Maybe a few of us could be all three of the above, but I don’t think most do. I still believe most people fall under one of the three categories.

However, my current thought is evolving to believe that social networking is actually helping break the notion of the Tipping Point by providing technology that enables everyone (whether or not) it’s a natural trait of theirs to spread word-of-mouth without trying too hard.

Thoughts?

These are merely attributes to our online behavior whether conscious or unconscious. Ultimately we listen to our friends, our peers, and people we trust, if we trust a “maven” it’s either because they have demonstrated knowledge of the topic, or because we know and respect them.

For more on the future of the web, check my latest posting http://jaycousins.wordpress.com/2008/07/17/key-factors-in-the-future-of-social-networking/

Mavens will be mavens. But it’s always good to have your employees be mavens as well.

@Tom, @Damon,

I’d still vote for Malcolm’s idea of mavens. What’s interesting is that social networking effects will make it easier for mavens to flourish these days as opposed to the old-model. But that’s just my $0.02.

“So, marketing SHOULD NOT be focused on mavens. It should be focused on product, people and relationships.”

As someone that has read both of Gladwell’s books, I do have to agree with you. There’s a lot of socio-economic factors not taken into play in his books, even though I enjoyed them a great deal, and a number of recent studies have shown that these folks *may not* be as important as books like “The Tipping Point” have suggested.

I think that the book undervalues the simple fact that your average person, not a maven, is just as likely to engage in WOM practices if they find value in the product.

WE have done a lot of work on this issue – and one really important point that is often ignored (see social technographics) is that the role a person plays (maven or not) is very much situation dependent. I am a maven in my rec.windsurfing newsgroup, but an information seeker in my digital photography newsgroup.

And I don’t thing there are magical things brand marketers can to do connect with the mavens – is is about product and the entire brand experience.

So, marketing SHOULD NOT be focused on mavens. It should be focused on product, people and relationships.

TO’B

I wrote recently on my blog (http://marketingblog.experience.com/) about the need for companies to have a complete and thoughtful strategy before diving into social networking. It was a response to an article I had read at AdAge (http://adage.com/cmostrategy/article?article_id=127430).

So here’s my question. Given the “maven” theory, do you think it’s better for a company to try and be the maven themselves, or enlist the aid of current mavens in the community?