Unit 3 Blog 1

Connectors, Mavens, and Salesmen are all people who help the world run. I cannot say that I have ever met anyone who is purely a Connector, Maven or Salesman. People with these special abilities tend to be more than just one. My Uncle Dale for instance has astounding amounts of information about household appliances, cars, and tools. He knows what brand makes the best mid-size trucks, how long the average dishwasher lasts, and what store has the best prices on wrench sets. He also knows how to explain the importance of finishes or engine placement in a way that most people can comprehend. While he is primarily a maven, he does hold a salesman like abilities to communicate his ideas to people. This is why the family calls up Uncle Dale when looking into replacing large appliances or investing in a new tool set. He knows more than other people and he can explain.


In away my uncle’s ability to pass on this information to others who know nothing about these subjects does have similarities to the banking concept of education. My uncle knows everything; most of the family knows nothing. Uncle Dale teaches and the rest of the family learns. My uncle passes on information and because of the faith placed in his opinion he can cause a small tipping point within the family. His word alone can change the behavior of family members in the process purchasing certain items. While the results are not collected for data, there are still clear results. A behavioral scientist could theoretically measure how and to what degree my uncle’s advice was taken into account. The advice would be the independent variable and the measurable response the dependent variable. This data could then be used to determine how my uncle’s advice correlates to actual buying behavior.

The Law of the Few can also be turned into a behavioral science study for such correlation between the perceived value of something like Hush Puppy shoes and the knowledge of fashion designers using them in runway shows.