You could probably argue that word of mouth is the best kind of marketing there is.
It's a person recommending your brand not because there's something in it for them, but simply because your product is actually, genuinely good.
As you can imagine, people trust a recommendation from a friend or a neighbor a lot more than they trust a salesman or an advertisement.
But the thing is, you can't just fake word of mouth.
It has to happen organically.
But what you can do is find ways to encourage people who love your brand to put in a word for you.
They have to genuinely love your product, but if they do, you can persuade them to become a brand evangelist.
In the latest episode of the Social Media Examiner podcast, they interview Guy Kawasaki, a top brand ambassador for Canva, Mercedes, and formerly Apple.
Guy explains why evangelism is such a powerful marketing tool.
Benefits of Evangelism
The difference between evangelism and sales is an evangelist typically has the other person’s best interest at heart. It’s not about fulfilling a sales quota and earning commission.
When Guy worked for Apple and asked people to support Macintosh, he believed it would empower them and add a new line of revenue to their businesses.
Today, as the evangelist for Canva, when Guy asks people to use it, he truly believes it will make them better graphic designers and enable them to create graphics that will increase their effectiveness as a communicator.
[image source: Social Media Examiner]
An evangelist for Canva, Guy Kawasaki believes in the product.
If someone uses Canva, bought a Macintosh, or wrote Macintosh software, it was good for him, Guy adds.
However, it was also good for the other party. That’s the crucial difference between evangelism and sales.
Guy also emphasizes that evangelism requires a great product.
Today, social media makes product evangelism fast, free, and easy.
As long as you have a great product, you can show how it works on live video and reach people all over the world quickly and effectively.
The downside is that evangelists have more competition because more people are evangelizing products.
Listen to the show to hear Guy discuss whether he’d rather do product evangelism before or after social media tools became available.
You can read more about how to get your best customers to advocate your brand in the original podcast, plus its accompanying article, from Social Media Examiner.
CHALLENGE Yourself to Profit!
Free Download: Build Your Profit-Generating Online Business With This Free Blueprint
Sign Up, follow the easy steps and You'll get the tactics, strategies & techniques needed to create your online profit stream. It's free!
