Edited by Geoffrey P. Lantos The Influentials

Citation

Polegato, R. (2005), "Edited by Geoffrey P. Lantos The Influentials", Journal of Consumer Marketing, Vol. 22 No. 3, pp. 167-167. https://doi.org/10.1108/07363760510595995

If your customers seem to be tuning out your advertising more and more, this book will give you concrete ways to reconnect with them – on their turf! This book, written by the CEO and vice‐president of RoperASW, is about the increasing power of word‐of‐mouth (WOM) and how marketers can harness a better understanding of this elusive phenomenon and use it to direct marketing communications strategy.

“Influentials” are not the same as “early adopters” or that concentration of “opinion leaders” who fuel early growth. Influentials are the catalyst for adoption and diffusion among the early majority. This book takes a concrete look at who the Influentials are and their mindset (chapters 1 and 2), how they select and spread their ideas (chapter 3), their leadership role (chapter 4), their vision of the future (chapter 5), and finally, how to develop an influential strategy, whether you work for a private business, government or a non‐profit organization (chapter 6). The presentation of the ideas is clear, and there is an interesting array of easy‐to‐understand tables, graphs and data that can be browsed and used later. Case studies and profiles throughout the book paint portraits of the influentials and their behaviour.

The influentials are a force to be reckoned with! They have been around for three decades, but in the milieu of fragmented markets and scepticism about the media, they now hold an unprecedented level of power in persuasion. Part of the power of the influentials comes from their support in an older, better‐educated consumer society, in which consumers have the confidence to question “official” wisdom and to instead rely on “their own.” It should also be noted that in an economy increasingly dominated by service businesses, consumers have been gravitating to WOM to reduce purchase risk. In fact, some of the most compelling examples are from service‐based purchases, such as decisions regarding restaurants, videos, hotels, prescriptions, vacations, and financial services.

The influentials, that comprise about one‐tenth of the American adult population (or 20 million), are the most socially and politically active members of their communities. They are thought leaders, trendsetters, and bellwethers at the leading edge of what Americans are thinking, doing, and buying. This group exercises influence across the board. RoperASW, which has been tracking them for three decades, describes them as “better connected, better read, and better informed” (p. 15); if they do not know something, they know someone who does.

The typical influential is a middle‐aged, middle American, who has had the most life experiences, and is ahead of the pack politically, in the adoption of computer technology, and in financial savings. They have an activist orientation to life; they are active in their communities and active in their leisure, which spans a wide variety of interests and hobbies. But beware of creating a stereotype because they occupy a broad range of ages, income levels, and occupations. And they are everywhere: in your neighbourhood, at your PTA meeting, church, workplace, and political meetings. In fact, “[t]hey are connected to nearly twice as many groups as the average American” (p. 280). Influentials are the ones who can sift through issues, who believe in growth and change, who balance community and individual interests, and who value family and community. In essence, their orientation creates a natural “spiral of influence” (p. 125).

This book is not a collection of anecdotes. It is based on hard data and solid reasoning that inspires confidence and points to a more creative and open dialogue with consumers. The last 60 pages on developing strategy are no mere add‐on; they provide a practical guide to how to use our understanding of influentials to direct strategy. The book makes a solid case to support Roper's belief that the influentials are pointing to seven trends ranging from the legacies agenda and global connections to the limits of convenience.

This book will help marketers and those interested in public opinion and communications in all sectors who accept the fact that they cannot control consumer conversations the way they could in the past. It is far more useful to have a better understanding of how the influentials get their information and the nature of their media habits. Because chances are that these are the people who can make or break your next business idea!