Evangelism

I don't think I've mentioned Seth Godin's ebook, What Matters Now, on this blog (although I have on another I write). The book is laid out in single page 'essays', some detailed and some succinct, and they come from a wide variety of authors. I was taken with this one, which is entitled 'Evangelism' because it almost entirely shows how evangelism should be done.

It comes from Guy Kawasaki and since the book is free, I'm sure they won't mind a bit more promotion by my quoting this section in full. (I haven't yet quite thought how 'downloading' the product applies to Christianity, but I bet there's an application somewhere.)

The future belongs to people who can spread ideas.
Here are ten things to remember:

1. Create a cause. A cause seizes the moral high ground and makes people’s lives better.
2. Love the cause. “Evangelist” isn’t a job title. It’s a way of life. If you don’t love a cause, you can’t evangelize it.
3. Look for agnostics, ignore atheists. It’s too hard to convert people who deny your cause. Look for people who are supportive or neutral instead.
4. Localize the pain. Never describe your cause by using bull shiitake terms like “revolutionary” and “paradigm shifting.” Instead, explain how it helps a person.
5. Let people test drive the cause. Let people try your cause, take it home, download it, and then decide if it’s right for them.
6. Learn to give a demo. A person simply cannot evangelize a product if she cannot demo it.
7. Provide a safe first step. Don’t put up any big hurdles in the beginning of the process. The path to adopting a cause needs a slippery slope.
8. Ignore pedigrees. Don’t focus on the people with big titles and big reputations. Help anyone who can help you.
9. Never tell a lie. Credibility is everything for an evangelist. Tell the truth—even if it hurts. Actually, especially if it hurts.
10. Remember your friends. Be nice to the people on the way up because you might see them again on the way down.

Guy Kawasaki