If it’s remarkable, it will be talked about. It’s a simple but brutal truth in marketing and business. Stop trying to be perfect and start trying to be worth a conversation.
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Meaning
At its core, this is about the fundamental law of word-of-mouth. Remarkable doesn’t just mean “good.” It means literally worth making a remark about.
Explanation
Look, I’ve seen so many teams get this wrong. They polish and refine and aim for this bland, inoffensive perfection that… no one cares about. It’s safe. And safe is invisible. Godin is telling us that the market’s attention is the real currency. If you do something that genuinely surprises people, solves a problem in a novel way, or just makes them feel something strongly—good or bad—they will talk. It’s human nature. The “if it’s not, it won’t” part is the kicker. It’s a reminder that silence is the default state for most things. You have to earn the conversation.
Quote Summary
| Context | Attributes |
|---|---|
| Original Language | English (3668) |
| Category | Business (233) |
| Topics | creativity (51), word of mouth (3) |
| Literary Style | logical (24), succinct (151) |
| Emotion / Mood | general (55) |
| Overall Quote Score | 79 (243) |
Origin & Factcheck
This is straight from Seth Godin’s 2003 book, Purple Cow: Transform Your Business by Being Remarkable. It’s a cornerstone of his philosophy. 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 | If it’s remarkable, it will be talked about. If it’s not, it won’t |
| Book Details | Publication Year/Date: 2003; ISBN/Unique Identifier: 9781591843177; Last edition: 2010; Number of pages: 160. |
| Where is it? | Chapter 20: Talk Value, page 115/160 |
