Harvard Business Review

JANUARY 31, 2013

They encourage viral marketing through early adopters. The first step to introducing something new is reducing the risk enough to attract early adopters. The first customers to adopt a new solution in any village are, by definition, early adopters.

Early Adopters 8

Early Adopters Payback Period NGO Influence 8

Harvard Business Review

NOVEMBER 4, 2011

I asked several tech startup founders, community managers, and users for any lessons learned on how startups can successfully transition their early adopters, who are used to feeling like VIPs, to technology that reduces hand-holding. Treat a user's feedback as the tip of the iceberg.

FAQ 11

FAQ Early Adopters COO How To 11

Harvard Business Review

MAY 17, 2016

The best online product companies make very small changes and give them to just a subset of early adopter customers who like to have the latest features and are happy to give suggestions for improvements. Teams get the same dashboard and monitor messages in member forums on selling, tips, bugs, and requests for help.

Innovation 10

Innovation Company Software Engineering 10

Harvard Business Review

AUGUST 25, 2014

It was social and dexterous work — hoisting skis, snowboards, bags of all sizes; navigating narrow hallways; making small talk and angling for a tip. Years ago, I worked briefly as a hotel bellhop, greeting guests, bringing luggage up to their rooms, and helping them haul it back down again when they checked out.

Hotels 8

Hotels Technology Early Adopters Travel 8

Harvard Business Review

APRIL 15, 2016

Companies could stand out by letting customers join a messaging channel where they receive tips for how to host a Super Bowl party. Instead of starting a conversation with users about your latest product launch, be available when early adopters start using it and having issues. Text-to-shop. Taking too long to answer.

Brand 8

Brand Real Estate Content Apparel 8

Harvard Business Review

SEPTEMBER 22, 2011

A well-known early adopter of the Net Promoter system began linking NPS improvement to executive compensation before it had developed adequate disciplines and processes for understanding its scores. Two of the teams devoted time each week to reviewing their feedback in groups, and sharing tips to improve their performance.

Incentives 10

Incentives Sample Customer Loyalty Metrics 10

Harvard Business Review

SEPTEMBER 21, 2012

Most people would join somewhere in the middle, at the tipping point. Embracing a new behavior typically follows a diffusion curve — early adopters, safe followers, late-comers. Diffusion theory holds, however, that this is not a random process: Key influencers make it tip. Tweak the situation.

Early Adopters 19

Early Adopters Incentives Follow-up Comparison 19

Harvard Business Review

MARCH 19, 2015

” “It’s most important not that early adopters adopt, but that influencers adopt,” Mankins emphasizes. “Getting those folks on board early is critical.” ” Make it routine.

Technology 8

Technology CRM Training System 8