Influencers roles: When and how do influencers influence?

If you know anything about influencers you’ll know that they are a mixed bag. This of course means that they come from different disciplines and professions, since diversity is at the heart of a functional influencer ecosystem.

This diversity also extends to how and when influencers exert their influence. In researching the book, I charted a typical decision making process (because what we’re all trying to do is influence decisions) and then mapped out a range of influencer roles across this process. The result is this:

There’s a lot in this picture, but let me explain the various roles that influencers might play:

• Idea planters are the thinkers in your industry. These people ask “what if?” They are the sources of uncertainty. Authors and thinkers like Seth Godin, Tom Peters, Trevor Bayliss, and Nicholas Negroponte are all idea planters.


• Predictors tell us what (they believe) will be adopted soon. They ask “what next?” Much of this kind of influence comes from the supplier community, which is essentially telling us what’s next in their product pipeline. But this market priming is held in check by third parties such as analysts, financiers and other commentators such as bloggers and management gurus.


• Trend setters are the early adopters. They set themselves as reference points and create the direction for the rest of the market. They are important because they not only validate the market but also communicate success to the market. They are influential due to their early adoption, and the fact that they spread the news of their success.


• Proclaimers: Some influencers just stand up and proclaim that the world will be how they want it to be. They mandate (as far as they can) the what and how. Proclaimers most often work for government agencies and departments, regulators and legislators, or standards bodies, but may also include buyer groups or co-operatives, and industry commentators.


• Aggregators/communicators: One of the most important roles an influencer can play is that of information gatherer and disseminators. It’s where the media and analysts get the majority of their influence: their knowledge of the detail of the market allows them power as to who has access to that knowledge. Non-media aggregators/communicators might include events, industry commentators, buyer groups, government agencies, industry bodies and industry analysts.


• Scopers: At some point a definition of the decision to be taken has to be made. That’s the role of scopers, to map out the limitations, parameters and dimensions of the problem and its likely solutions. Scopers tell us “what now.”


• Recommenders suggest what you should do. They are sometimes, but not often, able to dictate a decision. Most often they will make their professional judgment known, and then leave the final decision up to the ultimate decision-maker. They are therefore usually somewhat passive in their influence, which is advisory in nature.


• Persuaders tell you what you must do. They are not passive at all, conveying precise direction rather than advice. These are your closers, salesmen in Gladwell’s terms, the people who are able to make or break a decision.


• Negotiators: Once the supplier is picked the fun begins. How are you going to implement the decision, and how much do you, or should you, pay? Cue the negotiators, who decide how and how much, advising on the financial elements of the deal, as well as the mechanics of how to construct a deal.


• Validators say “it’s okay,” and are the safety net for a decision-maker. Not the oft-perceived rubber stamp, they give any decision the health check, to make sure the decision-maker has covered all options. They can halt a deal, or send it circling back for additional scoping or negotiating.
  

Some key points:

• Roles can be played by different influencer types (analysts, journalists, academics, etc).


• One influencer could play several roles.


• Not all roles are played in every decision process.

The wave and its implications are explored in more detail in the book. We also map out overlap between influencer types (who they are) and influencer roles (what they do).

Use the Wave to examine how and when influencers influence. It’s proved useful in our influencer identification and engagement programs.

(Most of the content of this post is ©Elsevier 2008, usual copyright rules apply. Thanks.)