Since transitioning into the startup world a few months ago, I’ve come to find the role of the evangelist to be increasingly important. But the question that I’m often asked is how you go about finding and hiring the right person to be an evangelist for your product.
Turns out, it’s a really simple process – Build something great.
No, the process of building something great isn’t simple, but I’m not referring to that part. I’m talking about the fact that when you do accomplish that task, your users will love what you’ve made and they’ll want to tell others about it.
This process of evangelism seems to be a somewhat innate thing within people. We like to be the ones that others rely on for answers. So when we’re early to discover something great, we sometimes go out of our way to let others know.
I had heard this argument before, but I never really believed it until I found myself doing it. Over the past year or so, I’ve found a number of products and brands that I’ll swiftly and loudly proclaim as being fantastic. A few, for example:
Simple – I’ve never enjoyed a banking experience. Now I do. (Yes, that’s a referral link. No, I don’t get anything from it.)
Gunnar Optiks – My job and a good part of my entertainment requires me to be in front of a computer screen. My eyes used to hurt. They don’t anymore.
Fluval – These guys make some of the most beautiful fish tanks I’ve ever seen. But it’s not just tanks, they also make great additives and accessories, and they have stellar customer support.
The moral of the story? I get nothing from these companies for recommending them, but I do so on regular occasion. They simply made great products, supported them well and showed me that they appreciated my business.
So get out there and build something great. Find the people who are using it and connect with them. Word of mouth is still the undisputed king of new customer acquisition, and having a team of evangelists is the best way to spread that word.
Editor’s note: This story was written by Brad McCarty and originally appeared here.