How to identify an early adopter of the Next Big Thing
by
Mike Sarokin
While it is important to identify what is “The Next Big Thing”, it is just as important to identify who would be candidates to be the first users.
Are you one of the individuals that are still using a flash camera because you feel that digital camera’s are too complicated? Do you not have a cell phone because you do not see why you should carry it with you? Are you wondering what the big fuss about this thing called HDTV is? If some of these are true, you are probably not interested in being one of the early adopters of “The Next Big Thing.”
On the other hand, there are individuals you know (me included) that are early adopters of technology. These individuals are the first to try almost anything. They probably have their own BLOG site, the smallest camcorder, and have so many gadgets attached to their belt that their pants hang down.
How can you spot a technology early adopter?
- When traveling they do not ask for directions when they are lost. They like the adventure of figuring out how to get there. These are the guys you keep seeing driving around the same block repeatedly.
- Their home page is Google. They like to learn and study and see if they can apply what they have learned. They also will have a long list of Internet bookmarks.
- When the individual buys something, they immediately begin to install it without reading the manual. If there is a problem installing the product they do a search on the Internet for help or go to a chat site. The last thing they do is read the manual. It will be a rare occasion for the person to call the help desk.
- You visit their house and discover that you can't change the channel since they have this complicated remote control.
The easiest way to find an early adopter of technology is to ask the question “what is Bluetooth?” If they respond that it is some kind of dental disease, do not look to them to try new technology. On the other hand, if they start to reach for their cell phone...
