Remember Ode to Amazon, Pt1 (over in my Captain’s Log category)? When I wrote that I almost became a consumer evangelist for them. Not a fully-fledged one, but at least a passionate customer spreading the word of love, which nearly qualifies as evangelism. Let me elaborate how… but first (for those of you new to evangelism as a marketing concept): a brief definition of evangelism marketing.

Evangelists are fans of a product or company, and promote them usually without directly profiting from this promotion. They do it because the love your product or service, so much that they will tell everyone they know not only their deep affection for it, but they will also recommend people to use it themselves. And because of their passion, they often succeed.

Anyone can be an evangelist. If you are raving on about your favourite restaurant to all your friends and family, you’re already an evangelist. But if you loudhail your opinions via Social Media channels, your opinions get amplified and can reach a much larger audience.

Consumer evangelists are great for boosting an organization’s credibility and maintaining a good relationship with your community. Evangelists go beyond testimonials; they actively promote a business or product, simply because they are passionate about it and want to give others the same warm fuzzy feeling – so they tell them to use it too.

So, when I raved about how much I appreciate what Amazon does for me, how great a job it does in providing me with goodies that I like, and how their system is awesome in so many ways, I almost became a consumer evangelist. I say almost, because I didn’t take one final step: I didn’t tell you to use them too, so that you get the warm fuzziness from Amazon’s goodness. Well, let me go all the way: do it, go to Amazon’s website right now, browse their humongous archive of goods for sale, fall in love and buy a book, a movie, music, a washing machine… something that will enrich your life (or the one of a loved one). Get a jolt of Amazon’s love!

Next time on Ode to Amazon: something for everyone.