The Role of Delight in Crossing the Chasm

People choose a new technology when they’re ready to. As Rogers noted, Early Adopters just like playing around with technology. They’re the ones with Apple Newtons and Microsoft Tablet PCs in their attic. Early Adopters don’t need complete solutions – they want to play with the latest toy.

The next wave of adopters, the Early Majority, use technology to solve problems. They like tech, but they have work to do and don’t have time to play around. Fortunately, the early adopters were there first: they helped iron out the kinks and create the solution for the second wave.

The challenge, as Geoffrey A. Moore wrote in Crossing the Chasm, is bridging the gap between the Early Adopters and Early Majority. How do you convince those hesitant people that your gadget is ready for prime time?

One of the things I’ve studied for years is the role of customers in driving long-term revenue growth – how crucial their advocacy and input are to success. This applies to the Chasm as well.

The way to bridge the chasm is through the advocacy of early adopters. If you develop your solution with them, make them your advocates, you’ve got a hit on your hands.

Which raises the big question: how do you make those early adopters passionate about your product? Not by easing their pain, not just by providing a relevant product. You do it by delighting them. That delight ignites the passion.

Example? Check this out.