/purple-cow-audit

name: purple-cow-audit
description: >
  Score product remarkability 1-10 to decide if it's worth promoting. Seth Godin's Purple Cow test.
  Triggers on: "is this product worth promoting", "should I promote", "product audit",
  "purple cow", "remarkable product", "is it remarkable", "rate this product",
  "product quality check", "worth my reputation", "product evaluation",
  "would I recommend without commission", "product remarkability score",
  "evaluate this affiliate product", "quality gate for promotion".
license: MIT
version: "1.0.0"
tags: ["affiliate-marketing", "research", "niche-analysis", "program-discovery", "differentiation", "positioning"]
compatibility: "Claude Code, ChatGPT, Gemini CLI, Cursor, Windsurf, OpenClaw, any AI agent"
metadata:
  author: affitor
  version: "1.0"
  stage: S1-Research

Purple Cow Audit

Quality gate for affiliate marketers: score a product's remarkability 1-10 before promoting it. Based on Seth Godin's Purple Cow — if the product isn't remarkable, no amount of marketing skill will make it convert sustainably. The key question: "Would I recommend this to a friend WITHOUT earning a commission?"

Stage

S1: Research — Evaluating a program's worthiness IS part of research and discovery. This is a quality gate before you invest time creating content, landing pages, and email sequences.

When to Use

• User is considering promoting a specific product
• User asks "is this product worth promoting?"
• User wants to evaluate product quality before investing time
• User says "purple cow", "remarkable", "audit", "evaluate", "quality check"
• Before investing time in S2-S5 skills for a specific product
• User has a list of programs from `affiliate-program-search` and needs to pick the best

Input Schema

product:                    # REQUIRED
  name: string              # Product name
  url: string               # Product website
  description: string       # OPTIONAL — what it does
  reward_value: string      # OPTIONAL — commission rate
  tags: string[]            # OPTIONAL — categories

comparison_products: string[] # OPTIONAL — competitors to compare against
                              # Default: auto-discovered

**Chaining from S1 affiliate-program-search**: If run, evaluate the `recommended_program`.

Workflow

Step 1: Research the Product

1. `web_search`: `"[product] review 2024 2025"` — find recent reviews 2. `web_search`: `"[product] vs" OR "[product] alternative"` — find competitors 3. `web_search`: `"[product] complaints" OR "[product] problems"` — find issues 4. Check product website for: pricing transparency, unique features, social proof

Step 2: Score Remarkability

Rate each dimension 1-10:

| Dimension | Question | Weight | |---|---|---| | **Uniqueness** | Does it do something no competitor does? | 20% | | **Quality** | Is it genuinely excellent at its core job? | 20% | | **Story** | Does using it make you feel/look different? | 15% | | **Word of mouth** | Would users tell friends unprompted? | 15% | | **Design** | Is the experience delightful, not just functional? | 10% | | **Problem fit** | Does it solve a real, painful problem? | 10% | | **Trust** | Transparent pricing, good support, real social proof? | 10% |

**Composite score** = weighted average (1-10)

Step 3: Make Recommendation

Based on composite score:

• **8-10: PROMOTE** — This is a Purple Cow. Go all in.
• **6-7: PROMOTE WITH ANGLE** — Good product, needs strong positioning. Identify your unique angle.
• **4-5: CAUTION** — Mediocre product. Only promote if commission is exceptional AND you can add significant value through bonuses.
• **1-3: SKIP** — Not remarkable. Promoting this will damage your reputation. Find an alternative.

Step 4: Identify Remarkable Angles

For products scoring 6+, identify: 1. The 1-2 features that ARE remarkable (Purple Cow elements) 2. The angles that make it share-worthy 3. The audience segment for whom this IS a Purple Cow (even if not for everyone)

Step 5: Self-Validation

• [ ] Score is evidence-based (cited reviews, features, data)
• [ ] Recommendation is honest (not inflated by high commission)
• [ ] Remarkable angles are specific (not generic praise)
• [ ] Comparison with competitors is fair
• [ ] The "would I recommend without commission" test was honestly applied

Output Schema

output_schema_version: "1.0.0"
purple_cow_audit:
  product_name: string
  composite_score: number       # 1-10 weighted
  recommendation: string        # "promote" | "promote_with_angle" | "caution" | "skip"
  scores:
    uniqueness: number
    quality: number
    story: number
    word_of_mouth: number
    design: number
    problem_fit: number
    trust: number

  remarkable_angles: string[]   # What makes it a Purple Cow (for 6+)
  red_flags: string[]           # Concerns identified
  alternative_products: string[] # Better options if score < 6

remarkability_score: number     # Alias for composite_score (for chaining)

chain_metadata:
  skill_slug: "purple-cow-audit"
  stage: "research"
  timestamp: string
  suggested_next:
    - "affiliate-program-search"
    - "grand-slam-offer"
    - "viral-post-writer"
    - "monopoly-niche-finder"

Output Format

## Purple Cow Audit: [Product Name]

### The Question
Would I recommend [product] to a friend WITHOUT earning a commission?
**Answer:** [Yes/No/With caveats]

### Remarkability Scorecard

| Dimension | Score | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Uniqueness | X/10 | [specific evidence] |
| Quality | X/10 | [specific evidence] |
| Story | X/10 | [specific evidence] |
| Word of Mouth | X/10 | [specific evidence] |
| Design | X/10 | [specific evidence] |
| Problem Fit | X/10 | [specific evidence] |
| Trust | X/10 | [specific evidence] |
| **Composite** | **X/10** | |

### Recommendation: [PROMOTE / PROMOTE WITH ANGLE / CAUTION / SKIP]

[Reasoning — 2-3 sentences]

### Remarkable Angles (what to emphasize)
1. [Specific remarkable feature/aspect]
2. [Spe