The Tipping Point
Written By:
Malcolm Gladwell
The Tipping Point Is:
The moment of critical mass
 The dramatic moment in an epidemic
when everything changes at once
 Things tip because of the dramatic efforts
of a select few
 In order to create one contagious
movement you might have to create
several small ones
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Chapter 1
The Three Rules of Epidemics

Law of the Few
– In a given process or system some people matter
more than others. (p. 19)

Stickiness Factor
– There are specific ways of making a contagious
message memorable; there are relatively simple
changes in the presentation and structuring of the
information that can make a big difference in how
much of an impact it makes. (p. 25)

Power of Context
– Human Beings are a lot more sensitive to their
environment than they may seem. (p. 29)
Law of the Few
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There are exceptional people who are capable of
starting an epidemic
People with a special message bring the world
together
Stay connected-know lots of people
Master the weak tie-a friendly or social contact
Manage to occupy many different worlds and
subcultures.
Acquaintances are social power
Social glue helps spread the message
Chapter 2
Law of the Few

Connectors
– People with a special gift for bringing the world
together. (p. 38)
 Know lots of people (p. 38)
 Instinctive and natural gift for making social
connections (p.43)
 “Weak ties” are always more important than strong
ties (p.54)
 The closer an idea or product comes to a connector,
the more power and opportunity it has as well (p.
59)
 Word of mouth epidemics are the work of
connectors (p. 59)
Chapter 2
Law of the Few

Mavens
– One who accumulates knowledge (p. 60)
 Are not passive collectors of information (p. 62)
 Data banks
 They want to share their information with as many
people as possible (p. 62)
 Not persuaders (p. 69)
 Information specialists
 They tell you about all their great deals
 Have an emotional need to solve problems
 Be a teacher or a student
Chapter 2
Law of the Few

Salesmen
– One with the skills to persuade us when we are
unconvinced of what we are hearing. (p. 70)
 Little things make as much of a difference as big
things (p. 78)
 Non-verbal cues are as important or more important
than verbal cues (p. 79)
 Persuasion often works in ways that we do not
appreciate (p. 79)
 You draw others into your rhythms by your
interactions
Chapter 3
The Stickiness Factor

Stickiness-the specific quality that a message
needs to be successful (p. 92)
– The gold box (p. 94-96)
– Tetanus (p.96-99)
Chapter 3
The Stickiness Factor

Stories (p. 110118)
– Sesame Street
– Blues Clues
– Narratives from the
Crib (p. 118-121)
Chapter 4
The Power of Context

The Power of Context– Epidemics are sensitive
to the conditions and
circumstances of the
times and places in
which they occur-the
context (p. 139)
– Subway Story (p. 133140)
Chapter 4
The Power of Context

The Good Samaratin
– The convictions of your heart and
the actual contents of your
thoughts are less important, in
the end, in guiding your actions
than the immediate context of
your behavior (p. 165)
Chapter 4
The Power of Context
Tipping points may be as simple and trivial as
everyday signs of disorder (p. 166)
 All human behavior is, in the end, is sensitive to
environmental cues (p. 168)
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Chapter 5
The Power of Context

Channel Capacity
– Amount of space in our brain for certain kinds
of information (p. 175)
– Activity (p. 176)
Chapter 5
Activities
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Number Activity

People Activity
Conclusion