Sorry to all ‘Marketeers’ but it’s true.

The optimum marketing function for a company is one that doesn’t need to exist. We all know nothing cheers a CFO up like a boundless batch of inbound business. Because if you get it right, it’s low to no cost.

So beyond building the best product on the planet, how do you drive unending inbound? The answer is simple: convert your audience into evangelists. Turn customers from users of the product to devout sharers of the word. Enable everyone to tell anyone that your product is the answer to the pain they’re feeling.

The New York Times Customer Insight Group conducted a study to uncover why people share on digital platforms. Here’s what they found out:

1. To reveal valuable and entertaining content to others.
2. To grow and nourish relationships.
3. To define themselves to others.
4. For self-fulfilment.
5. To help spread the word about brands and causes they believe in.

These drivers expose interesting insights, and therefore opportunities, for any ‘evangelism strategy’.

While human motivations can be erratic and diverse, you can often bank on WIIFM (what’s in it for me?) playing a role.

We’d argue all five of these motivators map back to this unifying thought. Creating, articulating and optimising for a clear value exchange which makes it simple and easy for your customers to share, advocate and evangelise on your behalf is extremely powerful.

The challenge.

Review your current ‘evangelism strategy’. Measure it’s relevance against points 1–5.

Where’s the opportunity to drive a value exchange which hits these motivators for your customer?