Brand evangelists are your customer superfans. What sets them apart from other customers is their willingness to spread the word about your products and brand. They are lauding your products to friends, coming to your defense online, and sharing your messages on social media.
Customer evangelists are more than loyal—they’re out there converting new customers.
What makes brand evangelists stand out?
Loyal customers regularly buy your products. Brand evangelists tell everyone about your products. They use their own personal brand and social media to promote your work. They are passionate and get other people excited about what you do. They are a source of authentic ongoing content marketing—and they do it all for free.
They want to be involved with what you do, whether it’s sharing your posts, leaving quality reviews, or defending you from naysayers. They are also most likely to give you feedback and partake in customer surveys or promotional events.
And evangelist marketing is incredibly effective. It’s word-of-mouth taken to the next level. Passionate, authentic support of your work creates new loyal customers. Evangelists don’t just get your messages out there—they convince people that your message is worth listening to.
Brand loyalty is important for every company. Loyal customers have a high ROI and are your bread and butter. But how do you get the most out of your brand evangelists, or create them?
Have excellent customer relationships
Brand evangelists are the result of excellent customer relationships, and can’t just be drummed up overnight. You can gain a lot of loyalty from your customers by actively listening to them, and responding promptly and positively.
Customer service is a great place to develop customer relationships. How you respond to customer problems shows how much you care about your customers, and your willingness to make changes. Twitter and other social media are becoming the main way that people look for fast customer service, especially when there is a major complaint. These customer service interactions are public, so it’s extremely important to respond quickly, professionally, and build a rapport with your customers.
Customer problems are opportunities to stand out from other companies and gain loyalty. If a customer brings up an issue that you were unaware of, that means it's something they care about—and probably many other customers do too. When you listen to what your customers care about, and make changes and admit mistakes, you demonstrate that your brand is worth supporting.
Another great way to make your customers feel heard is to give opportunities for feedback. Invite your loyal customers to surveys and focus groups or hold a contest. Use quality research to find out what matters to them.
Give them something to talk about
Brand evangelists are eager to share your content with their social circles. Make it easy to share your messaging by cross-posting on social media platforms.
A great way to engage your brand evangelists is to use hashtag campaigns for them to share their stories and unique content. For example, Nike launched a hashtag campaign #betterforit that supports women’s fitness and sports. The hashtag encouraged women to share their own fitness success and inspiration. When done right, hashtag campaigns build community among your customers and help them spread your message.
Brand evangelists are hugely beneficial to your company by spreading fervor for your brand at no cost. It all starts with great customer relationships and delivering quality products. Your most devoted customers believe in your products, mission statement, and work ethic. Give them something worth shouting from the rooftops.