A friend recently reminded me of Gartner’s Hype cycle. It got me thinking which part of the curve should a Tech startup aim play in?
Note Gartner predominately focuses on the Enterprise business market. Although their right on the money in the consumer space with Microblogging i.e. Twitter’s rise to fame during the past year. The Gartner graph reminds me of Geoffrey A. Moore‘s great startup book Cross in the Chasm and Rogers Technology Adoption Lifecycle graph. If your a tech startup and haven’t read it – read it now!
Geoffrey Moore’s Crossing the Chasm adapted Technology
Adoption Lifecycle graph
I think startups should try to take advantage of Gartners ‘Visability’ curve growth. PR opportunities can be maximised with everyone listening/talking about what’s new/what’s hot. However funds may run dry if a startup is completely reliant on the hype growth and doesn’t reach a healthy exit before the wave crests. Ideally, startups also need to be selling beyond Moore’s “Chasm” into the ‘Late Adaptors/Early & Late Majority’ which is where the higher revenues lie. All this is easier said than done.
Where’s your startup on the wave?
Tags: Crossing Chasm, Exits, Gartner, Hype Cycle, Marketing, startup, Startup opportunities, Twitter
