Influence the Evangelists
You’re responsible for a blogger outreach program. Who do you go for – the influencers? Is this the right approach? Why aren’t you reaching for the evangelists?
Influencers take a paycheck (or some from of payment) to talk about you. They don’t always have a vested interest in your brand. They won’t necessarily tell you where to improve.
Evangelists don’t need a paycheck. By all means, give them first shot at your new goodies, but payment? Not their style. They have a vested interest in your brand. They want to see you be the best, so they’ll tell you what you’re doing wrong and where you can improve.
Influencers are for the now. Evangelists are for the now and after now.
Still want to reach the influencers?
3 Responses to “Influence the Evangelists”
Seems such an obvious route to take, Jennifer. Then again, when did people take notice of the obvious?
Really nice post, Dan. Brands don’t always remember to think of influencers and evangelists as separate groups. And, often times, evangelists can sometimes be misconstrued as “complainers” when, in fact, they’re pointing out pain points because they love the brand so much.
Very good point. Evangelists are some of the most important relationships to cultivate for a brand. When people love you, they have a vested interest in what you do, and the way you do it. In the direct sales industry that I serve, the sales force is really a built-in group of evangelists. Enabling them to effectively use social media tools helps them become evangelists who reach further than they could before. Great thoughts Danny!