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| | The Small Business Think Tank Network is not currently active and cannot accept new posts | | Connectors, Mavens, and Salesmen | Views: 460 | | Jan 01, 2009 4:51 pm | | Connectors, Mavens, and Salesmen | # | 
Kurt Schweitzer | | Talking about twitter has gotten me to reread the section of Malcolm Gladwell's "The Tipping Point" that talks about social epidemics. In it he describes three types of people important to the spread of social epidemics, i.e. rapid changes in social behavior such as "viral messages" or fads.
The first is someone he calls a "Connector". A Connector is simply someone who knows lots of people.
The second type of person is called a "Maven". A Maven is someone who is very knowledgeable about a given topic or idea.
The third personality type is a "Salesman". A Salesman is very good a persuading people.
According to Gladwell, a social epidemic starts with a Maven communicating an idea to a Salesman, who crafts the idea into a persuasive message and gets it into the head of a Connector. The Connector then spreads the word, and when you have Connectors talking with other Connectors the epidemic takes off!
Note that these are basic personality types. Yes, you can learn the skills of another type, but you need the basic personality to be really good.
So which are you, a Connector, a Maven, or a Salesman?
Kurt Schweitzer
Urban Village ScootersPrivate Reply to Kurt Schweitzer | | Jan 02, 2009 3:41 am | | re: Connectors, Mavens, and Salesmen | # | 
Lamar Morgan 954-603-7901 | | Kurt,
I am a connector. Gladwell's points are really on target. You see, it does not take a lot of people to make the "marketing magic" happen. It simply takes the "right people." A small group can do it. President-elect Barak Obama was doing this very thing two years ago via The Internet all around the world. At least, that is what I read in the New York Times, recently. Small groups spreading their passion to other small groups. The next thing you know, your audience is huge.
I do not know which classification you consider yourself to be - connector, maven or salesman. But, if you already have those three personalities in your group, does it matter?
What matters is that ALL FOUR of you are passionate about ALL FOUR of your businesses.
BNI is a very disciplined group of small business entrepreneurs. You pay to join and if you don't follow the rules and attend the meetings, you are kicked out. It's rigid...but, it works. Here the "mutual uplift" is like a second job. For some folks, BNI's demands are simply too much. But, for others, BNI is the answer to their prayers. The referrals they need to keep their business viable is exactly what they get - thanks to membership in BNI.
Lamar Morgan
CDMM - Synergistic Business Marketing
707-709-8605
Attract more customers! Private Reply to Lamar Morgan 954-603-7901 | | |
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