Influential versus Leader

The leader, however is not always the influential. Studies by Prof. Paul Lazarsfeld and others make a useful distinction. Leaders are first triers, but first triers seldo
m influence many others to become forst tries. First tries too generally are isolates, misfits, or impractical dreamers. If they are isolates, they have insufficient contacts to make their influence felt. The effective leader is the influential consumer the individual or company whose first steps carry authority and therefore produce a following. When Du Pont adopts a new way of achieving dimensional effectiveness in plastics, it carries a lot more authority than widget chemical Industrial would.

The process of learning is a process of discovering by repeated exposure that the object in question is indeed a legitimate category of use or consumption that its consumption, use, or possession not only is useful but also carries no risk of pear group disapproval. That explains why new things that have languished for years in the shadow of failure  attracting all the time only the slightest patronage  suddenly take off after breaking through what appears to be a crust or lid of resistance. Takeoff follows the acceptance by powerful influential who represent the crust that must be punctured. They are, in effect , the teachers of the masses. The implicit recognition of this fact explains the use of respectable and admired people and companies for product testimonials. The acceptance by respectable people or companies of something new carries with it a powerful supporting sanction. This reduces the perceived risk fr those who have withheld action by making the product respectable  visible, and acceptable. The consumer has learned not just of the product's existence, but more importantly that it is respectable and probably works.

Thislearing curve view of the commercial pathology of newnessis a worthwhile consept for the comtemplation of large companies habutuated to thinking big. Since all genuine newness starts small, since all newness is likely to remain small for some time, and sin e consumer are not likely to respond favorably to market research inquiries on dramatic newness before thet newness has been properly legitimized it is clear that the markets for dramatically new things will at the outset or in advance of their availability always seem small.

This helps explain why small new companies started some of the revolutions we have cited. It is not their greater daring or flexibility. It is that they are satisfied with small volume and are organized to handle it. As a giant retailing mogul explained his success to a magazine reporter : "restraint and modesty, not greed. I buy for a penny and sell for two cents. I'm satisfied with one percent."