We all know the importance of an early adopter to helping a new product cross the chasm, but not all early adopters are created equally. In fact, some can be a drain on your resources, while others can propel your growth. This presentation was given on November 21, 2013 at a meeting of the Boston Product Management Association (BPMA). Brian talks about how today’s product managers must cultivate early advocates, a special type of early adopter. Early advocates not only validate the usefulness of your product, but they show you how to spread the word. And by catering to their needs, you end up with a better, more impactful product. Takeaways: - How to identify an advocate - How to engage advocates to advance the introduction of a new product - How to build an effective early advocate program

1. Why Early
Advocates
are 10x more important than
Early
Adopters

2. who is
this guy?
• Launched
dozens
of
products
• Product
Manager,
Product
Marketer
• Explorics:
B2B
Loyalty
&
Advocacy
• 2-­‐Bme
entrepreneur
• Lean
Startup
Challenge
2013
• Business
Model
GeneraBon
Meetup
• Startup
Coach,
Quebec
Tech
Accelerator
• Stanford
MBA
• MIT
Computer
Science
@explorics @bostonproduct

3. The year
was 2006…
1 was an advocate
10 Early
Adopters
9 were not
@explorics @bostonproduct

4. The Big Idea
Early adopters have
long been entrenched
in technology culture.
They aren’t filling the
role we need today.
Product owners need
to cultivate
early advocates.
@explorics @bostonproduct

5. First… let’s review:
Early Adopter
@explorics @bostonproduct

6. Published in
1991
@explorics @bostonproduct

7. “Still the bible for
entrepreneurial
marketing 15
years later
[in 2006]”
Tom Byers,
Stanford Technology
Ventures Program
@explorics @bostonproduct

8. @explorics @bostonproduct

9. The Chasm
The mainstream
market doesn’t
listen to early
adopters
@explorics @bostonproduct

10. To cross the chasm…
Establish a Beachhead
@explorics @bostonproduct

11. DELIVER A “Whole Product”
@explorics @bostonproduct

12. Hey buddy…
Wanna buy some
software?
Pass The Elevator Test
@explorics @bostonproduct

13. What is an early adopter?
@explorics @bostonproduct

14. @explorics @bostonproduct

15. I’ll scratch your back.
You scratch mine.
Early Adopters Get…
• Attention
• Special pricing
• Amazing support
• Hand-holding
• Custom features
• Show-off status
You Get…
• Revenue
• Real-world testing
• Use cases
• Product input
• Go-to-market feedback
• Endorsement

16. I’ll scratch your back.
You scratch mine.
Early Adopters Get…
• Attention
• Special pricing
• Amazing support
• Hand-holding
• Custom features
• Show-off status
You Get…
• Revenue
• Real-world testing
• Use cases
• Product input
• Go-to-market feedback
• Endorsement

17. Early endorsement is much more
important today than it was in 1991.
@explorics @bostonproduct

18. THEN
Early adopters
validated
usefulness
NOW
Early advocates
validate virality
@explorics @bostonproduct

19. Today’s Elevator Test
Ray:
You know, it's just occurred to me – we really haven't had a
completely successful test of this equipment.
Peter:
Why worry? Each of us is wearing an unlicensed nuclear accelerator
on his back.
@explorics @bostonproduct

20. An Early
Advocate is a
Special Kind
of Early
Adopter
@explorics @bostonproduct

21. Three things that make
advocates different from
adopters…
3
@explorics @bostonproduct

22. Adopters want
to be “unique”
Advocates want
to be “first”
Steve Mann
@explorics @bostonproduct

23. Adopters want to
discover something
inherently valuable.
Advocates want to
brag about what
they discovered.
@explorics @bostonproduct

24. Adopters like
to tinker
Advocates want
to show off
@explorics @bostonproduct

25. The Biggest Difference Is
What You AIM For
Adopters validate
“good-enough”
Advocates fall in LOVE
with “greatness”
@explorics @bostonproduct

26. Early adopters are
great for opinions.
But they are lousy
for growth.
That is why you need
to focus on your
early advocates.
@explorics @bostonproduct

27. Creating an
Advocate
Program
@explorics @bostonproduct

28. Advocate
programs are
highly
personal
making them quite
unlike typical
marketing
programs

29. Advocate
programs are
based on
relationships
The Rules
• People,
not
companies
• Give
first,
then
receive
• RecogniBon,
not
bribes

30. Advocates want to
believe in something
together
• Shared vision
• Mutual trust
• Aligned incentives
@explorics @bostonproduct

31. What is the job the
customer is hiring
our product to do?
People don’t buy
what you do. They
buy why you do it.
Clayton Christensen
Simon Sinek
Google: christensen milkshake disruptions
Google: ted sinek why
Market Disruptions &
Online Learning
How Great Leaders
Inspire Action
@explorics @bostonproduct

32. Document your shared vision
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33. Recruit
Engage
Harvest
Optimize
4 Steps to an
Advocate Program
@explorics @bostonproduct

34. Recruiting
Dear Joe,
le on
your profi
I noticed
ught
In and tho
Linked
s paper
reciate thi
you’d app
ith MIT
e written w igating
we’v
ew, Nav
Tech Revi
Tech.
Planet Ad
ut:
Check it o
3fi9c
t.ly.com/2
http://bi
Thanks!
Melissa
• Keep it personal
• They were chosen
• Mutual value
• Exclusivity
• Meaningful perks
• Access
From
Our
CEO
@explorics @bostonproduct

35. Don’t
beg
@explorics @bostonproduct

36. engaging
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Send content
Recommend as an expert
Ask for advice
Short surveys
Introductions to peers
Group chats
Quick feedback on ideas
Repost, reshare, retweet
Contests

37. harvesting
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Product feedback
Thought leadership
Content
References
Referrals
Demand generation
Product reviews
Testimonials
Case studies
Public speakers

38. optimizing
Key Metrics
• Recruiting rate: customers to
program participants
• Engagement rate of participants
• Engagement rate of programs
• Conversion of programs into
deliverables
• Business metrics
• Referrals
• Leads generated
• Retention rates

39. Tools
A custom community
portal for advocates
www.influitive.com
Customer feedback forum
and interaction platform
www.getsatisfaction.com
Even more…
• Evergage – real-time web personalization
• TechValidate – create content from customers
• AskYourTargetMarket – online market research
• UsabilityHub – five-second testing
• UserTesting – fast user research
• Qualaroo – insight surveys for A/B testing
DIY websites and content
management systems
www.getsatisfaction.com

40. Three
Easy Steps
To get going
1. “Health check” your enthusiastic customers
2. Find out how they would want to partner
3. Target one engagement-harvesting activity
that is mutually beneficial and has meaningful
business results
@explorics @bostonproduct

41. The key takeaway
@explorics @bostonproduct

42. Get Early
Advocates. They
Love You And Let
Everyone know.
How did I do? http://braverybot.com/bpma/2
Thank You!
Brian
Gladstein
@explorics
bg@explorics.com