What is a Data Evangelist?

My family, friends & peers often ask me, “What is a data evangelist?” With most people envisioning religion and assuming I’m spreading the gospel – I’ve even had one friend exclaim: “Walter, I thought you were Jewish!?”

Believe it or not, a religious evangelist and a technological one do have a lot in common. Instead of communicating and inspiring about a religious theme or topic, a technology evangelist inspires businesses and individuals through interaction, content creation and communication about a technology. The end goal of an evangelist in both cases is to inspire and hopefully convert the audience.

When you think about it, the tech world and old-time religion are a lot alike. There are incredibly impassioned groups – think Windows vs. Mac or iOS vs. Android – devoted to a particular software or platform. They swear by their chosen product and often bicker with those loyal to the competition. I know I certainly do!

But at the end of the day, this isn’t a bad thing. A little enthusiasm never hurt anybody and it certainly is a driver of innovation. It makes sense that major companies, including Apple and IBM, hire charismatic, persuasive individuals as evangelists to spread the word about their products and services. At the end of the day, it's all about selling the dream!

As Chief Data Evangelist, it’s my onus to build support for the importance of collecting and leveraging data; solidifying Feathr and our award-winning suite of digital marketing tools as the standard in the live event industry.

We live in a mercurial world where people want, and have even come to expect, tailored experiences. They’re getting recommendations on Netflix based on their preferences, their shopping experiences on Amazon reflect their previous purchases, and they are listening to the music they want on Spotify. By collecting, organizing, and analyzing all of the data surrounding a live event (trade show, conference, music festival, etc.) - Feathr offers event organizers the ability to personalize their marketing like never before; using audience insights to improve event design and ultimately customizing the live experience for each and every attendee.

The best part? Evangelism is contagious!

One of the most exciting aspects of my job is that I’m not alone in my pursuit. While I may be spearheading the crusade for Feathr, happy customers create a whole new wave of evangelism marketing. As Wikipedia puts it, this is an advanced form of word-of-mouth marketing in which companies develop customers who believe so strongly in a particular product or service that they freely try to convince others to buy and use it.

Here’s a great example from Damaris Duarte - NAHB's Manager of Industrial and International Marketing: "Feathr is THE gold standard for digital marketing. They have an outstanding product that consistently increases conversions and generates new leads. Aside from having a great product, the team at Feathr is passionate, knowledgeable and fun to work with. Simply put they’re amazing!”

So thanks, Damaris! Working with the International Builders' Show was a lot of fun and we can't wait for a successful repeat in 2018.

As I see it, evangelism creates a human connection with buyers and consumers to technology way beyond that of typical content marketing; providing a face and a name to the story, and ultimately influencing a decision.

I know it sounds kind of cheesy, but being an evangelist I’ll talk to anybody. Really, it’s just about being open and willing to engage with people – to discuss, to share, to inquire, and to inspire. And it’s the inspiration part that I love the most when talking about Feathr, because it can create a sense of wonder and possibility for people that, for me, is truly exciting to see.