General

"For marketing, some people matter more than others."

This is the thesis of the popular book, “The Tipping Point” by Malcolm Gladwell. But is it true?

One network-theory scientist from Columbia U thinks not. Interviewed in the Fast Company, Duncan Watts says:

“In modern marketing, this idea–that a tiny cadre of connected people triggers trends–is enormously seductive. It is the very premise of viral and word-of-mouth campaigns: Reach those rare, all-powerful folks, and you’ll reach everyone else through them, basically for free.” See here.

He adds:

“According to MarketingVOX, an online marketing news journal, more than $1 billion is spent a year on word-of-mouth campaigns targeting Influentials, an amount growing at 36% a year, faster than any other part of marketing and advertising. That’s on top of billions more in PR and ads leveled at the cognoscenti.”

“Is all that money and effort is being wasted?”

Maybe yes, says scientist Duncan Watts, who recently took a sabbatical from Columbia University and is now working for Yahoo. He’s performed a series of controversial, barn-burning experiments challenging the whole Influentials thesis.

“Any attempt to engineer success through Influentials, is almost certainly doomed to failure. A rare bunch of cool people just don’t have that power. And when you test the way marketers say the world works, it falls apart. There’s no there there.”

This could be fun. Mr. Watts has developed

“a new technique for propagating ads virally, which can double or even quadruple the reach of an ordinary online campaign by harnessing the pass-around power of everyday people–and ignoring Influentials altogether.”

See the entire piece here.

So don’t sit down and cry if you don’t know anybody “goooood.” – i.e. an influential. Marketing to the everyday genuine and authentic folks, the masses, of whom I am one, is probably a good thing. Their word of mouth seems to be as effective overall as that of a few influentials over the long haul. I plan to keep right on doing it.

P.S. One immediate application: stop wasting time going after “big hitters” in NM. In our new little venture, we’re doing exactly the opposite – just looking for some everyday people. Because we want real, genuine people. Not glib, fast talking ones who are in it for the money. One old school premise is still true today: It’s a lot of people doing a little that makes a direct sales company successful.

About the author

Kim Klaver

9 Comments

  • I agree with Malcom, and finished that book last month surprisingly!

    Only reason I say that is because…I just recently read a book that truly changed my life, and shared it with over 1400+ people because it had such on impact on me…

    Some of those 1400 have already bought the book and have already gotten back to me with how it benefited them.

  • Kim,

    I can’t believe you’ve managed to get my dander up on three fronts with one email.

    To compare yourself to the “everyday people” as if you have no sphere of influence is disengenuous to say the least. To think that “everyone” (or is it “anyone”?) is as valuable as you would be as a recruit is simply illogical.

    Summarizing that the old school mantra “It’s a lot of people doing a little that makes a direct sales company successful” simply justifies the old school mantra, “recruit, recruit, recruit” whether or not the recruit has a hope of being successful in the business just to boost up the sponsor’s bottomline.

    Mr. Watts’ online campaign already bypasses a huge segment of the population who does not “do the internet” thereby creating a false premise. He has already eliminated “everyday people” who are not on the internet. By default then, some people DO matter more than others…those who can afford the computers and internet connections matter more than those who are not online.

    Argh.

    candleluvr@gmail.com

  • Candleluvr:

    Compared to say Seth Godin, online, I am indeed an everyday person.

    I was a mad recruiter years ago, but am starting over. The marketplace is VERY different now, the skills I had then are out of date (except for my attitude) pretty much.

    Also, “a lot of people doing a little” to me means lots of little reps, earning $100-200.mo, AND many regular monthly customers.

    All ‘everyday people’ doing a little, think?

  • Dear Kim,

    I can tell you are a Jobs groupie, plainly by your comments. This is understandable to me.

    But you said,” Compared to say Seth Godin, online, I am indeed an everyday person.”

    I just read that whole thread with Seth, Seth, Hugh, and you. It makes my head spin. Your post seemed the most sensible and you were told “its not that simple”.

    Kim, please tell me and any other readers that may be wondering, why you think this Seth guy is so remarkable.

    Do these intellectual ‘giants’ ever get their hands dirtied from any thing else besides page turning and key stroking? In other words; to they ever walk the walk, or do they just talk the talk.

    At least you use the mind you were gifted with to genuinely help people. As for these guys, they seem bent on being the business and marketing philosophers of the age so their egos can swell to fit their big heads.

    In my mind this makes you ‘remarkable’ and them just everyday.

    New York Times unseller,

    Tom Doiron

  • Tom —

    That Seth in the thread with Hugh is Seth Finkelstein. SethF.

    That’s a different person from Seth Godin, whom I quote on my blog from time to time, and who has one of the most popular general marketing blog on the Internet.

    Comparing to the size of Seth Godin’s readership to mine, I said I was an everyday person.

    Seth Godin has his blog and he writes marketing books. But online, he’s the person who created Squidoo.com.

    So glad to clear that up. Seth Finkelstein is a smart guy, but not in anyway the same in his influence (or outlook) as is our friend Seth Godin, of whom I was speaking in the comparison section of my post.

    He and Godin are at odds about just about everything in marketing. In the post, Seth F basically accuses Godin of being that person who benefits selling advice to those who will never become remarkable. Hehehe.

  • Kim,

    You blog, you have a huge warm market list, and a sphere of influence far beyond the everyday person (residual income from prior sales, prior efforts, monetized websites)…that already makes you “remarkable” among the everyday folk. But to have lots of lttle reps earning $100-$200 a month is a lot of everyday peoples’ dreams. Unfortunately, more “everyday people” are spending that every month hoping to cash in on that “remarkable” dream.

    It doesn’t make you a bad person, but don’t pretend that you’re one of us everyday people.

  • Hi Candleluvr:

    You’re fun when you’re juiced. You write:”But to have lots of little reps earning $100-$200 a month is a lot of everyday peoples’ dreams.”

    From my last 15 years of working with people, and based on the ads I see, most people spend their time hoping for hitters. That’s why they pass right by the little ones, and pay them NO attention. But little ones can sometimes grow into big ones.

    You write:
    “It doesn’t make you a bad person, but don’t pretend that you’re one of us everyday people.”

    I guess we can each have a different opinion about whether I’m everyday people or not. Everybody has something special and something ordinary, so maybe everyone is a little of both, think?

  • Kim,

    Please DO say more about this –

    I was a mad recruiter years ago, but am starting over. The marketplace is VERY different now, the skills I had then are out of date (except for my attitude) pretty much.

    What is different that you see in the martketplace? What skills need updating?

    Thanks!

    EXPECT Success!
    Jackie Ulmer
    Knowledge is the Path to MLM Success

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