The Influentials: One American in Ten Tells the Other Nine How to Vote, Where to Eat, and What to Buy [Hardcover]

However, the book reads like a 300+ page market research report. You are bombarded with statistic after statistic embedded in what seems to be every other sentence.

If you manage or market consumer products professionally, you will probably find this book useful. If you're reading this for personal interest, be aware that it is a bit tedious to read.

Influentials do tend to talk a lot.

Keller and Berry write "Influentials seem to have an aversion to keep things to themselves. ... They believe it's important to give others information that could help them." (p. 148).

So, what do we learn about Influentials?

* They are two times more likely to buy online than the average consumer. They like the convenience.

* They like to travel and tend to like to cook.

* They tend to be "tactical consumers," who shop around to get the best deal.

* Influentials tend to be interested in news, politics, the environment, health, technology, and science. They focus upon important "substantive, meaty areas."

* Influentials aren't particularly interested in celebrities, sports, fashion or TV culture. (They don't mind public television, because it's educational.)

* They value learning and tend to have active minds.

* They're not into bowling or extreme sports.

* Influentials feel they can control their destiny.

* 3 to 1, they would prefer to be entrepreneurs to top executives at big companies.

* They don't want to be extremely rich (not more so than non-influentials anyway). But, they want financial security.

* Influentials were early adopters of IRA's, 401(k), cell phones, and the Internet.

* Influentials read a lot, especially magazines and newspapers.

So, for marketers looking for information about the politically/socially active 10% of the population, this book provides many insights. Plus, I think it's interesting reading. However, for marketers looking for specific ways to reach this audience, "The Influentials" seems to offer only a few broad marketing ideas. For example, Keller and Berry write: "If there's a secret to advertising to Influentials, it is to be creative and informative."

And, the authors say companies must provide useful information. Keller and Berry write: "Succeeding with Influentials begins with information. A salient, meaningful piece of information is at the very least a conversation starter."

Another idea offered is sponsoring a community event or worthy cause. However, the authors point out that Influentials tend to be skeptical of advertising and messages can't just flow down from a company to Influentials. Influentials won't just blindly accept them. Influentials will listen to those they know, incorporating their experiences and their own personal experiences to determine the quality or usefulness of a product.

Influentials tend to be good listeners and get feedback from others. Partially, it's their wide experience though personal feedback that makes them a valuable source of information to others.

The book points out that Influentials represent an early majority of the market. Whether small cars, back to big SUV's, computers, cell phones, digital cameras, debit cards, or online computer access, Influentials tend to be early adopters of products that subsequently become popular with the general populace.

Keller and Berry tell us Influentials don't just adopt any product. They tend to adopt utilitarian products that really add to their lives. But, that seems to reduce marketing to the old maxim, "Build a better mouse trap and they will come," which many marketers don't accept.

So, overall, I think "The Influentials" is interesting reading, but I don't know that readers will find it full of useful marketing ideas.