When it comes to creating a marketing or sales plan, it is not enough to just rely on SWOT, PESTLE, BCG, or Ansoff analysis and etc. Whenever I chat with my clients, I ask specifically what their sales/marketing cycle is compared to a year ago. What has changed, what stayed the same, or what did they feel that is working well and etc.?
The idea behind this line of questioning is based on the S-curve concept, also known as the diffusion of innovations curve, is a model that describes the process of how new technologies or ideas are adopted by individuals and organizations over time. The curve is typically divided into four stages: early adopters, early majority, late majority, and laggards.
In the early stages, adoption is slow, but as more people adopt the technology or idea, it starts to gain momentum and becomes more widely adopted. As the technology or idea reaches saturation, adoption slows down again, forming an S-shape.
A real-world example was my first interaction with Rubrik, a technology company specializing in data management and protection, otherwise data recovery solutions. In June 2021, there has been an increase in the number of ransomware attacks and the sophistication of the methods used to carry out these attacks.
In response to the increasing threat of ransomware attacks, governments and organizations have invested in cybersecurity measures to protect against these types of attacks, such as implementing regular software updates, using anti-virus and anti-malware software, and regularly backing up data.
Rubrik’s data recovery solutions, which had no immediate connection with cybersecurity previously, are now able to create urgency or applications for its product using ransomware as marketing positioning. This unique media opportunity instantly promoted its positioning and solution’s attractiveness, which led to many new cybersecurity start-ups seeking to capitalize on the ransomware threat. And as one of the key early adopters in this situation, it encourages me to suggest more aggressive lead gen strategies for their APAC marketing team with a higher estimated conversion rate.
There are two benefits gained from this sales positioning. 1st is that your marketing strategies are more likely to succeed with the media backing by understanding your client’s S curve position. 2nd is that you now get a chance to see the late adopters yet still able to provide your services to them because of the results you have generated from the few early adopters in their navigation into the respective business space.
Disclaimer note:
The opinions expressed in this post are those of the author. They do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of ThinkLogic Media Group or any company and their associates.
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