The Role of Extreme Customers in Driving Influence

“We spent too much time in our market research on answering the what, where, and when questions associated with consumer behavior, and not enough on the how and the why questions. By looking at the hows and whys of those consumers on the fringes, we can discover new ways to think about the hows and whys of the rest of us” – Jill Avery

Members of brand communities have been categorized as everything from advocates to trolls, influencers to detractors, and superfans to lurkers. But when it comes to determining which segment of fans are sharing the feedback and opinions that can best help a brand innovate and lead, it can be difficult to understand what customer voice warrants amplification.

Often companies elect to weigh only the opinion of the masses when making product or branding decisions — if they’re weighing anything at all. Doing so omits the very group of community members that hold the highest influence over the status quo. Brands should look to understand and engage with their extreme customers, an elite group of consumers that impact the decision making of their peers and ultimately, spread valuable word-of-mouth opinions on a brand or product.

Minority Rules

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When it comes to brand communities, the influential minority rules, driving the purchasing activities of more than a third of the population. That concept of few driving the actions of many translates into engagement in the digital space as well. One popular retailer’s Facebook community is an excellent example of that level of impact. Target has more than 23 million likes on its Facebook page. Of those fans, a mere 1% of them are actually engaged in the brand community (meaning they like, comment or share brand and user content).

While that percentage may be small, it is mighty, as that engaged core of customers and critics drive over 915 actions per post on average. Rather than poll the masses when it’s time to solicit the opinion of consumers, brands should instead reach out to a select group of vocal and influential customers to help drive marketing programs forward and plan for future investment.

Results may be polarizing or paradoxical, but the opinions of extreme customers allow brands to consider what is driving ardent love or passionate abhorrence towards their company. Understanding the motivations of these brand ambassadors or detractors can help brands anticipate trends or identify weaknesses in products long before the average consumer has formed an opinion.

Today’s consumer is always ready for what’s next. Is your brand ready to give it to them?

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