The focus of this process is the stages through which an individual consumer passes to arrive at a decision to try, to continue or to discontinue using, a new product.

On purchasing high capital goods consumers pursue an extensive information search. Adoption begins with awareness, leading to interest and evaluation. A more general decision-making model is:

* Knowledge - consumers are exposed to the product
* Persuasion - form favourable attitude
* Decision - engage to adopt the product or reject their innovation
* Implementation - put the product to use
* Confirmation - consumers seek reinforcement for their decision.

The rate of adoption is how long it takes for a new product to be adopted through the social system. The adopter categories are:
* Innovators 2.5% - venturesome - very eager to try new ideas
* Early adopters 13.5% - opinion leader, respect from their peers, person to check with before purchasing
* Early majority 34% - Deliberate - adopt ideas later than average time
* Late majority 34% - Sceptical, purchase because of economical necessity
* Laggards 16% - traditional, last person to adopt an innovation

The quickest and surest way to get your product adopted is to target the innovator/opinion leader.
Innovators possess purchase and usage traits that set them apart. They are likely to be;
Less brand loyal
Deal-prone - take advantage of special promotional offers
Tend to be heavy users of the product category in which they are innovators.

How to target Innovators
* Innovators /opinion leaders have a greater than average exposure to magazines and watch less television than non-innovators - advertise in their special interest niche magazines.
* Innovators /opinion leaders are deal-prone, so it's best to use sales promotion with special offers and integrate the campaign with the personal sales staff.
* Innovators /opinion leaders are more socially integrated into the community and better accepted - use sponsorship marketing with the innovator involved as a testimonial.
* Innovators /opinion leaders have a high income with tertiary education and normally hold managerial positions - use mass media magazines such as Engineering News, Finance Week and Leadership.
* Innovators /opinion leaders are generally very good in time management so time is of the essence - exhibitions and roadshows are an excellent way to attract their attention with demonstrations of the particular service or goods.