Comments on: The Opinion Leader Grid for Word-of-Mouth Marketing. http://www.empoweredinvolvement.com/2009/02/24/the-opinion-leader-grid-for-word-of-mouth-marketing/ Just another WordPress weblog Tue, 31 Aug 2010 00:41:57 +0200 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: Martin Oetting http://www.empoweredinvolvement.com/2009/02/24/the-opinion-leader-grid-for-word-of-mouth-marketing/comment-page-1/#comment-916 Martin Oetting Fri, 27 Feb 2009 21:45:07 +0000 http://www.empoweredinvolvement.com/?p=18#comment-916 @stephane Hey, how nice to reconnect. And thanks for the backup! We have worked with dentists on toothpaste, and that was quite impactful - so I can totally agree with that. @stephane Hey, how nice to reconnect. And thanks for the backup! We have worked with dentists on toothpaste, and that was quite impactful – so I can totally agree with that.

]]> By: stephane http://www.empoweredinvolvement.com/2009/02/24/the-opinion-leader-grid-for-word-of-mouth-marketing/comment-page-1/#comment-912 stephane Thu, 26 Feb 2009 12:40:57 +0000 http://www.empoweredinvolvement.com/?p=18#comment-912 As always, I totally agree with you Martin. Opinion leaders do matters... on high involvement products. There is no such thing as an opinion leader on low involvement products... or they're professionals. In my opinion, an OL must have some kind of expertise to be credible. You won't find any expert consumer on Toothpaste for example, but a Dentist may serve as a good OL for Toothpaste. As always, I totally agree with you Martin. Opinion leaders do matters… on high involvement products.
There is no such thing as an opinion leader on low involvement products… or they’re professionals. In my opinion, an OL must have some kind of expertise to be credible. You won’t find any expert consumer on Toothpaste for example, but a Dentist may serve as a good OL for Toothpaste.

]]> By: Martin Oetting http://www.empoweredinvolvement.com/2009/02/24/the-opinion-leader-grid-for-word-of-mouth-marketing/comment-page-1/#comment-910 Martin Oetting Wed, 25 Feb 2009 21:31:19 +0000 http://www.empoweredinvolvement.com/?p=18#comment-910 Ted, thanks for this. Interesting that you mention the "mathematical model" vs. "empirical research" aspect. A colleague with whom I spoke today sad the very same thing. Still, I think it is helpful to have a counter-argument to a one-sided belief in influentials - some people get carried away by the idea that a few magic people can create incredible results for their brand. In some cases that is simply not true. Particularly when you read Gladwell (and many people have), it sounds like once the mystery of finding the right hubs and infuentials has been solved you can do magic. And it's good that some argue against that belief. Ted, thanks for this. Interesting that you mention the “mathematical model” vs. “empirical research” aspect. A colleague with whom I spoke today sad the very same thing. Still, I think it is helpful to have a counter-argument to a one-sided belief in influentials – some people get carried away by the idea that a few magic people can create incredible results for their brand. In some cases that is simply not true. Particularly when you read Gladwell (and many people have), it sounds like once the mystery of finding the right hubs and infuentials has been solved you can do magic. And it’s good that some argue against that belief.

]]> By: Ted Wright http://www.empoweredinvolvement.com/2009/02/24/the-opinion-leader-grid-for-word-of-mouth-marketing/comment-page-1/#comment-908 Ted Wright Wed, 25 Feb 2009 17:08:17 +0000 http://www.empoweredinvolvement.com/?p=18#comment-908 Great post. Thanks for the grid. With regard to Watts v. Keller I would just say this. Duncan's work is based on a computer model he invented and the assumptions therein. As we all know computer models can be made to render any outcome. It all depends on the assumptions. Keller's work is based on data. Call me "old school" but I like data more than assumptions. Putting these thoughts into practice I had some Wharton MBA students whom I teach create a computer model that proved without a shadow of a doubt that I am a woman. The conclusion from the model was unassailable. I am a woman. I then countered that conclusion with one respectably sized piece of data that clearly demonstrates I am, in fact, a man. It's true what they say at the University of Chicago - "Trust God. All others must bring data". Great post. Thanks for the grid. With regard to Watts v. Keller I would just say this. Duncan’s work is based on a computer model he invented and the assumptions therein. As we all know computer models can be made to render any outcome. It all depends on the assumptions. Keller’s work is based on data. Call me “old school” but I like data more than assumptions.

Putting these thoughts into practice I had some Wharton MBA students whom I teach create a computer model that proved without a shadow of a doubt that I am a woman. The conclusion from the model was unassailable. I am a woman. I then countered that conclusion with one respectably sized piece of data that clearly demonstrates I am, in fact, a man.

It’s true what they say at the University of Chicago – “Trust God. All others must bring data”.

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