Influentials -  reaching the 10 percent who influence the other 90 percent

published 2003

The role of PR and communication has always primarily been about ‘influencing those who influence others’.

Now one of the most respected research organisations in the US - RoperASW - claims their research proves that one in ten Americans tells the other nine how to vote, where to eat and what to buy.  These people fall into a category called ‘influentials’.

Such a claim is not a surprise to PR and communications people. But it may be to some marketers who have been brought up in the ‘shove it down their throat’ mentality. 

Recognition of the power of the influencer - and importance of influentials - is why media has always been a core ingredient for PR.  And it’s why most PR and communications programs have traditionally targeted key opinion formers and influencers eg  health professionals for food products,  analysts for IT programs.

Over recent years this targeting has expanded into the top layers of target audiences - consumers in their own right, but consumers who have been early adopters, ‘leaders’ or ‘change agents’.

RoperASW segmented, identified and started tracking this group  called ‘influentials’ within the marketplace nearly 60 years ago. 

But rapid changes in society over recent years, and more in-depth research by RoperASW  has led to their claims that influentials who make up 10 percent of the population impact the buying decisions of the other 90 percent.

The data has been released as part of a book called The Influentials, written by Ed Keller and Jon Berry, both from RoperASW.

The research suggests that as consumers become better at filtering out advertising they become more difficult to reach through traditional advertising.  Influentials become vital because they are networked and become the first to know about, and adopt, many things. 

They therefore become the trusted turned-to people and trendsetters; they also become major generators of word-of-mouth recommendations that can decide what succeeds in the marketplace and what doesn’t.

RoperASW claims that in the US the percentage of those who put the most weight on word-of-mouth advice from family and friends has increased from 32 to 46 percent in the past 25 years.

The RoperASW findings are bound to have an impact in Australia, eg

• It might make more marketers begin to think beyond demographics
• It will likely put even more focus on the role of PR in marketing
• It may lead to attempts to better segment this group within Australia

Here’s an overview of The Influentials.

1)      Who are the Influentials?

They are identified not by demographics but by what they do.

In an 11 point checklist devised by Roper ASW, activism and playing a public role figure highly.

2)      How do they behave?

They are active and outspoken members of society.  They are heavy readers of newspapers and the Internet has become a core media to them. Their gender split is 50/50.

They ‘network’ a lot and they are early adopters of products and services.  They are vocal and share their views and give opinions about what they like and what they don’t.  They are a powerful word-of-mouth force.

3)      What do they influence?

RoperASW claims that influentials are the movers and shakers who hold the most pronounced influence over:

• Consumer trends
• New lifestyle choices
• The adoption of new products and services

4)      How do The Influentials’ product purchasers compare with the other 90 percent of the population?

Their adoption rate of new products is markedly ahead of the average American.

For example they lead the ‘tech curve’ and 79% of them are likely to have a PC/Internet/Cell phone as opposed to only 58% of the general population.

Note: The author of this article is a senior Sydney-based independent corporate PR consultant who helps PR Managers better manage their PR Department and review or select a PR agency. As well he also provides specialist corporate PR and communications advice where issues or change are impacting on an organisation. He also blogs regularly on PR and communications topics similar to those in this article.