No sense in pioneers without colonists

Are you a pioneer, a settler or a colonist when it comes to the web? Do you feel an urgent need to try out the latest service or piece of technology, or do you wait until you see a clear need in your everyday life for them? Jeremiah Owyang has a post on the subject.

It’s really a key question as it’s one of the factors driving development of web, mobile, content and services - you name it. Do you as a developer go for the early adopter (the ‘digitati’), or are you actually thinking about mass adoption while nailing the issue you’re looking to provide a solution for?

I have made it no secret that generally I think there are too many pioneers in the world. Too many people just looking out for whats new and abandoning ship as soon as something shinyer - or just more fresh - comes along.

Perhaps the problem in itself is not so much the number of pioneers, but the number of pioneers realizing that if the land doesn’t get colonized, there’s really no point in trying to be a pioneer. Because what are you then a pioneer of?

A rule of thump states that when developing your product, content or service, you shouldn’t be looking towards pleasing the most demanding customers, you already have onboard. You should instead be looking towards understanding the people, who have yet to become your customers and find a meaningful way to serve them. Because thats where the real potential lies.

As for myself, I consider me to be a settler - the middle group who gets inspired by pioneers, try some of the same stuff out (the stuff that seems to have a purpose) and generally act as front-runners for the colonists.

Vad NU! is a consultancy company owned by Mads Kristensen and specialized in helping clients take advantage of the business opportunities created by new media. Click to learn how I can help you and your company.