What is a Technology Evangelist anyway?
And why might you need one.
When I first told my friends my new job title: Chief Evangelist, it was with considerable reluctance. I was worried about their reactions.
One of them looked at me with an entirely blank face, his jaw seeming to drop in slow motion. Another simply said “What!?”. And the third spontaneously burst into full-on belly laughter.
It was only when fellow employees in my own company kept asking me “what actually is it that you do”, that I realised I had an even bigger problem on my hands. Some explanation was needed.
The first image that pops into your mind when you hear the title Chief Evangelist, is probably something like this. But contrary to popular misconceptions, I do not carry a holy book with me at all times. And I’m certainly not in the business of gathering donations for my private jet fund.
In this article I will answer the following questions:
- What is a technology evangelist?
- What are the most effective technology evangelism strategies?
- What are the skills needed to be an effective technology evangelist?
- Why should you hire a technology evangelist?
Evangelism: A loaded term?
Evangelist is a term that’s loaded with meaning. That’s why it’s important to go back to basics and analyse the etymology of the word. Only then can we access the original sense of the word.
The word Evangelist is derived from the Ancient Greek εὐαγγελιστής (euangelistḗs), which literally means “bringer of good news”.
In the words of Jonathan Merritt at The Atlantic:
The Greek root word is used in the New Testament and was popularized in the first centuries A.D. to distinguish the love-centric movement of Jesus followers from the violent Roman Empire that often made its own “good news” announcements to celebrate military victories.
In its purest form, an evangelist is simply someone who delivers, spreads or disseminates good news about something through any medium.
But the enduring stereotype is that all evangelists practice an aggressive form of preaching and proselytizing that leaves the recipient with little room for maneuver. That association understandably leaves many secular evangelists feeling rather uncomfortable.
To use the most evangelical language possible, the title “Evangelist” is both a blessing and a curse. A curse because the negative connotations of the term can undermine your authority or trustworthiness. And a blessing, because if you introduce yourself as an evangelist with some degree of self-awareness (and only after making a good impression), the title is enormously helpful for being remembered.
And every technology evangelist wants to be remembered.
What does a Technology Evangelist do?
An Evangelist’s primary role is to hype a technology to establish a critical mass of users. They are the most organic of growth hackers. In principle, they work to raise awareness about a given technology and build a community of users that also love that technology. Once there is a critical mass of users, the evangelist works further to establish their technology as an industry standard, by moving to larger and larger accounts.
There are many strategies and techniques evangelists use to achieve their goals. These are outlined below. There are also key skills all evangelists need to master. These are also outlined below.
If you’re here for the practical tips, you know what to do! Start scrolling.
Evangelists, by necessity, must deeply believe in the effectiveness and importance of their technology. But they must also be credible experts within their field. Much as a religious evangelist cannot continue preaching if he/she loses faith, nor can a technology evangelist. And much as a religious evangelist is useless without knowing their gospel inside out, so is a technology evangelist.
In terms of the traditional structure of a company, technology evangelists sit somewhere between sales, marketing, and the company’s leadership. Sometimes they are embedded in the leadership structure.
I think of evangelism as “benevolent sales” or “soft sales” because you’re deeply involved in raising awareness about a technology and hyping it based on personally-held convictions about its effectiveness. But what you’re not doing, is engaging in the hard sell.
Evangelism is as much about educating players in the market about the benefits of a technology as it is about pushing your own iteration of that technology.
Guy Kawasaki, one of the most well-known technology evangelists talks at length about the difference between sales and evangelism. For him, the key difference is that sales-people primarily act in their own interest — to fulfill a sales quota or target — while evangelists act in the interest of their customers, seeking out businesses that could genuinely benefit from use of the technology.
Effective Evangelism strategies
When I started out as a technology evangelist, I didn’t know what strategies would make the biggest impact. And, to my surprise, there was little guidance on the internet. So here are some of my thoughts about the most effective evangelism strategies. This is my evangelism toolbox.
Thought leadership
If you are going to influence anyone with your evangelism, then you need to provide credible thought leadership about the value of your technology. That means you must be able to clearly articulate why it’s a game-changer. A thought leadership profile takes time to develop, but you can build it through regular blogging, speaking opportunities, and networking.
Conferencing
If your company has the financial means to begin conferencing, it’s a great way for you to network heavily and share your thought leadership. Conferencing is one of the best ways to meet new prospects, but you should also use this strategy with caution. Conferences can be very expensive, and it’s important to carefully analyse your conference ROI to make sure you are getting the return you want. Many people will be interested in your technology at conferences and it’s easy to become intoxicated by that hype. The evangelist’s job is to differentiate the real believers from the crowd. Sometimes that can be a big challenge.
Leading demos
Mastering the demo session is one of the most important things evangelists need to do. Demo sessions are your chance to shine and show how great your technology is with a group of people who have already expressed an interest in it. There is a risk that evangelists become alienated from how their product works as a result of their free-floating position in the company structure. But it is vital for evangelists to remain grounded and to engage regularly with the development team so they can faithfully represent the technology and demo it credibly.
Networking
One of the most effective methods of evangelising your technology is getting your face in front of as many decision-makers as possible. That can require a bit of hustling, but it’s worth it. Not everyone you speak to is going to become a believer. You will meet many skeptics along the way. But those people help you refine your pitch and pre-empt difficult questions. The more people you meet, the more believers you will find. Don’t make the mistake of launching into the pitch with everyone you meet, but let it come about naturally, as a result of a good conversation. You don’t want to look desperate. Trust me.
Applying for awards
Yes, sometimes awards can be a bit of a gimmick. Sometimes they’re expensive to enter and long application forms are enough to turn anyone off. But they’re another method of building credibility for your business — whether you’re a bootstrapped startup or a multinational. People like winners and want to be associated with them. For young startups, awards can be a really important way of building legitimacy, and they’re another reason for prospects to believe in your tech. Evangelists should make the most of awards by promoting them heavily on the website, in your email signature, on LinkedIn, anywhere you can!
Nurturing client evangelists
Think about how something goes viral. It’s always as a result of a network effect. One person shares something in their network, and ten of those share it in their own network, and so on. Suddenly you’ve reached tens or hundreds of thousands of people. When someone has used your technology and loved it, give them the opportunity and tools to evangelise your product. Give them visibility by inviting them to present their case study with you at events. Encourage them to enter awards with you. Not only is this great visibility for your client, it provides a social proof to your customers. That social proof makes it easier for them to believe in you. After all, if “super-well-known-prestigious-company” is using your technology, it must be worth it.
The Evangelist’s skill-set
People sometimes ask me what it takes to become an evangelist. What are the skills you absolutely need to master to be an effective evangelist? Here are the key skills I think all evangelists need to have.
Approachability
Effective technology evangelists need to be able to manage various social situations and types of people. Sometimes that can be very difficult. Due to the nature of their jobs, evangelists need to be able to talk the talk with developers and walk the walk with senior executives, sometimes at the same time. Evangelists need to be approachable and benevolent. You need to be someone that people want to talk to and enjoy talking to. You want to evoke positive feelings in the people you speak to. Be genuine, be interested, and have opinions.
Curiosity
Curiosity is one of the most important skills all evangelists need to have. And I don’t just mean curiosity about technology, but about the world at large. You will have to talk to many different people, from different industries, from different countries, with different backgrounds. Your job is to make connections. Having knowledge of the world and finding diverse points of common interest is very important. Curiosity is the key to knowledge. So being curious about the people you meet and asking the right questions is not only a way of engaging them, but a way of building knowledge that you can use to inform your approach to evangelism.
Adaptability and empathy
Evangelists need to be adaptable and have empathy with people they speak to. If you’re representing a technology that can be implemented in various industries, you need to listen and understand the different business challenges in those industries. You also need to do everything you can to avoid the curse of knowledge. Often the evangelist is in a perfect position to explain the technology in the simplest way possible to newbies, and the most complex way possible to the technically literate.
Tenacity
Like sales-people, evangelists also suffer a lot of rejection. It’s the nature of the job. The challenge is not to take rejection personally, but to be tenacious. Keep talking, keep engaging, and maintain your enthusiasm. People aren’t going to be inspired by you if they can see you’ve given up. But tenacity also means waiting for the right moment to begin the conversation about your technology. Sometimes that won’t be the first or second time you meet someone. As a rule, people want to be treated as individuals and not just as a business prospect. Build your connection first, and if you think your technology makes sense for them, bring it up.
Public speaking
Did you know that most people find public speaking more scary than dying? You know by now that public-speaking is going to be a big component of your work. It only provides cold comfort to tell you that everyone finds it scary… but the good news is that there are many ways you can master this skill. I was terrified of public speaking, and it takes time and regular practice to overcome your fears. If you are struggling, find your local Toastmasters, film yourself presenting and modify your performance, or find a public speaking mentor. You need to be able to inspire people, help them see the value of your product and create genuine excitement around it. That takes a lot of practice.
Marketer’s mindset
As an evangelist, you need to adopt a marketer’s mindset. If there’s an opportunity to promote your technology or company, you need to grab it with both hands. As your network broadens and so does your client base, there will be more opportunities for promotion. There are many ways in which evangelists can engage in “guerilla marketing”, to improve the visibility of their technology. Perhaps by being interviewed, doing podcasts or doing high-visibility pro-bono projects. As an evangelist, you need to constantly be on the lookout for opportunities you can exploit to promote your technology and improve brand awareness.
Why you might need an Evangelist
Whether you’re an established technology company, or a bootstrapped startup, hiring an evangelist can be a great (and cost-effective) way of improving your visibility and winning new business.
Evangelists clarify your brand narrative
Evangelists are the ones delivering your company’s message to the world. Because they straddle multiple teams, and have a thorough knowledge of how the technology works, they are often the ideal person to clarify your brand narrative. Their work in this field can unite leadership, sales, and marketing, creating content that is used by all three groups to unify your brand narrative and ensure your technology is communicated in a coherent manner by the whole company.
Evangelists give your company a face
Every company needs a face, and your evangelist can be yours. The benefit of having an evangelist is that they also reduce the burden on the core leadership or co-founders by dealing with a lot of the traffic regarding media and speaking opportunities. As a CEO, you are likely busy with the day to day running of the company and don’t have time to give interviews, or travel around the world speaking at conferences. Your evangelist can do that while you focus on running the company.
Evangelists establish you as a source of authority
Due to their curiosity and focus on thought leadership, evangelists can give your brand credibility and clout in the market. Chances are that if you have an effective evangelist, people will hear about your product before your competitors. And the authoritative voice of an evangelist makes your technology more trustworthy.
In this article I’ve sought to answer the following questions:
- What is a technology evangelist?
- What are the most effective technology evangelism strategies?
- What are the skills needed to be an effective technology evangelist?
- Why should you hire a technology evangelist?
I hope this is helpful for existing and aspiring tech evangelists alike!
Did I miss any important points? Let me know in the comments below!
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◾Gareth Davies is the Chief Evangelist at Vintom — the home of best-in-class personalised video for brands and agencies! ◾
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