Are you a 1%er or a 10%er?
Read a cool thing on SMT by Lee White. I’m sure he’s not the only one I’ve read who refers to the 1:10:90 rule - I think, and someone can correct me if this isn’t exactly right, but basically, with regards to blogs, 1% of blog readers blog themselves (create the main content), 10% read and comment (further the conversation), and 90% lurk without commenting (and potentially push the ideas out beyond the blogs). That can be modified any number of ways in terms of general participation in things, but you get the jist of it. Lee describes himself as “one of the “1%ers”, those that play with the shiny new toys just for the promise of things to come” - I love that and would describe myself the same way (pocketbook issues notwithstanding)! Lee goes on to say, “The problem is how to get from “I think this is great” to “Everyone is using it”? My approach so far has been a bit random, tell everyone that will slow down long enough to listen and assume that they will immediately agree and change their old-fashioned ways. … You know what, it’s not that easy. … Now don’t get me wrong, I have had successes, but not to the level I had hoped for 10 months ago. I am beginning to figure out that my job is not to try and change everyone’s thinking (let’s refer to “everyone” as the 90%ers) but to find and influence the “10%ers”, those that will try new stuff as long as there seems to be some rational justification for the switch. The job of influencing the 90%ers falls to the 10%ers. If I can show the 10%ers that there is real value then they will spread the word.” Fellow bloggers, whaddaya think? Like me, don’t you feel the same way, whether you’re a 1%er or a 10%er? Would you say we’re here to explore AND spread the word? : ) [EDIT - here’s the source info about the 1:10:90 (or 90:10:1) rule - it was actually about wikis originally.]