Ultimate Endorser™
I read somewhere recently the term “First Dropper,” coined by Greg Behr of GBW Strategies. This is the person who has some influence and yet is not an Early Adopter. It’s the person who drops a trend or who discontinues using a brand or product – after trying it out and realizing that it was all hype. Remember when people we respected started dropping Myspace, noting how difficult and annoying it was to use? This started happening even before the massive Facebook infiltration.
Well, I have another phenomenon to share with you, and it’s called “The Ultimate Endorser™.” The Ultimate Endorser™ is someone you take seriously, who has influence, but who, like the First Dropper, is rarely an Early Adopter. This person waits and evaluates a new brand, product or service based on how influencers and the general public have used it, and then, if it performs consistently, they eventually adopt it.
Ultimate Endorsers™ are more mainstream. They don’t use new apps and gadgets readily. They’re tough customers, but once they commit to using the applications – they can commit for life. They’re smart, skeptical, and often leaders in their circles. These people are extremely valuable, as their endorsement says “This thing is here to stay. And you should take it seriously.”
I have had a few experiences where I play the role of the Ultimate Endorser™. Tough to impress, when Starbucks first came to town, it took me a good long while to get hooked, and I even mocked the first fans. But one day, years after the first Starbucks hit the Northeast, I had a chai latte at a Starbucks in lower Manhattan while hearing some cool music by Stars, and the magical moment happened: I became an Ultimate Endorser™ of that diabolical coffee chain.
Ultimate Endorsers™ are a brand’s best antidote to First Droppers.