The ‘Pokemon Go’ craze has amassed more followers than twitter in the USA, added $15billion to Nintendo’s share price and achieved the pinnacle of search statistics by knocking porn off it’s long held top spot- and all of this within 3 weeks of launch.

On one level this confirms the quote attributed to Einstein that “there are only two things that are infinite, the universe and human stupidity…and I’m not sure about the former”, but on the other, that it is possible to generate a huge following within a very short period of time – and I believe that many businesses can achieve similar results within their communities.

Malcolm Gladwell’s ‘The Tipping Point’ describes how fads, trends and fashions can be created by having key people of influence pioneer a product or service that is then communicated widely. Of course for this to occur there needs to be something remarkable about the product or service both to attract the innovator and then for communicators to discuss and highlight it. Many businesses instead adopt a “shout as loud as possible” approach when actually, most often, the key to spreading the message is word of mouth, indeed I understand that there’s been very little investment in broadcast media for ‘Pokemon Go’ – the phenomenon has all happened via word of mouth, much of it on social media.

Very few businesses are global in reach but this shouldn’t stop you thinking and acting as if you are. Firstly define your “world” whether this be by geography, demographics or a combination. Next identify who the key people of influence are – who would be ideal to be seen using your service or product? Then consider how you might engage with these influential innovators to cause them to use your products and services and finally, having done so, work out how to get the key communicators to talk about it.

Professor Robert Cialdini wrote about ‘Social Proof’ in his book ‘Influence, Science & Practice’ and this principle of persuasion is most powerful of all when utilised in conjunction with two other principles – ‘Liking’ and ‘Authority’. Who are the likeable authorities in your community? These are the people to target because once you win them the rest will follow.