Know Thy Customers
Why Your Early Adopters Are your Brand’s first true believers
Any time We chat with a founder who shares their frustrations regarding leads and sales, we usually end up at the same place — they're not sure exactly who they're marketing to.
And if they do know ... they don't know the deeper details and emotional triggers to encourage those customers to take meaningful action. This is where Early Adopters and the adoption curve comes in.
Written and championed by Geoffrey Moore in his book, Crossing The Chasm, the core idea is that adoption (ie: traction) happens on a bell curve, and there is a significant gap, or "chasm," between the early adopters of a product or service and the more cautious, mainstream customers.
Who are your early adopters? 🤔
Early adopters are the smallest share of the market; but they are the most important because they are enthusiastic and willing to take risks; their threshold for flaws is higher (meaning; they're great beta testers and willing to try something before it's ‘perfect’). Whereas, mainstream customers require more proof of a brand's value before adopting it.
What's more, mainstream customers can be heavily influenced by an early adopter if it is someone they personally know.
Crossing the Chasm 🌉
In order to successfully cross this chasm and reach more customers, founders need to understand the needs and characteristics of their early adopters and use that knowledge to develop a targeted strategy to saturate the market with those people first; before they try to branch out to other customer groups.
If you've ever heard of “niching down,” that is what this means.
Leveraging your early adopters should focus on building strong traction with that group, gathering case studies and references from them, and using that momentum to start to attract more customers; inching your way up the adoption curve.
Depending on your business, this process could take months – or years, there's truly no magic answer! What matters is that you understand this customer group is critical to long-term growth.
What This Means For…
Product Brands
⭐ Your Product Champions ⭐
Your early adopters are going to be your earliest customers who tried your products before they were shiny and perfect.
Your early adopters will even be willing to try new products and participate in launches to drive external awareness. Ask them to create user-generated content and offer special incentives to participate. Remember, early adopters have a heavy influence over the rest of the market.
Let them influence their friends and networks for you!
What This means For…
Service Brands
Stuck on you 😉
Your early adopters are likely your first clients, the ones who saw your value and tried your service while it was still in flight before the rest of the market caught on.
They’ve stuck with you, sent referrals, or shown excitement about what you offer. Bring them into your next evolution like a new service, a fresh offer, or even a beta program. Host an exclusive event or webinar for this audience only and ask for their feedback, testimonials, or stories.
Their trust in you will ripple outward!
As you continue to build and grow your business, remember that your early adopters are the key to sustainable traction. By identifying and leveraging their loyalty, you'll not only drive revenue and growth but also create a loyal community of brand ambassadors who will champion your business.
✨ Last tip: Try to identify who your most loyal customers are, the ones most likely to promote your product or services first! Then, think of 3-5 ways you can leverage their influence on new potential customers.
Whether it’s a customer testimonial or a social media campaign showcasing your product out in the world, the possibilities are endless!
✌️ Until next time,
Jess, Co-founder of Her Brand & Co, Head of Learning at Full Tilt.
Click here to learn more about Her Brand & Co. and how founders can grow their business with easier, better marketing.
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