In my last article on diffusion theory, I introduced you to the diffusion “S” curve and the diffusion “Bell” curve, better known as the “Technology Adoption Lifecycle” model.
We talked about how the bell curve model can be used to categorize and explain the different behaviors of adopters inside the technology adoption lifecycle. In this article I will delve deeper into the dominate characteristics of each segment and a provide a marketing strategy approach that was once thought to be sufficient – but as we shall see, it ain’t so simple after all.
The Dominate Characteristics of the Five Adopter Categories
The five adopter categories set forth by Rogers and later extended by Geoff Moore, are ideal types. Ideal types are conceptualizations based on observations of reality that are designed to make comparisons possible. Exceptions to the ideal types can be found. If no exceptions or deviations existed, ideal types would not be necessary. With that said, the dominant characteristics and values of each adopter category can be generalized as follows:
Innovators = Technology enthusiast
Desire to explore
Committed to new technology
sooner or later technology will improve our life’s
Pleasure in mastering its intricacies
But they don’t have money!
But they do have influence
get it into the hands of the innovators
Early adapters = Visionaries –
Desire to exploit
The true revolutionaries
First Real money
But they demand special modifications no one else would dream using
Overtaxing R&D resources of fledging enterprises
Early majority = Pragmatist
Evolution not revolution
Bulk of all technology infrastructure purchases
Adopt only after proven track record of useful productivity improvement
Strong references from people they trust
Prefer to buy from the market leader
Late majority = Conservatives
Pessimistic about ability to gain value from new technology
Undertake technology only “under-duress”
remaining alternative is to let the world pass them by
Price sensitive
Simplify and commoditize systems to a point where they just work
Laggards = Skeptics
The gadflies of high tech
80’s market strategy based on the Technology Adoption Lifecycle
So knowing that diffusion is a social network process, and armed with the characteristics of the categories of each of the five segments, one should easily be able to drive diffusion by simply following these steps:
Seed product to the technology enthusiast so they can help educate the visionaries
Turn visionaries by whatever it takes into satisfied customers so they can serve a good references to the pragmatists
Gain the bulk of your revenue by serving the pragmatists
Become the market leader
Set the defacto standards
Leverage pragmatist to generate sufficient volume and experience
Product becomes reliable and cheap enough to meet the needs of the conservative
Skip the skeptics – leave them to their own devices
Simple enough just follow the steps and presto! You have a winning new product introduction and you’re on your way to fame and fortune. If life were so simple, but the real world doesn’t quite work this way. In my next blog I will describe what Geoff Moore calls the Chasm – a discontinuation of adoption between the early adopters and the early majority.
In my next article we will discover why the technology adoption curve is not linear and come up with ideas on how to manage the chasm between the innovators and early adopters.
Kevin
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