Typologies Research

Whilst trying to decide on which three Opinion Former candidates to pick, we used Malcolm Gladwell's 'The Tipping Point' to help us come to the best conclusion. After some analysis, we decided that the Connector and the Mavern would be best to focus on for this project brief. Below features an explanation of the book and a description of the three key types of person that Gladwell believes are the solution to creating a tipping point...

(Taken from Wiki Summaries)

By offering readers a groundbreaking analysis of how trends are sparked and take hold, Malcolm Gladwell’s book The Tipping Point became an exemplification of the very processes he was describing. Upon its 2000 release, the book became a national bestseller whose influence would help to initiate paradigm shifts in fields ranging from marketing to public health.

Gladwell’s central argument is that there are actually a number of patterns and factors that are at play in virtually every influential trend. The nature of modern culture is such that many new ideas are constantly being introduced from a wide variety of sources, ranging from trend-setting teens and twenty-something’s in the nation’s metropolitan centers to new product offerings from established corporations. Some of these achieve a measure of steady, consistent success, some fail, and some take off on an upward trajectory of exponential popularity and influence.

The Law of the Few contends that before widespread popularity can be attained, a few key types of people must champion an idea, concept, or product before it can reach the tipping point. Gladwell describes these key types as Connectors, Mavens, and Salesmen. If individuals representing all three of these groups endorse and advocate a new idea, it is much more likely that it will tip into exponential success.

The three key types in more detail: (taken from catwchang.com)
Connector

Connectors are the people who know everyone. We are all linked to each other by 6 degrees of separation, but not all degrees are equal. A small number of people are linked to a large number of people within a few steps, while everyone else is linked to the world through these special people. While the rest of us might prefer to keep acquaintances at arm’s length, Connectors try to keep up with them. They like to cultivate weak ties, people who are outside of their usual social networks, and they manage to occupy different niches and subcultures fluidly. In sum, connectors spread ideas and bring about change simply through the sheer number of people they know.

Maven

Mavens are obsessive information collectors who are socially motivated and have a strong desire to be of service and influence. They love to initiate discussions to gather information on different products, prices, places, etc., and they genuinely enjoy sharing this wealth of information with other people. They are the type of people who know where the bathroom is in a given retail store or which hotel to stay at when you are vacationing in Barcelona. While a connector might tell 20 people about the fabulous hotel they stayed at, probably only half will take their suggestion. On the other hand, while a maven might only tell 5 people about the hotel, all five of those people will very likely take his advice. In sum, mavens spread ideas and bring about change by giving expert advice.

Salesman

Salesmen are those people who somehow convinced you to bring home that $450 blender that you pull out to make orange juice once every 6 months to ease your guilty conscience. They are extremely energetic, enthusiastic, charming and happy. They are the masters of non-verbal cues, and they intuitively tune in to the phyisical and conversational harmony of others. They are the ones who conduct the conversations and have plenty of quality answers to combat objections commonly raised by their listeners or potential clients. In sum, salesmen spread ideas and bring about change through their ability to persuade other people.