A New Definition for Lemming Law : Harnessing the Power of a Responsive Customer Community
Lemmings have gotten a bad rap. All we know about them is that they they are believed to commit mass suicide. That's actually NOT true. What lemmings actually migrate as a large group in search of new food sources. And that's not a bad thing — it's a smart thing.
So, I'd like to re-define "Lemming Law" as a good thing. It's what all marketing strategy shouod stive for – a customer community that moves on command in the direction toward choosing you and your offering.
That's what "segmentation" is for. The purpose of segmenting our markets is to greate groups or communities. It's just that we never had the tools and vehicles to CONNECT these people to each other. Their only connection was through the company itself. But with the advent of social media, customers have been craving more connection to each other.
Communities like the ones you can create for yourself on LinkedIn or Twitter are a powerful resource of expert advice. When a photography expert recommends a camera to the community, why would you waste time doing research when you can simply follow the expert?
Another example of the Lemming Law at work is the Small Biz Trends Community. This is a huge community of small business owners and providers with an expert in just about any area you can imagine. These experts often provide reviews of products, services, software and products that they've gleaned from years of trial, error and experience. Why should I do all that work in an area that I don't understand? I've actually decided to use several products simply based on the reviews and advice I've gotten from that site.
I've recently discovered that I've become the expert in helping industrial and business to business companies harness the power of community and that has proven to be not only profitable for all of us, but fun and insightful for me.
In what ways are you practicing the Lemming Law in your organization?
