Comments on: Enthusiast vs Influencer Marketing

By: Carmen Novencido

Carmen Novencido — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 19:40:55 +0000

I am just always more blown away about internet marketing on account of understanding the way the the current generations communicate with the world through the internet. My 10 year old grandson just took me a website they had launched to manage popular topics for their peer group. They wanted to know a way to launch advertising on the website to generate income. I am so very happy.

By: http://www.sneakers-uk.com/nike-air-max-90-c-1_4.html

http://www.sneakers-uk.com/nike-air-max-90-c-1_4.html — Sun, 09 May 2010 04:58:57 +0000

I’ve seen this topic tossed around in a couple different niches. It seems the same “influencers” get all the attention from the big companies and therefore the little companies but they are now so overloaded with free stuff that they aren’t covering even a small portion of what could actually be interesting and useful to their readership.

By: Tim Forrest

Tim Forrest — Sun, 21 Mar 2010 22:36:11 +0000

Great post and much resonance. I’ve just sat through a GfK US annual report and
alongside Gen X, Y and Boomers most surveys are calibrated against Influentials
- all the while I was thinking about your Enthusiasts.
Allow me to add this thought to the debate – that perhaps the better term is
‘Advocate’. I’m thinking about how so much of marketing and acquisition is based
on promise, that the value of (good) experience is much more than retention as
an advocate can acquire new customers for you, that peer to peer reviews are
often more trusted. Also, when you advocate a product or service you affirm
your own choice wich prdisposes you to buy again.
There was a bunch of interesting work done on Net Promter Scores (NPI) by Dr
Paul Marsden (among others) and HBR wrote a paper on the biz value entailed.
Great debate from your readers and just wanted to add advocacy into the mix as
a possible term and direction for marketing.
And finally, a thought to leave you with: given the power of social networks,
the 6 degrees of seperation, the snowball effect of micro aggreagation then the
advocate or enthusiast is going to be more important in ‘my world’ than the
superconnected influencer of ‘the world’.
cheers,
T

By: Amber

Amber — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 20:00:07 +0000

The concept of enthusiasts strikes a chord with me because they are seeking out what they love and sharing it. They naturally light a fire in their readers about particular ideas, products or services because they have that fire lit from within. Not because a company offers them free stuff.

I’m glad to see you handpicked people to share your book with and they answered the call so abundantly. This message needs to reach more marketers!

By: miss rogue

miss rogue — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 13:59:59 +0000

@Andy,

Awesome story! And yes…I’m finally working on my next book. You rawk.

@Kathy

Great story about Gary. You are right. He makes EVERYONE feel special, not just the fancy people and that is huge. So glad that @jorge popped in to tell his own story about Gary.

By: Andy Santamaria

Andy Santamaria — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 13:57:10 +0000

Tara,

I have to say, I definitely agree. I’m also glad to start seeing you posting more around here again!

I didn’t know that this Influencer Summit even existed. My first thought was exactly what you had said. These influencers are inundated with products and they can’t possibly love everything they get.

I think that you should stick with the people that really care about your book because they will tirelessly promote it. The influencer will take 5 minutes, if they can, and give it one plug. It will probably be an overview and very bland.

I know, because I’m lucky to be getting on the phone with a huge author this week. He’s going to take 5 minutes out of his day to talk with me about his book. You can bet that I’m going to promote the crap out of his book. It was all because he asked me to consider buying his book.

Speaking of books, aren’t you going to be coming out with another one sometime? Let me know. I’d love to chat with you again!

take care
~Andy

By: miss rogue

miss rogue — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 13:51:56 +0000

@Jeff

Yes. Similar. Except I really don’t like the metaphor of evangelist.

By: Jeff Hurt

Jeff Hurt — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 13:08:14 +0000

Tara:

Great post and thanks for writing it.

Could it be that the enthusaist is actually the same as the customer evangelist? Just saying…

By: Jorge

Jorge — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 12:34:01 +0000

The misconception is that influencers have a lot’s of time to review lot’s of products. While they drive lot’s of attention to them, they can’t cover it all. That’s why I hope the Enthusiast Marketing becomes the new rule, I see every day people talking about Posterous, Friend Feed, Google and many more products. People that don’t have huge ‘numbers’ but people that may have a greater impact on me trying or not a product.

Kathy, on the Gary Vaynerchuk’s case I think he sort of turns everyone in an influencer for his products or work. There are lot’s of people, myself included, that will love to promote his book for all the advice he offers in it and all the useful knowledge he puts out in every video and keynote he gives.An important part is that Gary feels like the buddy you have had for a long time, he answers e-mails, chats with you on AIM. So people feel compelled to help him. Not only because he is there, but because he puts out great content (which is his product)

A thing to add is that Tara herself is like that. I remember the first time I stumbled upon her work I e-mailed her and she got back to me with a very nice e-mail. She made an Influencer out of me because I loved what she writes (qualifies as a great product)and I really love to recommend her Book to everyone that says “and for marketing we will use facebook” so they can learn what it’s all about.

So those are some examples of how you can make or give the tools so everybody can be an influencer if they want to. I also hope that this will be the Future of Influence. I’m confident that it will be.

By: steve cunningham

steve cunningham — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 02:55:36 +0000

Tara – great post. I think what we are seeing here is that even when marketers (and publishers) embrace social media, they still are not embracing the mindset that will make them successful in the space. The mass media mindset lives on.