Thoughts on "Seth Godin’s Free Prize Inside: How to make A Purple Cow"

Free Prize Inside is a book that knocked me sideways. Its fresh, fascinating and full of the usual thought-bombs that Seth delivers when he outs pen to paper.

As per usual, there are a ton of summaries out there so I’ll give just a few notes.

Seth spends a lot of time talking about the idea of “soft innovations”, which essentially can be improvements to existing products or services or even combined and complimentary products and services. Instead of reinventing the wheel, these can be easier to create yet offer far more value than a “new” product. And most of all, the result will stand out from the competition. He is quick to point out, however, that it’s not just adding a new bell or whistle (that’s feature bloat ;))

Seth also spends time talking about how to sell such ideas in the marketplace, whether you are working alone or as part of a team. I found that kind of detail around idea acceptance to be vital reading here also.

To top it off, Seth offers a huuuuge list categories of “free prize” to the reader, which really got my gears turning. Well worth a dip into

This is a book that takes your idea for a walk, a walk to the possibilities of what it could become in the service of it’s audience. It ties in with the overarching principles of his earlier books and is the perfect companion piece to Purple Cow.

Next up: Poke the Box!