What's your purple cow?????

In 2025, rental operators must find their purple cow.

Let me explain:

Imagine driving past a field of cows. (When I lived in Wisconsin, I would do this on the way to the grocery store. Shoutout Aldi).

At first, you might notice them, but after a while they all look the same.

What if all the sudden one was purple?

That would grab your attention immediately because it's:

• Out of the ordinary

• Something you never seen before

• Worth talking about

This is a marketing metaphor originally created by Seth Godin. The Jay-Z of marketing.

The main idea: Every industry is crowded with brands who do very similar things.

Especially our beloved short term rental and hotel space.

There's a lot of rentals that are perceived through their marketing as "brown cows." Unremarkable.

Yet, we each have our own purple cow feature. Our guests just don't know it - yet.

Today, I'm going to share how to find your purple cow feature so you can stand out and get the bookings you deserve.

There are 3 key areas to do this:

• Experience

• Design

• Story

Let's dive in:

1) Experience

When you craft a guest experience ask yourself: "What can't they get anywhere else in my market?"

This can be super simple, like:

• Complementary vouchers to a couple vineyards down the road

• Discounts or recommendations to nearby outfitters for all activities

• E-bikes for easy transportation once checked in

Obviously, there are extreme examples of this too.

• Build a wellness focused backyard with a gym, sauna and cold plunge

• Buy farm animals and build a unique "farm stay"

• Going out on a limb here - build a go cart track. Vroom vroom.

Goal: Make your purple cow feature so awesome, guests won't shut up about it to their friends.

2) Design

Visually look nothing like anything else in your area.

Becoming an experience purple cow requires someone to stay with you in order to be blown away.

A design purple cow gets people to talk about you pre-purchase.

I'm not telling you to tear down what you have an start rebuilding.

That's unachievable for most.

Instead, try this:

• Near a large college? Become the ultimate fan house

• Go crazy on Christmas decorations and become a year-round holiday retreat

• Turn your backyard into the best pickle ball resort

3) Story

People don't remember messages and statements. They remember stories.

I went to a private school from Grade 1 to 12.

I remember 0 lessons from the bible.

But, I could tell you exactly what happened in:

• Noah's Ark

• David and Goliath

• Jonah and the Whale

David Graber from Paradise Lake Ohio has mastered storytelling. Half his social feed is sharing the "why" behind his huge retreat.

And it works. He's built a following of over 145K and charges premium pricing because I'd imagine the demand lets him.

At first, the story is what got me interested:

• Young dude trying to make a better life for his family after a big life change.

Then I became obsessed with the properties:

• Modern luxury cabins on a lake in the woods.

Story drives interest. Interest drives bookings.

Social media is noisy. Your unique story is your purple cow.

The 3 areas to find your purple cow

Experience → Create a feature guests don't stop talking about post-checkout

Design → Visually look like nothing in the area so people talk about you pre-booking

Story → Get people interested in your story on social media and watch them become raving fans.

What's your purple cow?

That's all for today. I'll see you in the next article.

P.S. Writing this from Jacksonville, FL. Bounced down here for the weekend. Watched the Jaguars take on the Panthers and have never sweat so much while sitting still.

Before you go

I spend about 10 hours writing this newsletter each week. The rest of my time is spent running Lodge Social.

Our marketing team will help you get more guests to like, share and book.

Work with me and my team here.

Links you might like:

1. How to get bookings with Instagram. Ends 9/16 (Webinar)

2. 4 marketing options that work. Pick 1 (The Lodge Social)

3. How to sell pre-bookings vouchers and make $50,000 before opening (Instagram)

4. The art of building without borrowing (Issac French)