Learning how to "Tip"

I just finished Malcom Gladwell's The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference. I am fascinated with the tipping point concept because it something I haven't thought much about but now I am noticing tipping everywhere. 

It is difficult to define what the tipping point is because it takes the whole book to really grasp the full concept, but here is my attempt of explaining: the tipping point is the peaking moment when a trend or idea becomes a thriving epidemic. Whether it is a brand of shoes or a STD it spreads like a virus.

Gladwell gives three agents of change necessary to achieve the tipping point: the Law of the Few, the Stickiness Factor and the Power of Context. 

While reading I was thinking of the athletic auction our PR class is planning and how our class can make it tip. We need to milk the law of the few for all it's worth. The idea of the law of the few is society is really driven by a handful of people. I loved the example of the hush puppy shoes and how they tipped because a a small number of people in Manhattan started wearing them and then they became the next fashion craze. In the case of the auction we need the most influential people of Milledgeville to attend our auction and to start the tip. Having the right small group of people attend the auction will encourage the tip, the problem here is figuring out who that select group is. 

The stickiness factor will bring the people back every year so it becomes routine and tradition. Our PR class also need to use the power of context for the auction. Our goal is for people to WANT to attend the auction. Instead of saying, "Why would I go to another auction and waste money," we want our guests to say, "I can't wait until the auction!"

This brings me to my next point of the three types of people: connector, maven and salesperson. All three people are beneficial to reaching the tipping point.

The connector is the person who knows everybody because they are in several social circles. These are the kind of people we need to come to the auction to increase the numbers because of their vast network. The mavens are crucial because they are the ones who inform the connectors of the information. The mavens have the inside scoop and the knowledge, the connectors just pass on the "virus." Including a group of salesmen wouldn't hurt either. These are our people who could sell snow to an eskimo. Since the auction is a FUNDraiser, selling the idea of coming to the auction and biding on items is key in reaching the tip.

I enjoyed reading about these types because certain people came to my mind when I was reading. For instance my dad is the perfect example of a connector. I am pretty sure he can make a connection with anyone in Atlanta and knows someone everywhere we go. My mom is such a maven, she always knows the inside scoop of what it going on. 

This leads me to believe that I am a combination of a connector and maven. Here at Georgia College & State University I have several social circles, Alpha Delta Pi, Ambassador Team, PR class, Wesley Campus Ministry, and a few other groups. I enjoy making connections with people and never pass up the chance to introduce myself to someone. The maven part of me loves to be in the know and share it with people. I love being able to share information with my peers before they find out. I do know that I am NOT a salesmen, I hate the feeling of making someone uncomfortable or forcing my ideas on them. Therefore I will not have a future career in sales. 

As for social media I think Twitter is well on it's way to hitting the tipping point. When I first got Twitter I didn't hear much about it and was a little confused by the concept of a microblog, but now everywhere I turn I am hearing something about Twitter, my dad is even on Twitter now! Come to think of it, all of social media is reaching the tipping point. After attending Real World PR and hearing the professionals stress the importance of social media it sounds like social media is going to be taking over the world soon. It surrounds us and our generation thrives for Facebook, Twitter, etc. 

I am curious to hear what everyone in PR class tomorrow thinks about The Tipping Point because I think we have the ability and resources to make the auction Tip! As for someone who pays attention to details I appreciated how Gladwell stressed the importance of the little things, I think that is very optimistic of him.