What is a brand evangelist?
Also known as a superfan, a brand evangelist is a type of customer who loves your product, service, or entire brand that actively talks about you to other people, generating new customers for you in the process.
The beauty of having brand evangelists is that you do not actually have to pay them anything to market your brand. Sure, you can reward them, but that is not a requirement. They will share your story either way simply because they are passionate about you and what you do.
If you want more information on this concept, check out the FAQ section below:
Question #1: Why is having brand evangelists important?
Having brand evangelists is important because it gives you access to one of the most powerful marketing tools at your disposal: word of mouth.
A brand evangelist is a real person talking about your product, services, and branding with genuine enthusiasm. Couple this with the fact that their audience consists mainly of their family and friends and you have got the perfect recipe for extremely potent word-of-mouth marketing.
Think about it. Who are you more likely to hear out and take seriously? A brand marketing their products and services to you or a relative (or close friend) genuinely raving about that same brand’s products and services to you? The latter’s opinion would probably hold significantly more weight to you, right? They are not making any money in the process after all, so it is so much easier to trust them.
Question #2: How do I get a brand evangelist to talk about my brand?
You do not actually have to actively try to get a brand evangelist to talk about your brand. This automatically happens as a result of you.
But what exactly does ‘doing a truly amazing job and offering genuinely amazing products and services’ mean? Let us take a look.
Doing a truly amazing job means can be broken down into two parts:
First, you need to make customers—both potential and existing—feel welcome at all times. If a prospect feels like you would rather be doing something else than attending to them even before they buy anything from you, then they will most likely not stick around to find out how you treat those who have already spent money on your products and services.
But the same goes for those who have already purchased something from you. Unless you make them feel like you are happy to have them as a customer, then they will also most likely take their business somewhere else.
Second, you need to make existing customers feel valued at all times. Sincerely thank them at every opportunity. Ask for their feedback. Listen to their complaints. Implement the changes they want to see. Help them solve the problems they are having with your brand. Sincerely apologize whenever you make a mistake and actually do better next time.
Offering genuinely amazing products and services, on the other hand, simply means making sure that:
- You deliver on whatever you promise in your marketing
- Your products are not only durable but also expertly made
- Availing of your services is a pleasurable experience at all times
- Your products and services actually solve a problem the customer has
Question #3: What is the difference between a brand evangelist and a brand endorser?
The main difference between a brand evangelist and a brand endorser is that the former does not get paid to talk about your products, services, and brand. They do it because they are truly impressed by your brand and what it does.
In contrast, a brand endorser gets paid to share your story. It does not matter if they actually believe in your products, services, and brand. As long as you pay them, they will recommend you to their fans—which is practically the same thing that happens with influencers.
This, however, does not mean that it is not possible for a brand endorser to actually be passionate about a brand they are promoting. It is just that it is not a requirement.