This is part one of our three-part book review of Malcolm Gladwell's The Tipping Point. We especially like Gladwell because he's a journalist, not a marketer. He brings an investigative perspective to his work. Gladwell presents his material in a way that blends practical example with interview and it's not based on his own experience as a corporate marketer. Very refreshing.

Wonder why some products or social behaviors catch on and others don't? Gladwell would tell us that some never reach a "tipping point"; they never reach a kind of critical mass where they suddenly take off and become popular.

Gladwell draws parallels between how epidemics behave in organisms and how human societies work. This may sound a bit far out for the small business owner, but his insights have extreme practical value for the small business marketer who wants to influence customer and prospect behavior. Gladwell identifies three elements that cause a dramatic tipping point in the life of an epidemic: The Law of the Few, The Stickiness Factor and The Power of Context.

The Law of the Few outlines three types of people that have an inordinate amount of influence in the creation of a trend. For us as small business owners, the lesson is clear: Focus attention on the groups that will give us the greatest benefits. The three types are:

• Connectors
• Mavens
• Salespeople

Connectors are people who know a great many people. They may be ten times or more influential than the average person because of the number of people they contact and pass information to.

Unlike Connectors, Mavens may not have as many contacts, but their friends listen closely to the maven because the maven is a known source of beneficial information. Pages 59 to 69 are required reading if you wish to learn how this small but extraordinarily influential group thinks. These ten pages are well worth a marketer's time.

Salesmen are important in carrying a message, but for most small businessmen unless they work for you there isn't much you can do with this group. However, since most small business owners are part salespeople, you might want to read what he says about this group and how the master salesperson interacts with people.

A great companion book for this section of Gladwell is Emanuel Rosen's The Anatomy of Buzz.

We suggest keeping a copy of The Tipping Point on your "ready-reference" shelf where you can easily grab it for a quick review. Gladwell really can be a valuable aid when you plan your small business marketing campaigns.

In part two of our review we'll explore some fascinating ways marketers can boost their messages' staying power as we review what Gladwell says about Stickiness.

2006 Marketing Hawks