Understanding Opinion Leadership and Innovation Diffusion

Opinion Leadership

Opinion leadership (or word-of-mouth communication) is the process by which an opinion leader informally influences others, who may be opinion seekers or recipients.

Influence is:

• Interpersonal
• Informal
• Between individuals, none representing a commercial seller.

Parties Involved:

• Opinion Leader: Provides product information and advice.
• Opinion Receiver: Receives solicited or unsolicited information.
• Opinion Seeker: Actively seeks product information and advice.

Category Specific: Opinion leaders specialize in certain product categories.

Two-Way Street: Leaders in one situation may be receivers in another.

Measurement Techniques

• Self-Designated Method: Respondents assess their own opinion leadership.
• Sociometric Method: Individuals identify who they advise and seek advice from.

Frequency and Overlap

Market Mavens: Individuals with broad market expertise and early awareness of new products.

Diffusion Process

The process by which an innovation's acceptance spreads through communication over time.

Two-Step Flow Theory

Opinion leaders receive information from media and transmit it to the public.

Multistep Flow Theory

Multiple communication flows: media to leaders, receivers, and others; leaders to receivers; and receivers to leaders.

Diffusion of Innovations

Consumer Innovators

The first to purchase a new product.

Channels of Communication

Speed of diffusion depends on marketer-consumer and consumer-consumer communication.

Adoption Process

Stages consumers go through to decide on trying a new product:

• Awareness
• Interest
• Evaluation
• Trial
• Adoption

Consumer Innovators

The first to purchase a new product.

Diffusion Process Elements

• Innovation
• Channels of Communication
• Social System
• Time