Influencers And Translators

There are two kinds of people who matter enormously in any community or market: influencers and translators.

Influencers are those whose opinion carries weight. When they say something is good, people believe it. When they adopt something, others follow. They shape what the community thinks is worth paying attention to.

Translators are different. They take complex or new ideas and make them accessible. They bridge the gap between the early adopters and the majority. They don’t necessarily have the biggest audiences, but they have the most useful ones – people who are ready to move but need a guide.

Most organisations focus obsessively on influencers. They send free products, offer exclusives, cultivate relationships with people who have large followings.

Fewer focus on translators. But translators are often more valuable. Because the influencer can create awareness, but the translator creates understanding. And understanding is what leads to action.

Who are the translators in your market? Who are the people that your customers trust to make sense of new things? Find them. Build relationships with them. Help them understand what you’re doing. Because when they explain it to their audience, the explanation will be trusted in a way yours never will.