Crossing the Chasm: Marketing and Selling High-Tech Products to Mainstream Customers by Geoffrey A. Moore

Geoffrey Moore’s book is a classic for anyone launching innovative technologies. Why do some startups take off, while others fail right at the junction between early fans and mainstream customers? This article explains that and how to build the right strategy to cross that gap.

“The chasm represents the gulf between two distinct marketplaces for technology products—the first, an early market dominated by early adopters and insiders who are quick to appreciate the nature and benefits of the new development, and the second a mainstream market representing ‘the rest of us,’ people who want the benefits of new technology but who do not want to ‘experience’ it in all its gory details.”

Why Traditional Marketing Doesn’t Work in High-Tech

Most technology products start with a narrow audience — “techies” and “visionaries” willing to take risks and buy new things first. But when it’s time to win the mainstream market — more cautious and pragmatic — traditional marketing methods often fail.

What Is the “Chasm”?

Moore calls the gap between early buyers (early adopters) and the mainstream market (early majority) the chasm. Many startups fail here because they cannot adapt their approach to the new audience.

Who Are Your Customers? Psychological Groups

Innovators (tech enthusiasts): love technology for technology’s sake, tolerate bugs and inconveniences.
Early followers (visionaries): see strategic value, ready to take big risks for breakthroughs.
Early majority (pragmatists): pragmatic businesspeople, want guaranteed benefits and stability.
Late majority (conservatives): cautious, buy technology when it becomes standard.
Laggards (skeptics): practically do not buy new technology.

The key moment is the transition from visionaries to pragmatists — where most fail.

How to Successfully Cross the Chasm?

Understand the different needs of early followers and pragmatists
Visionaries want revolutionary breakthroughs — e.g., a system that will disrupt the market. Pragmatists want stable improvements without risk. Trying to sell a revolution to pragmatists leads nowhere.
Example: In the 1980s, Microsoft’s customers were visionaries, but only with Windows 3.0 did the product become mature and understandable for pragmatists.
Pragmatists require convincing proof
They need real cases and recommendations from “their own,” not from early fans with whom they don’t identify.
Example: Lotus 1-2-3 conquered the market because large companies recommended it to each other.
Focus on a narrow niche — the “beachhead”
Capture a small target segment, become the leader there, and then expand outward.
Example: Cisco first captured the corporate networking niche before becoming a telecom giant.

Practical Recommendations from Moore

Don’t chase the entire market at once — first solve a clearly defined problem for a narrow group.
Create a “whole product” — not just technology but a complete solution with support and training.
Develop convenient sales channels and services for pragmatists.
Use satisfied clients as advocates to attract new ones.
Be realistic in promises — overpromising and underdelivering kills startups.
Ensure the whole company focuses on crossing the chasm — it’s a team effort.

Why Is It Important to Cross the Chasm?

This moment is the boundary between an unreal dream and a sustainable business. Those who fail remain in a narrow niche, depend on a few clients, and risk fading away.
Crossing the chasm means gaining control of the mainstream market with its resources and scalable opportunities.

Summary

Early market is not mainstream market. For example, selling innovative software to IT fans and selling it to large corporations are very different tasks.
Each segment needs its own marketing approaches and opinion leaders. Visionaries’ recommendations don’t work for pragmatists, who want proven cases.
A full “whole product” is key for pragmatists. Windows became mainstream when it stopped being just an OS and turned into a convenient, supported system with compatible applications.
The chasm is a real risk but can be overcome with a systematic and focused approach. A failure example: many AI companies in the 1990s never achieved mainstream success.
The entire startup must work toward crossing the chasm. For example, Cisco built teams not only of developers but also sales and support specialists to pass this stage.

Additional Tips

“Bowling Pin Strategy”
To conquer a large market, don’t try to cover everyone at once. Start with a small, well-defined niche (the first pin), then use its success to capture adjacent segments (next pins), gradually expanding the market.
Example: A company first captures the healthcare sector, then gradually expands into related industries, driving growth waves.
Managing expectations is key to long-term relationships
Unrealistic promises ruin trust. It’s better to underpromise and overdeliver, especially with visionaries prone to high expectations.
Marketing is about building relationships, not just selling
Moore emphasizes marketing should build strong relationships with clients and partners, reducing fear, uncertainty, and doubt (FUD) and encouraging referrals.
Importance of the “whole product” — a complete solution
A product is not just technology but everything needed for successful use: services, training, integration, compatible accessories.
Influence of distribution channels and partnerships
For the mainstream market, a developed network of partners, resellers, and service centers is crucial. Direct sales to enthusiasts are one thing, working with corporate buyers via VARs and integrators is another.
Understanding technology as a category, not a single product
Markets develop around technology categories, not individual products.
Example: Not just Microsoft Explorer but the whole class of browsers created the market.
Focus on a single unique value proposition
Successful companies concentrate on a clear, specific advantage solving a key problem for their audience, rather than trying to sell everything at once.
Preparing for competition after crossing the chasm
Moore warns that after a successful transition, active competitors emerge to take market share. Therefore, market share protection and customer support strategies are vital.