So Who Will Spread The Word That There Aren't Influentials?
from the certainly-not-the-influentials dept
Clive Thompson always writes fascinating articles (seriously, if you want a detailed feature piece having to do with technology, Thompson is one of the best), and his latest is no exception. It's a profile of Duncan Watts debunking the importance of so-called "Influentials" in getting buzz on something. This concept was a big part of Malcolm Gladwell's "The Tipping Point," and has shown up as a key aspect of things like "word of mouth marketing." In fact, it's hard to find a modern PR firm these days that doesn't try to tout its relationships with "influentials" (even if that "relationship" really is "we have his or her email address"). Yet, what Watts found is that so-called influentials aren't that influential. If a meme is to take hold, there are a variety of things that can kick off the viral message, but it rarely comes from influentials. Sometimes it does, and sometimes they help push it along, but a viral message can actually be kicked off by almost anyone. Of course, that doesn't mean you should throw the baby out with the bathwater. As Mathew Ingram astutely notes, what this really means is that rather than targeting a small group of people, you still need to try to get a message out widely so that the random folks who will spread your idea can spread it. It doesn't mean that word of mouth marketing doesn't happen, it just means it has little to do with getting "big name blogger X" to write about your idea. It should be about getting a message out that anyone wants to talk about.
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Rambling by Iron Chef on Jan 29th, 2008 @ 2:54am
I'd really like to leave something influential, but the only thing I can say is that "The Tipping Point" is a fantastic book that I've read twice over, and is a book I proudly display at work. If you've read it, I have to admit that you have good taste, Mike.
So as described in the commentary, "The Tipping Point" only reveals one piece to the overall strategy to the success of a company. The other half exists in execution. This is where I think your an absoulte genius. What you've built in InsightCommunity far outweighs what the Big 4 can give.
Why more companies don't take advantage of InsightCommunity it is beyond me.
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So he's not an influential? by Lawrence D'Oliveiro on Jan 29th, 2008 @ 3:10am
If he's right, then why do we have to listen to him?
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by Juan Ponce de León on Jan 29th, 2008 @ 3:36am
please, sir, tell me more of this "him" you speak of.
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Influentials by Alfred E. Neuman on Jan 29th, 2008 @ 5:10am
Sounds like the latest out of Disney.
I can imagine the cartoon characters ... sitting at their keyboards whipping up a frenzy on teh intarwebs.
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Re: Influentials by Juan Ponce de León on Jan 29th, 2008 @ 6:21am
Hey Alfred,
Can you go make me a grilled cheese sandwich?
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by Anonymous Coward on Jan 29th, 2008 @ 6:27am
Sounds like the solution is spam.
PR firms are a joke. Products come down to "what can you do for me"
People don't care about technology, they just care how products can make life easier.
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Re: Re: Influentials by Alfred E. Neuman on Jan 29th, 2008 @ 6:14pm
Ponce de León said:
"Can you go make me a grilled cheese sandwich?"
Only if it will help you in your quest to find the fountain of youth.
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GOT INFLUENTIALS? by Abbe Patterson on Jan 29th, 2008 @ 6:44pm
The "Influential" you refer to can be the actual person who goes out and buys (or uses for free) your product, someone who is so excited about it that they feel compelled to share the excitement with their friends. We saw this with the iPod. Social networks provide a platform for individuals/consumers to become influencers.
In market development, an Influencer is a champion within a company. This person may work in in business development, corporate development, product development or an he or she may often be an engineering geek in labs. It is both strategic and critical to meet with the right influencers at companies on your target biz dev list and get them excited about your technical and business offering. This could mean the difference between taking six months or well over a year to close a deal--particularly with companies like a mobile carriers.
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Re: GOT INFLUENTIALS? by Your freindly tax collecting agency on Jan 29th, 2008 @ 6:48pm
And how much do they get paid for this service?
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Re: Re: Influentials by Cixelsid on Jan 30th, 2008 @ 8:24am
Lolz. I just find it hilarious that anyone would go around with the moniker "Ponce de Leon"
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