type | Book (4032) |
| Source/Book Name | Purple Cow: Transform Your Business by Being Remarkable (43) |
| Origin Timeperiod | 21st Century (1892) |
| Original Language | English (3668) |
| Authenticity | Verified (4032) |
Author Bio
Seth Godin writes and teaches about marketing, leadership, and creative work. After earning an MBA from Stanford, he founded Yoyodyne, sold it to Yahoo!, and later launched ventures like Squidoo and the altMBA. He has authored bestsellers such as Permission Marketing, Purple Cow, Tribes, Linchpin, and This Is Marketing. He posts daily at seths.blog and speaks globally about making work that matters. If you’re starting with the Seth Godin book list, expect insights on trust, storytelling, and shipping creative projects that change culture.
| Official Website | Facebook | X
Where is this quotation located?
| Quotation | Find a niche, and fill it. The world is full of generalists |
| Book Details | Publication Year/Date: 2003; ISBN/Unique Identifier: 9781591843177; Last edition: 2010; Number of pages: 160. |
| Where is it? | Chapter 27: Niche Power, page 144/160 |