As to the top 100, the folks in there are making some serious dough (over a thousand sales a day) but the post I just referenced indicates that you can be making a thousand sales a day outside the top 100 also, which ain’t too bad.

Also, according to a recent report, the app store front is not actually the main way people find out about apps, word of mouth is. This makes it that much more important to be a Purple Cow, something people will talk about. Something can be new and unique but if it is not worth talking about, its not a Purple Cow. All the apps I mentioned are worth talking about. So, the point of this whole post is that you should run your app by this litmus test: is it really something people are going to say wow, and tell their friends. If its not, its going to be a tough sell in this app economy.

I didn’t get into too many specifics about what constitutes a Purple Cow in this post. That is what this whole blog is endeavoring to find out.

With regards to going beyond the top 100, I believe content and links in the hyperlink world float up and down and that can mean a lot on the long run. If you are in the App business just to earn a quick buck then the $99 c apps and believing in placement only is the way to go.

See the apple storefront as a real window shopping experience, many users will buy into the new item displayed on the shop windows but there are many others who will find you based on earlier sales or references from other shoppers. I found “fieldrunners” tweeted by someone when searching for top iphone games in Google with the twitter search firefox extension.

Keep up the good work Jeremy, we love your thoughts.

So, Mr. I-want-purple-cows-infront-of-me, in technical terms, how does one create this mystical purple cow?

Here’s a hint: Apple gives you, an icon, a company name, a title, and a consumer review star rating.

Want to know why everything is a black & white cow? Because there is no way to be this mystical purple cow, and if there was, guess what? EVERYBODY would then jump on board to be that purple cow.

How much experience in marketing do you really have? Seriously? My honest bet is nothing, because posts like these are missing one important aspect: HOW.

Every marketing 101 book in the world starts off with “make yourself a new and unique product”. Congrats on coming up with what is already well known knowledge. All the fellow Indie Developers I know already know this, and already understand that you have to be a purple cow.

Guess what though? You don’t get to choose how Apple displays you. You don’t get to choose how consumers will see you either. Although you can do certain things to influence it, the reality is that it is not just dry cut as you make it out to be.

Besides, I don’t see the App Store as Black and White cows… I see the App Store _MUCH_ differently. I see it from the point of view of somebody trying to make money, while you see it from the point of view of a consumer who wants everything for nothing. Know why all those cows are black and white? Because you can’t see beyond 100 of them.

And guess what? Consumers, just like you, are the most common. You are guided to the top 100 cows and you buy into them like pigs to a slaughter. And yet, still, you failed to miss that subtle point that, even if you _ARE_ a purple cow, unless you’re in the top 100 cows, NOBODY, except a hearty few, will EVER, EVER, EVER care to go down the line, go outside of the App Store, and actively search elsewhere. Know why? Because consumers want something for nothing, they don’t care about helping other Indie developers (and shouldn’t be required to anyways), and unless it’s put right in their face by the almighty Apple top-100 list or by a Brand name, you’re basically S C R E W E D.

These posts are beyond all measure of stupid. I’m sorry, but no. You have no idea of what you speak of.

For example, I haven't spent much money in pre-marketing for Grades but I have spent a lot of time building a quality blog, Twitter following, and Facebook page (which are finally beginning to pay off in terms of buzz for my app). Since I am following a hit-based strategy for this app, I plan to spend quite a bit of money (quite a bit for me is less than a thousand dollars) in building a lot of buzz at the beginning, probably with a contest and some other things.

One note, however, is that if you are going for a hit-based app, sustained traditional advertising is probably a waste. It would be almost impossible to get make your money back. So, unless you are making your initial push to get into the top 100, traditional advertising probably isn't worth it (please, prove me wrong). Advertising is more of an option if your selling your app for more than $2.

Another note: the more remarkable your app, the less you will have to prime the pump with a marketing budget because people will market your app for you.

By the way, I emailed Seth Godin to make sure it was okay to post about his idea. He liked the post—awesome!