The Influentials: One American in Ten Tells the Other Nine How to Vote, Where to Eat, and What to Buy

Book Description

One American in ten tells the other nine how to vote, where to eat, and what to buy. They are

The Influentials

Who are they? The most influential Americans -- the ones who tell their neighbors what to buy, which politicians to support, and where to vacation -- are not necessarily the people you'd expect. They're not America's most affluent 10 percent or best-educated 10 percent. They're not the "early adopters," always the first to try everything from Franco-Polynesian fusion cooking to digital cameras. They are, however, the 10 percent of Americans most engaged in their local communities...and they wield a huge amount of influence within those communities. They're the campaigners for open-space initiatives. They're church vestrymen and friends of the local public library. They're the Influentials...and whether or not they are familiar to you, they're very well known to the researchers at RoperASW. For decades, these researchers have been on a quest for marketing's holy grail: that elusive but supremely powerful channel known as word of mouth. What they've learned is that even more important than the "word" -- what is said -- is the "mouth" -- who says it. They've identified, studied, and analyzed influence in America since the Standard Oil Company of New Jersey (now Exxon) hired Elmo Roper himself to develop a model for identifying opinion leaders, and in The Influentials, they are finally ready to share their results. A few samples:

• Influentials have been the "early majority" -- leading indicators of what Americans will be buying -- for more than five decades, from choosing energy-efficient cars in the 1970s to owning computers in the 1980s to adopting 401(k)s and IRAs in the 1990s to using the Internet and cell phones today.
• Influentials have led the way in social development as well, from the revival of self-reliance (in managing their own health care, investments, and consumption) to mass skepticism about the marketing claims of everything from breakfast food to politicians.

Although America's Influentials have always been powerful, they've never been more important than now. Today, a fragmented market has made it possible for Influentials to opt out of mass-message advertising, which means that a different route must be taken to capture their hearts and minds. The Influentials is a map for that route, a map that explains who these people are, how they exercise influence, and how they can be targeted. The Influentials features a series of rules and guidelines for marketing to Influentials; case studies of products that have prospered because of Influential marketing (and products that have failed because they lacked it); a history of the phenomenon...and why Influentials are more influential today than ever; and profiles of twelve real-life Influentials.

Both an intellectual adventure and a hands-on marketing manual, The Influentials is an extraordinary gold mine of information and analysis that no business can afford to ignore.

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"One American in ten tells the other nine how to vote, where to eat, and what to buy. They are The Influentials Who are they? The most influential Americans -- the ones who tell their neighbors what to buy, which politicians to support, and where to vacation -- are not necessarily the people you'd expect. They're not America's most affluent 10 percent or best-educated 10 percent. They're not the ""early adopters,"" always the first to try everything from Franco-Polynesian fusion cooking to digital cameras. They are, however, the 10 percent of Americans most engaged in their local communities...and they wield a huge amount of influence within those communities. They're the campaigners for open-space initiatives. They're church vestrymen and friends of the local public library. They're the Influentials...and whether or not they are familiar to you, they're very well known to the researchers at RoperASW. For decades, these researchers have been on a quest for marketing's holy grail: that elusive but supremely powerful channel known as word of mouth. What they've learned is that even more important than the ""word"" -- what is said -- is the ""mouth"" -- who says it. They've identified, studied, and analyzed influence in America since the Standard Oil Company of New Jersey (now Exxon) hired Elmo Roper himself to develop a model for identifying opinion leaders, and in The Influentials, they are finally ready to share their results.

Customer Reviews:

Not Recommended.......2007-01-28

If you can read the title, there's not much of a point in reading the rest of the book...except maybe for one section describing how to identify "the influentials". Still, I don't recommend buying it.

Insightful core theme- Doesn't need a full book though.......2005-05-19

Interesting book. Basic premise is that the folks that spread the word about mass market products are not movie stars or early adopters, but folks who are socially and politically active in their communities. Think den mothers, PTA members, folks in the Lions Club, the local city council etc. The notion connects to the concepts outlined in "Tipping Point" about Connectors, Mavens and Salespeople, although the framing is different and in this case Influentials appear to be part Connector, part Maven and part Salespeople.

In any case, it's a valuable insight which is probably relevant across cultures and countries. You don't need to read the whole book but it's worth reading a few chapters.

Good title, but the actual book part just muddles things.......2004-11-18

The Influetials is either just a big statistical blob or I missed something. Keller et al start out by describing the influential as someone who other people in the community kind of look toward. They are very socially connected and respected. There is no doubt in my mind that the proposition that one in ten people has a huge influence on how the other nine think, however instead of exploring the social patterns Keller et al try to define that person whom they call an "Influential" They begin by saying in the first chapter that statistics can't pinpoint an influential and then spend most of the book tossing statistics on influentials at the reader - lots of tables that don't tell me anything.

One thing that I found interesting were the case studies scattered through the book. Basically these were mini-biographies of influentials slanted more towards what they were up to at the moment. Even these weren't all that helpful.

I recommend skipping The Influentials. The title is really good but the book doesn't focus or do much to back it up. Actually things just get muddled. The Tipping Point by Malcome Gladwell has a good bit of discussion about who influences opinions and how. Check that out instead.

The Influentials.......2004-03-31

The Roper organization has long been known for the quality and reliability of its data. Now it has given us a remarkable distillation of information in order to show how a select group of people carry more weight in the decision-making processes of the rest of us.

In "The Influentials: One American in Ten Tells the Other Nine How to Vote, Where to Eat and What to Buy," Jon Berry and Ed Keller of Roper ASW tell us how certain people stay ahead of the curve and, essentially, create and maintain that most precious of marketing commodities: "word of mouth."

Of course, the real trick is discover how channels of influence weave their way through the popular culture and subtly induce us to buy. The "Influentials" among us have mastered this because, according to Berry and Keller, they are more likely to accept new ideas, to ask questions, and to listen carefully. With its fact-based approach, "The Influentials" brings us into the lives of people whose habits, desires and innate characteristics enable them to create the "buzz" that will lead to product success.

The book is extremely well documented, with lots of charts and graphs that go back through 30 years or Roper research. As a marketing professional, I was impressed with their arguments and their proven methods. Great book. I say, go for it !.

There *is* good information in here.......2004-02-11

There really is good information in this book. And some of the findings are certainly useful for understanding this important segment of the population.

However, the book reads like a 300+ page market research report. You are bombarded with statistic after statistic embedded in what seems to be every other sentence.

Book Description

This text has always been near the managerial endpoint of the continuum of consumer behavior texts. It is the most highly regarded and respected text in its approach group. Specific acknowledgment and increased coverage of the macro approach included in the new edition should encourage those who appreciate the managerial approach to stay with the text.

Customer Reviews:

A bible for Consumer Marketing.......2001-03-09

I was lucky enough to have taken Professor Assael's (the author) Consumer Behavior class at Stern School of Business - NYU. The class and book provided invaluable learnings regarding consumer behavior and how to incorporate behavioral knowledge into marketing programs. I have referred to the book frequently since.

Consumer Behavior and Marketing Action.......2000-04-27

This is a good book, easy to read and understand. The content is applicable to the real world situations.

Breaking Compromises: Opportunities for Action in Consumer Markets from the Boston Consulting Group

Average customer rating:

Lots of Valuable Best Practices and Mini Case Histories!
Thought provoking and solid

Breaking Compromises: Opportunities for Action in Consumer Markets from the Boston Consulting Group
Michael, Ed. Silverstein
Manufacturer: John Wiley & Sons
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Consumer Behavior | Marketing & Sales | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Book Description

A collection of the best and most recent thinking on marketing and branding

Breaking compromises refers to getting beyond the "either/or" scenario customers face, e.g.: If I want to pay less for this product, I'll have to sacrifice quality. Innovative companies expose—or "break"—these compromises and recalibrate the equations between customer and product. Breaking Compromises discloses the most innovative thinking on retailing, including customer retention, branding, e-commerce, global markets, and staying ahead of the competition. This groundbreaking compilation features a collection of never-before-published short essays as well as recent articles that, until now, have only been made available to BCG clients.

Michael Silverstein (Chicago, IL) is Senior Vice President and head of the Consumer and Retail practice area of The Boston Consulting Group. George Stalk Jr. (Toronto, Canada) is a Senior Vice President with The Boston Consulting Group, head of BCG's innovation and marketing initiatives, and comanager of BCG's Toronto office.

Customer Reviews:

Lots of Valuable Best Practices and Mini Case Histories!.......2001-06-03

The essays in this book were originally published over the last 10 years and present many coordinated perspectives on key consumer issues. In some consumer products and service companies, the functional silos argue over what to do and reach internal compromises that ignore providing customers, purchasers, and consumers with what they want. You would have to work in a dozen companies over a number of years to capture all of the useful observations in these essays. I found the work to be solid except for an emphasis on overly coordinating brand activities within a sector, and perhaps a little too much of a focus on the financial value of all this.

The sections cover Operating Efficiency, Retailing, Marketing and Selling, the Consumer, the Brand, E-Commerce, Global Markets, and Staying Ahead. I thought that the best sections were the first four.

My favorite essays were:

Don't Get Trapped in the Skills Gap;

Make in a Week What You Sell in a Week;

Price by Design;

The Power of Direct Store Delivery;

Inner Cities Are the Next Retailing Frontier;

Levels of the Game in Frequency Marketing;

The Research Advantage;

Winning a Segment-of-One at a Time;

Customer Retention;

One Size Doesn't Fit All;

Total Brand Management;

Winning on the Net;

Meeting the Local Challenge in China;

The Paradox of Success.

Whenever we address basic consumer issues, we should all be sure to remember the bad experiences we have every day: The line that doesn't move for 15 minutes; the person who cannot help you; the endless telephone menus; on-line help menus that don't help; and out of stocks. And that's before we get to rude and annoying service. It is easy to forget how bad things are. I recently went to a seminar where the panelists discussed how they spent their time waiting for slow Web pages to load.

If you are in a consumer products or services company, at least one of these essays will immediately improve your business. Only you will know which one!

Go beyond hitting budgets to building purchases and experiences that consumers look forward to!

Thought provoking and solid.......2000-01-18

A collection of papers from the Boston Consulting Group from the past four years. They have not dated which is nice.

Occasionally reads a little like a BCG presentation so can be a bit dry - but the CONTENT is great.

Has chapters of related material ie. REAL brand management for the 21st century; dealing with e-commerce effectively and strategically without wasting money.

Nice big picture stuff but with meat - you could actually use the material to kick start some thinking in your company.

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Public Relations Quarterly, published by Public Relations Quarterly on December 22, 1994. The length of the article is 1285 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

From the supplier: A 1994 Walker Research survey provides evidence that the attitudes of customers, investors and employees about a company are influenced by the latter's social performance. The survey was conducted over a six-month period and involved 1,037 US households. When asked to rank the top 10 factors that influence their buying decisions, many of the respondents cited a company's environmental concern, community support, employee treatment and business practices. The survey also showed that 88% of the respondents were more inclined to buy from companies that are socially responsible than from those that are not good corporate citizens if their products and services are comparable. Ninety-two percent of those polled said that they were less likely to buy from socially irresponsible companies.

Citation Details
Title: Consumer survey confirms corporate social action affects buying decisions.
Author: Robert L. Gildea
Publication: Public Relations Quarterly (Magazine/Journal)
Date: December 22, 1994
Publisher: Public Relations Quarterly
Volume: v39 Issue: n4 Page: p20(2)

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Creating Customer Loyalty (Management Action Guides)
Manchester Open Learning
Manufacturer: Nichols Publishing Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Management | Management & Leadership | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Consumer Behavior | Marketing & Sales | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0749411392

Effect of a class action suit on consumer repurchase intentions.: An article from: Journal of Consumer Affairs

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Effect of a class action suit on consumer repurchase intentions.: An article from: Journal of Consumer Affairs
Mark Peyrot , and Doris Van Doren
Manufacturer: American Council on Consumer Interests
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Foreign | Automotive | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Journal of Consumer Affairs, published by American Council on Consumer Interests on December 22, 1994. The length of the article is 5709 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

From the supplier: This study examines willingness to repurchase a Toyota among 335 Toyota owners, 246 who had participated in a class action suit against Toyota and 89 who had not participated. It also examines attitudes toward auto dealers and manufacturers and includes a psychographic measure of global consumer loyalty. Respondents were interviewed one to two years after participants had received a cash settlement to compensate for illegal overcharging. Multivariate analysis indicates that compared to nonparticipants, settlement participants, especially those satisfied with the settlement, were more willing to repurchase a Toyota and were less positive in their attitudes toward the Toyota manufacturer. Positive attitudes toward the Toyota manufacturer and dealers were associated wiith higher repurchase willingness, while positive attitudes toward other dealers and manufacturers were associated with lower repurchase willingness. Consumer loyalty was associated with higher repurchase willingness. These findings and their implications are discussed in terms of several theoretical frameworks. (Reprinted by permission of the publisher.)

Citation Details
Title: Effect of a class action suit on consumer repurchase intentions.
Author: Mark Peyrot
Publication: Journal of Consumer Affairs (Refereed)
Date: December 22, 1994
Publisher: American Council on Consumer Interests
Volume: v28 Issue: n2 Page: p361(19)

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Marketing: Strategies and Actions

Manufacturer: Pearson Custom Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 0536706522

Product Description

Included in this book are the topics of Marketing Environment, Consumer Behavior, Marketing Mix, Selling, Strategic Planning and Action and much more.

This Is Not Spam: Assessing Consumers' Behavior and ISPs' Actions to Improve Delivery

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This Is Not Spam: Assessing Consumers' Behavior and ISPs' Actions to Improve Delivery
David Daniels , Zori Bayriamova , and Corina Matiesanu
Manufacturer: JupiterResearch
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Book Description

Increased Web mail storage and ubiquitous "report as spam" buttons are contributing to the irrelevance of unsubscribe options. Currently, 12 percent of consumers report opt-in mail as spam when they want to unsubscribe.

Book Description

In this highly original and moving volume, an anthropologist, a historian, and a Native singer come together to reveal the personal and cultural power of Christian faith among the Kiowas of southwestern Oklahoma and to show how Christian members of the Kiowa community have creatively embraced hymns and made them their own.

Kiowas practice a unique expression of Christianity, a blending that began with the arrival of missionaries on the Kiowa-Comanche-Apache Reservation in the 1870s. In these pages, historian Clyde Ellis offers a compelling look at the way in which many Kiowas became Christian over the past century and have woven that faith into their identity. The personal and cultural significance of traditional songs and their close connection to the power of hymns is then illuminated by anthropologist Luke Eric Lassiter. Like traditional Kiowa songs, Christian hymns help restore and minister to the community; they also can be highly individualistic since many are composed and shared by church members themselves at different times in their lives. In the final section of the book, which is accompanied by a CD of twenty-six Kiowa hymns, Kiowa singer Ralph Kotay tells of the personal meaning and value of the hymns and of the Christian faith in general.

This remarkable, sensitive book makes an important contribution to our understanding of the complexity of Native lives today and offers a subtle yet penetrating look at the legacy of Christianity among Native peoples.

The Jesus Road: Kiowas, Christianity, and Indian Hymns.(Book Review): An article from: Church History

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The Jesus Road: Kiowas, Christianity, and Indian Hymns.(Book Review): An article from: Church History
Genevieve McCoy
Manufacturer: American Society of Church History
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

General | Philosophy | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Church History, published by American Society of Church History on December 1, 2003. The length of the article is 1036 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: The Jesus Road: Kiowas, Christianity, and Indian Hymns.(Book Review)
Author: Genevieve McCoy
Publication: Church History (Refereed)
Date: December 1, 2003
Publisher: American Society of Church History
Volume: 72 Issue: 4 Page: 898(3)

Article Type: Book Review

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The Jesus Road: Kiowas, Christianity, and Indian Hymns.(Book Review): An article from: International Bulletin of Missionary Research

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The Jesus Road: Kiowas, Christianity, and Indian Hymns.(Book Review): An article from: International Bulletin of Missionary Research
Bonnie Sue Lewis
Manufacturer: Overseas Ministries Study Center
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

General | Philosophy | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Book Description

This digital document is an article from International Bulletin of Missionary Research, published by Overseas Ministries Study Center on April 1, 2004. The length of the article is 363 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: The Jesus Road: Kiowas, Christianity, and Indian Hymns.(Book Review)
Author: Bonnie Sue Lewis
Publication: International Bulletin of Missionary Research (Refereed)
Date: April 1, 2004
Publisher: Overseas Ministries Study Center
Volume: 28 Issue: 2 Page: 89(1)

Article Type: Book Review

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