Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read.

Start by marking “Creating Customer Evangelists” as Want to Read:

Other editions

Enlarge cover

Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

Open Preview

Creating Customer Evangelists

Ben McConnell,

Jackie Huba (Goodreads Author)

Guy Kawasaki (Goodreads Author) (Foreword)

3.81 · Rating details · 344 ratings · 14 reviews

For the first time in paperback, a revised edition of the book that launched the term "customer evangelism" and inspired the creation of an industry. Updated with new statistics and figures, this landmark book has shown countless companies how to harness the power of evangelism marketing and increase customer loyalty, sales, and profitability. When customers are truly thri ...more

Get A Copy

Or buy for

Hardcover, 224 pages

Published November 12th 2002 by Kaplan Publishing

More Details... edit details

Friend Reviews

To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.

Reader Q&A

To ask other readers questions about Creating Customer Evangelists, please sign up.

Be the first to ask a question about Creating Customer Evangelists

Lists with This Book

What Matters Now

70 books — 128 voters

What To Do When It's Your Turn by Seth Godin

The Four Steps to the Epiphany by Steve Blank

Seth Godin - Read at Work

26 books — 1 voter

More lists with this book...

Community Reviews

Showing 1-30

3.81 ·

Rating details

· 344 ratings · 14 reviews

Filter

Sort order

Jun 25, 2011 Joya Cousin rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: business, non-fiction

I read most of this book a few years ago, and tried to incorporate the principles into generating genuine loyalty among our customers when I ran a local telecommunications company. I have just re-read the book, finishing it this time. While the language is somewhat dated (one of the themes is titled "Napsterize Your Knowledge", the validity of these tenets couldn't be more fresh or more valid in today's world of Instagram, Twitter and the Facebook fan page.

The book's biggest takeaway is that lis I read most of this book a few years ago, and tried to incorporate the principles into generating genuine loyalty among our customers when I ran a local telecommunications company. I have just re-read the book, finishing it this time. While the language is somewhat dated (one of the themes is titled "Napsterize Your Knowledge", the validity of these tenets couldn't be more fresh or more valid in today's world of Instagram, Twitter and the Facebook fan page.

The book's biggest takeaway is that listening to, building relationships with and validating the customer is the path to creating customer evangelists who spread the gospel of your brand. The book expounds on six core themes of customer evangelism with case studies of companies employing this wisdom, such as Krispy Kreme Donuts, Southwest Airlines, Build-A-Bear Workshop, and the Dallas Mavericks.

The six tenets are:
1. Customer plus delta - know what your customers love about you, and what your customers think you need to improve on to become even better

2. Napsterize your knowledge - be generous in sharing your intellectual capital in ways that can easily be passed on. Become an information resource in your industry, without being afraid of externalizing internal knowledge.

3. Build the buzz - use natural networks to create infectious word of mouth by building relationships with influencers and getting people talking about your products and services.

4. Create community - find ways to create a sense of belonging among your customers; help them to bond with you and with each other.

5. Bite-sized chunks - find ways to chunk off bits of your products and services to make it easy for potential customers to try out.

6. Create a cause - rally customers around something bigger than yourself. Sell the dream.

One of the biggest caveats comes in the introductory chapters. None of these doctrines will "work" if they do not have their foundation in the heart of the company's leadership. The company culture will be a reflection of the chief executive's attitude toward relationships, and his or her personality. If the company is being led by someone who does not work well with people, then most likely this will trickle down to the way the company treats its customers and ultimately to the success or failure of the business. ...more

flag 2 likes · Like · see review

Mar 02, 2010 Gail rated it really liked it

Shelves: business

In a nutshell, I feel the concept of this well-written and popular business book can be summed up in this paragraph from its first chapter:

"We're drowning in a sea of media and information overload. In a world with so much choice, how do people make decisions? By relying on trusted friends, colleagues, or family members. In the new world of marketing, evangelists act as key influencers on future customers. The ideal scenario is when a customer has been made on your behalf well before they hand o In a nutshell, I feel the concept of this well-written and popular business book can be summed up in this paragraph from its first chapter:

"We're drowning in a sea of media and information overload. In a world with so much choice, how do people make decisions? By relying on trusted friends, colleagues, or family members. In the new world of marketing, evangelists act as key influencers on future customers. The ideal scenario is when a customer has been made on your behalf well before they hand over their credit card."

Being a part of an industry as over-saturated as photography, the push to market one's self can be difficult -- but I'm a big believer in the power of word of mouth marketing. Creating loyalty with clients -- and, in many cases, turning them into friends -- has been a big factor to growing my business (and I know the same is true of other hard-working photographers out there).

For "Creating Customer Evangelists", McConnell and Huba outline a set of key concepts they believe serves as the perfect equation for gaining these customer evangelists. Those concepts in summary (adding them here will be a great point of reference for me in the future as I want to work on making each applicable to my own biz):

• Customer Plus-Delta: Continuously understanding what customers love about you and what they'd like to see improved.
• Napsterizing your knowledge: Sharing your intellectual capital in ways easily passed on to others.
• Build the buzz: Using natural networks that exist to get people talking.
• Create community: Finding ways to create a sense of belonging among your customers.
• Bite-sized chunks: Developing easily digestible pieces for new evangelists.
• Create a cause: Rallying customers around something bigger than you.

Throughout the text, the authors share case studies of successful companies known for having a strong contingent of customer evangelists (and, at the end of each chapter about them, hit on the touch points of how their businesses specifically tackle those concepts above, which makes for a great way of reenforcing the book's key messages). I loved reading the chapter about Mark Cuban and his out-of-the-box thinking regarding his ownership of the Dallas Mavericks. And while I may scoff at the ridiculous of helping my niece build one of her bears in the store, Maxine Clark, CEO of Build-A-Bear, made for a fascinating profile too.

Great read for biz book lovers, marketing junkies and those who are self-employed. ...more

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Dec 27, 2012 Jessica rated it it was amazing

Shelves: non-fiction

My Amazon review: McConnell and Huba have compiled fascinating information, facts, stats and interviews with some the country's best customer service based businesses and compiled them all in one place for perusal. With ideas and motivation that can improve customer service for micro-business to mega-business, Creating Customer Evangelists shows how to bring back and implement the "corner store" feel in a global economy. From simply answering emails to purchasing millions of dollars worth of cus ...more

flag Like · see review

May 11, 2016 Marion Hill rated it really liked it

What is a customer evangelist? Ben McConnell and Jackie Huba gives an in-depth explanation of what that means by researching companies like Build-A-Bear, Southwest, Krispy Kreme and other like-minded businesses to show important it is to their bottom line. This book was published in 2003. Some of their statistical information is dated, but the principles of customer evangelism are still relevant today. Highly recommended for those entrepreneurs who want to build their business through this conce ...more

flag Like · see review

Feb 25, 2010 Alix Stricklin rated it it was amazing

Ooooo, this is a super marketing book! I usually don't get too excited over business publications, but this is so common sense and has such practical suggestions that you can put into place immediately, while working on your larger plan. The real life examples really help identify what would work for your business. The bibliography also identifies several other key books to read.

flag Like · see review

Aug 05, 2008 Jenreese rated it liked it · review of another edition

Recommends it for: Non profit and association staff.

Jackie Huba is great--I saw her speak and she's really good. If I wasn't into being an evangelist for the things I dig, I wouldn't take the time to review any books on this website. I like the blending of church language into marketing language. I really like this book and it's helpful for my work.

flag Like · see review

May 19, 2012 Teri Temme rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Awesome examples and a well-defined plan to create customer evangelists including: Customer Plus-Delta, Napsterize your knowledge, build the buzz, create community, bite-size chunks, and create a cause.

flag Like · see review