Business-to-Business Internet Marketing, Fourth Edition - Lifecycle ...

Integrating Online and Offline Marketing 311
stituencies respond to Internet marketing is a key consideration. You
are probably familiar with the technology adoption curve, popularized
by Geoffrey Moore (www.chasmgroup.com) in his landmark technology
marketing books Crossing the Chasm and Inside the Tornado. The
curve basically defines the stages of acceptance of a technology product.
Every product has a group of people who are its early adopters—
individuals who will try the product before anyone else and, potentially,
lead the market in the product’s initial usage and ultimate acceptance.
There is also a segment of the product’s potential audience that will be
far more conservative in adoption, lagging behind and, in some cases,
never using it.
Although the Internet itself is now in a stage of mass adoption, you
need to apply the technology adoption curve to your target audiences.
Which audiences will be very accepting of Internet marketing—the early
adopters? Which audiences will be less receptive or even resistant to
Internet marketing?
Information technology professionals—software developers and programmers,
for example—will obviously be early adopters, but what about
other business audiences? Where do sales and marketing people fit in
your target industries? Financial managers and purchasing agents? Human
resources managers? CEOs? Which industries are more likely to
accept Internet marketing? Which size companies? The fact is, no one can
be absolutely certain, because Internet marketing is still relatively new.
That means you may need to do some solid research to determine
how your audiences will react to Internet marketing. Closely follow
the practices of your competitors and your industry. Watch where they
are focusing their efforts. Also, keep a close eye on the traditional
media that target your prospect and customer audiences. Are they reporting
about the Internet and the Web more frequently? Do they have
companion Web sites that serve your audiences? Are there other Webbased
information providers beyond your competitors who target your
audiences? Are Internet marketing conferences springing up in your
target industries? These are all strong signals that Internet marketing
is, if not already accepted by your target audiences, rapidly gaining
acceptance.
It will just be a matter of time before Internet marketing is commonplace,
but you may have an opportunity right now to decide whether
you will lead or follow with Internet marketing in your specialized area.
Which will it be?