Crossing the Chasm

Introduction to Marketing New Technology

Geoffrey Moore discovered that his ideas about high-tech marketing succeeded because they gave people a common language. Many managers already had a feeling that selling new technology was difficult, but they lacked a clear way to talk about it. By providing a structured framework, these concepts spread quickly from marketing teams to engineers and even to the investors who fund new companies. This shared vocabulary helped entire organizations stay on the same page when trying to bring a disruptive product to a wider audience.

While the core principles of moving from early adopters to the general public remain the same, the specific examples of companies must change as the industry evolves. The original model was designed specifically for businesses selling to other businesses. In the modern era, where mobile devices and cloud computing dominate, consumer-focused companies often follow a slightly different path. However, the fundamental challenge of convincing a skeptical public to change their habits remains a universal business hurdle.

Many people see the success of tech billionaires and believe they can easily achieve the same wealth. In reality, while many try to launch new technology companies, most of these ventures fail. When a product does not sell, leaders often blame the marketing team for being outpaced by competitors. The problem is usually a fundamental misunderstanding of how new products actually grow and spread through a population.

The most dangerous moment for a new technology occurs when it tries to move from a small group of visionary fans to a larger group of practical buyers. These two groups have completely different needs and expectations. Visionaries are willing to take risks on something new, but practical buyers want proven results and absolute reliability. This gap between the two groups is a significant hurdle that can stop a company's growth entirely, leaving the business as a temporary fad rather than a lasting trend.

Surviving this transition requires the entire company to work together toward a unified goal. Instead of looking for one marketing genius to save the day, everyone from engineers to investors must follow a shared plan. The goal is to turn an exciting, unproven idea into a dependable product that the general public can trust. By understanding this process, a company can move past initial excitement to build a stable, long-term business.