The Evangelist October 02, 2009, by Peter Mirus in Marketing
Outside of Christian expression, the title "evangelist" is one that has been applied either in an official or unofficial manner to the professional product enthusiast. This enthusiast is harnessed to employ his natural talents to encourage others to buy into the qualities of the product/service, and encourage a sense of community and lifestyle associated with the consumer's affinity for the product and the company that created it.
The first time that I came into contact with this usage of the word "evangelist" was some years ago when I first encountered the term "Apple evangelist" or "Mac evangelist". This expression was treated with delight by Mac enthusiasts, skepticism by the PC indifferent, and derision by those who favored the PC.
So many companies receive a substantial portion of their business through word of mouth. Therefore, it can be very advantageous to identify courageous "early adopters" of products (particularly technology) who live in both the "world in the details" and the "world of people". These individuals maintain a near obsessive product knowledge and associated value while widely, warmly, and enthusiastically carrying that message to market.
To harness the evangelist to your purposes, you absolutely must (to one degree or another) welcome him into the inner circle and provide a level of access that helps to solidify his sense of solidarity as a stakeholder in the product's continued success. You may also need to provide some sort of subsidy (if not salary) to make sure that continuing to act in this evangelical way is a sustainable proposition.
No one would ever mistake me for being an evangelist at the elite levels, but I am passionate about good products, retain the product information easily, and broadcast that information with enthusiasm.
For example, about three years ago I developed a thing for Nordstrom SmartCare shirts (tailored cut) and haven't gotten off of that kick yet. I tell people about them all the time (because people tell me my shirts look nice, which is a great opportunity), and Nordstrom has sold a few shirts because of me. What do I get out of that? Nothing. But as I said, I love a great product -- and I think that people who produce great products should be patronized.
However, real evangelists naturally create much broader social circles than I do. The web, and then the blogosphere, and then social networking, has given evangelists a greater reach than ever before. Pair that with a little brand backing, and you expand that social circle exponentially.
This is all major food for thought not only for the enterprise but also for the small business. To what extent are these evangelists identifiable? Does one or more already work for my company? Can they be put into harness? What is the cost/benefit?
It is often said that great products sell themselves, and that is true to a certain extent. But somehow you need to get the product in front of the consumer, and word of mouth is often the fastest and most direct way to make that happen. If you can find and partner with the person who can make the connection between product and consumer in the most effective manner, then you have your gospel messenger.
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