Getting innovations adopted is undoubtedly one of the hardest things to do. I’ve written extensively about this from within an organization, and the challenges we face when trying to do new things internally.
Similar challenges exist in getting new innovations adopted by the mainstream out in the marketplace. Everett Rogers is quite probably the most well known thinker on the diffusion of innovation, and he came up with a number of factors that influence the spread of new products.
Five variables behind the rate of innovation adoption
- How visible is the innovation? For the innovation to ‘cross the chasm’, the mainstream need to be able to see the early adopters using the innovation.
- How easy is it to try? Is it possible for people to try out the innovation without sacrificing a great deal of time, money or effort.
- How much better is it? I wrote previously about quality trumping first mover advantage, and if you’re to persuade people to shift, the new innovation has to be markedly better than what people currently use. Bare in mind that to begin with, the gains will probably need to be large as the cost and performance benefits of greater scale probably won’t be available yet.
- How compatible is it? Does the innovation work well with things that people are already using?
- How simple is it? If both the advantages plus the usability aren’t rapidly apparent, then it will always be a struggle to gain adoption of your innovation.
Suffice to say, in a world where ‘crossing the chasm’ is so difficult, there has been a great deal of research into early adopters and what stands them apart from the rest of us.
There has been much less attention to just what it is that causes the mainstream to reject new innovations. A recent study set out to redress that situation and get inside the mind of the mainstream when they analyze new products.
Inside the mind of the mainstream
The study found that there were a range of functional and psychological obstacles stopping consumers jumping on board with a new product or innovation.
These included concerns around getting value for money or whether the new product would significantly change their habits and routines. There were also concerns around social standing and personal image.
The researchers conducted a number of experiments into attitudes towards micro wind turbines and car sharing. These innovations were selected because they are both high involvement activities, and when stakes are high, we are more likely to ponder the positives and negatives much more tightly.
Neither innovation has crossed the chasm yet, so there is no social pressure to follow the herd. Of the participants in the study, just 8% suggested they were likely to buy the wind turbine, whilst 42% were more enthusiastic about car sharing.
Behind the numbers
When they looked behind the numbers, it emerged that there wasn’t a homogeneous reason for shunning a product. Likewise, it emerged that the various pros and cons we apply to a product, seldom carry the same weight. What’s more, whilst the rationale for liking car sharing was likely to translate to actual usage, the same was not true for wind turbines.
Crucially, our reasons for rejecting a product aren’t simply the opposite of the reasons we choose for embracing new innovations. Our concerns are usually distinct, and typically carry much more weight than the potential benefits of the new product.
“Focusing solely on the benefits might be a myopic viewpoint,” the researchers say, “particularly when innovations require customers to accept changes in product characteristics, or force them to change habits and routines.”
You’re more likely to overcome those barriers if they are explicitly addressed rather than focusing purely on the positives of your product.
Maybe that would be a good use of social media and the various digital tools we have at our disposal to both understand what our customers think, and then to engage directly with them.
