2. Why is the marketing of technology
innovation different from traditional
marketing?
The two components of innovation
marketing – diffusion and adoption
How do different types of customers adopt
at different rates?
Based on these frameworks, how do I
develop a marketing plan to stimulate
customer adoption of new solutions?
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3. Innovation is the creation of new and better:
effective products,
processes,
services,
technologies, or
business models
That are accepted by markets, governments, and
society
Not the same as invention or improvement
3
4. 1. There is a natural tendency for organizations to keep
doing what they’re doing and resist changes. In the
absence of a force, they will continue to do what
they’ve always done.
2. Larger organizations require more force to change
what they are doing than smaller organizations.
3. For every force there is a reaction force that is equal in
size, but opposite in direction. When someone exerts a
force on an organization, he or she gets pushed
back in the opposite direction equally hard.
4
5. Persuading a customer, or user, to adopt your
innovation requires them to:
switch from using an existing product / service
adopt an entirely new product or service
Changing behaviours means motivating customers, or
users, to change – how do you motivate them?
2
5
6. Need to inform, by understanding diffusion
Need to compel use, by understanding motivation
First - create a compelling value proposition – this drives
both
Embed a communication strategy
Maximize value and minimize perceived risks
(uncertainties)
Understanding first users and predict their behaviours
and decisions
Identify how early adopters will drive future customers
6
7. The diffusion of innovation looks at the spread of
information about an innovation (or new idea)
throughout a community or user base
Innovation adoption looks at what motivates an
individual to actually adopt an innovation
Diffusion is about understanding how ideas are
communicated - what influences speed and geography
Adoption is about understanding how to persuade use –
what influences individual decisions
Stimulating customer adoption requires understanding
all three
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8. 8
Awareness - exposed to innovation through diffusion
Interest - seeks additional information about it
Evaluation – apply to present / future situation, to make
decision to try
Trial – uses the innovation for intended purpose
Adoption - decides to continue with full use
Rogers (1995)
8
9. Understand how information about a new idea
or solution is communicated:
What is communicated and who with
Which channels are used
How the information is received
What motivates people to share information
The newness of an idea gives diffusion its special
character and ensures a degree of uncertainty
Uncertainty is reduced through information that
explains cause-effect relationships
9
10. Understand how the innovation offers a relative
advantage over existing technologies)
Show how compatible the innovation is with
existing uses
Reduce the complexity (perceived degree of
difficulty)
Enable trialability (through allowing
experimentation)
Show observability (results visible to others)
10
11. 11
Individual personalities segment markets
Innovativeness degree to which an individual is
relatively earlier in adopting an innovation
Risk taking link to personality profile and incentives
within organization
Novelty seeking – willing to experiment
Leadership and community
Understanding these items will focus on first, and
second, customers
11
12. Market Uncertainty
Ambiguity about type and extent of customer needs
Consumer fear, uncertainty and doubt (FUD) including
standards
Technology uncertainty
Not knowing if company can deliver on promise
Whether innovation will function as promised
Uncertainty over timetables and obsolescence
Competitive volatility
Changes in competitors, offerings, strategies
Uncertainty over “the rules of the game”
Uncertainty over “product form” competition
12
13. The driving force for company growth will come from
innovation (greater value added)
This means launching new products and services that
are adopted by customers
Diffusion is critical to make potential users aware of the
innovation
Adoption is critical if we are to turn innovation into a
value added process
We must focus on both to:
Achieve the potential of innovation
Develop strategies to improve innovation outcomes
13
14. Diffusion is a process where an innovation is
communicated through certain channels over
time among members of a social system:
1. an innovation (perceived as new)
2. is communicated through certain channels
(mechanism and parties involved)
3. over time
4. among members of a social system
14
15. Perceived attributes of innovation
Type of innovation decision
Communication channels
Nature of social system
Impact of change agents
15
16. 16
Benefits
Impact on performance
Impact on utility
Impact on reputation
Costs
Initial costs
Long-term costs
Increased risks (uncertainties)
This is linked to the value proposition
16
17. 17
Two factors influence the decision
Whether the decision is made freely and
implemented voluntarily.
Who makes the decision (where in the organization)
Three types of innovation decision
Optional Innovation-Decision made by an individual
who is in some way distinguished from others.
Collective Innovation-Decision made collectively by
all participants.
Authority Innovation-Decision made for the entire
social system by individuals in positions of influence
or power.
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18. Means by which messages get from one individual to
another
Nature of the information-exchange relation
determines the conditions under which source will/will
not transmit innovation to receiver and transfer effect
Individuals do not evaluate innovations on the basis of
a scientific assessment of its consequences – rather
depend on subjective peer assessment.
Understanding how innovation information is dispersed
is critical to success
1818
19. The culture of the organization
The external pressure that drives innovation
Communication activities
Community leadership
The network (Metcalfe) effect
Effect of role models and opinion leaders
19
23. Innovators appreciate technology for its own sake
Motivated by idea of being a change agent
Will tolerate initial glitches
Will develop make-shift solutions
Willing to alpha/beta test and work with technical
personnel in compensation with lower pricing
Early Adopters revolutionize their industry
Attracted by high-risk/high-reward projects
Not necessarily very price sensitive
Demand customized solutions and intensive tech
support
Opinion leaders, change agents
2323
24. Early majority comfortable with evolutionary changes
Risk aversion to disruptions in their operations
Want proven applications, reliable service
Seek the convenient “whole product” design
Buy only with a reference from a trusted colleague
Late majority are risk averse, technology shy
Very price sensitive
Require completely pre-assembled, bullet-proof
(reliable performance) solutions
Motivated by need to keep up with competitors
Rely on single, trusted advisor
2424
25. Gap between Visionaries and Pragmatists
Visionary market saturated, mainstream not ready to buy
Visionary marketing not effective with pragmatists
Limit to number of visionaries than can be handled
Consequences for marketing to pragmatists
Assume responsibility for complete, end-to-end solution
Customer services vital (seeking the useful applications)
Focus on best solution possible (rather than best possible
solution)
Simplify complex product features 2525
26. Relative advantage
Understand customer perception of cost/benefit
Compatibility
Educate customers to overcome concerns and
embed migration path
Complexity
Simplify the user experience to facilitate use
Trialability
Design products that are standalone/ easy to trial
Observability/visibility
Identify how to demonstrate performance 2626
27. Build a communication strategy (initial and
secondary)
Foster chasm crossing
Provide compelling reasons for adoption, - overcome
FUD through educating users about benefits and use
Understand who is likely to be an early adopter and
how they differ from the mainstream market
Choose initial market segment wisely
Focus on understanding the adoption decision
2727
28. Problem
Recognition
Information
Search
Evaluate
Alternatives
Purchase
Decision
Post-purchase
Evaluation
Pain killer vs
vitamin
Customer vs
employee vs
government
Active search,
vs reactive
search
Relative
importance
Consequence of
decision vs non-
decision
Existing
relationships
Industry sources
WOM
Existing
customers
Standards or
norms
Endorsements
Direct
competition
Indirect
competition
Do nothing
Compete on
price
Compete on
value
Compete on
quality/service
Buy vs lease
Pay for
performance
Product or
service
Internal or
external support
Implementation
and training
Timing
Measure
performance
Re-examine
assumptions
Evaluate
decision process
Determine
satisfaction
Follow up – (add
additional units)
Recommend
28
29. Degree of need
Including competitor pressures
Anticipated utility
Pain killer vs vitamin, value proposition
Characteristics of market segment
Used to adoption of new technologies
Supply chain issues
Where the decision is made 2929
30. Parts Suppliers Car Manufacturers Car
Dealers
Customers
- raw material
- components
- production equip.
- services
-personal users
(features and
benefits)
-business use
(fleets, etc.)
- legislation
- automation tech.
- materials
- mrp systems
- retail technology
- service
technology
- crm systems
- business models
Each of theses stages has different decision processes
Changing buyer decisions in automotive manufacturers quite
different from changing buyer behavior of users
Integral technology a different challenge than after market
30
31. New medical treatment improves patient outcomes
What complex issues influence the decision to adopt
How are benefits quantified?
Are there just patient benefits?
What changes required to dispense product?
Who will pay:
Insurance companies
Doctors
Patients
Hospitals
Employers
3131
32. Identify initial market segment that is most likely to
become an early customer
Understand the value proposition for those customers as
well as the barriers to adoption
Develop a diffusion/communication strategy to address
that market segment
Make it easy for Trialability, and Observability (for
example with a new business model)
Use feedback and recommendations from first customers
to drive further adoption
32
33. Consider different market segments (i.e. applications
Consider different types of customers in those segments
Prioritize based on need, speed of decision making and
referenceability
Only pursue a limited number of early adopters (to conserve
resources)
Need to consider how each option influences long term viability :
How long will it take to get the early adopters on board, and how fast will
they influence the mainstream?
What is the size of the initial market, and the mainstream market?
Are there available partners who might influence rate of adoption?
What are the financial implications of pursuing a specific market
segment? (Too fast maybe worse than too slow)
3333
34. Identify pain vs gain
Find ways to measure improvement in performance
Understand decision process and barrier to change
Understand what motivates behaviors within organization
Develop ways to manage uncertainties and mitigate risks
Identify how value is perceived in different parts of
organization
3434
35. How will you make potential early adopters aware of
your solution?
How will you motivate them to adopt?
How will you lower the costs (and risks) of adoption?
How will you persuade them benefits exceed costs?
How do you persuade them that your benefits are
greater than the alternatives?
How will you make early adopters your best sales
people?
3535
36. The challenges of stimulating adoption are quite different
from traditional marketing
Need to understand:
Diffusion of information
Adoption decisions
Recognize that different market segments look for
different reasons to adopt
Be prepared to change and adapt your strategy, if the
first one does not work, or when you enter a new
segment
Thank you
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