Stakeholder strategy

One common strategy for establishing this initial relationship is what is sometimes known as the “thin edge of the wedge” strategy (aka the “tip of the spear” strategy).  I have successfully deployed this strategy within FX dealing operation and is analogous to the bowling pin strategy: both are about attacking a smaller problem first and then expanding out.  The difference is that the wedge or slippery strategy is about product tactics while the bowling pin strategy is about marketing tactics.

Sometimes the wedge can be a simple by a feature that were previously overlooked or saw as inconsequential of a previous implementation. The ability to share photos on social networks was (strangely) missing from the default iPhone camera app (and sharing was missing from many third-party camera apps like Hipstimatic that have popular features like lo-fi camera filters), so Instagram and Picplz filled the void. Presumably, these startups are going to try to use mobile photo sharing as the wedge into larger products (perhaps full-fledged social networks?).