
Geoffrey Moore's Crossing the Chasm details a model for successfully marketing disruptive high-tech products to mainstream consumers. The core concept is navigating the "chasm"—a significant gap between early adopters (visionaries and enthusiasts) and the larger, more pragmatic early majority—by focusing on a niche market segment.
Moore argues against a sales-driven approach, advocating instead for a market-driven strategy that emphasizes building a whole product, including necessary complementary services, and securing key partnerships. The text uses numerous case studies (Documentum, Salesforce.com, VMware) to illustrate how meticulously selecting a beachhead market and understanding the Technology Adoption Life Cycle are crucial for achieving market leadership and bridging the chasm to achieve widespread adoption.