Building Building a Multia Multibillion-billion-DollaDr ollCategorar Category y spentspent 18 months 18 months of his of life his writinglife writing and andcreating creating “Fireflies.” “Fireflies.” He wasHe wasso inspired so inspired by Elon by Elon Musk’s Musk’s vision vision of a ofworld a world less less dependentdependent on foreign on foreign oil that oil thathe poured he poured his heart his heart and andsoul soul into it.into it. SurpriseSurprise and anddelight delight are keyare tokey understanding to understanding why whyTesla Tesla works,works, and andthey’re they’re actually actually very very important important for advocacy for advocacy itself.itself. It shouldn’t It shouldn’t come come as any as anysurprise surprise that thatwhen when Tesla Tesla newnew innovation innovation around around its air its air wantedwanted to announceto announce its its filtrationfiltration system, system, Elon Elon Musk Musk said, said, “It’s “It’spowerful powerful enough enough to to survivesurvive a biological a biological attack.” attack.” It’s no It’s surprise no surprise that thatTesla Tesla called called this thisthe bioweaponthe bioweapon defense defense mode. mode. Why Why did hedid dohe that? do that? BecauseBecause this thiscolorful colorful phrase phrase created created lasting lasting buzz buzz both both BuzzBuzz energizes energizes advocates, advocates, and andthis thisis important is important because because TeslaTesla doesn’t doesn’t spend spend anything anything on commissioned on commissioned sales sales reps, reps, and andminimally minimally on traditionalon traditional marketing. marketing. The Thevast vastmajority majority of itsof salesits sales and andmarketing marketing is pretty is pretty much much done done through through advocates.advocates. Tesla Tesla has anhas engaging an engaging online online community, community, the the that thatboast boast a conversion a conversion rate rateof 70% of 70% without without a test a testdrive. drive. The traditionalThe traditional auto auto retailing retailing rate rateis 12% is 12% with with a test a drive.test drive. All All to market.to market. them.the Teslm.a Tsaesllesa sarepsles repsdidn ’dt iadppron’t aapproch theirach theirpotenti potential cuastol cmustoersm wersith with an aggrean asggresive ssiveoutb ououndtbou mandr kmaetingrketing cam pcamaignp. aignInste. adInste, theyad, theyinvite invited d the cuthesto cumserstom toers try to the try pro thed uproct dsuo ctht saot theythat theycoul dcoul experiend experience it caen d it and make ma ajuke da gmjuent ondgment on their o their own. Twn.esla Taensdla Eloqu and Eloqua spent a spent significsigannifictly lesantly less s moneymo onney tr onaditio tradnalitio manalrk maetingrketing, inste, aindste relyiadn relyig onn gc uosnto cmuserto admervoc adacvocy acy for groforw groth. wth. At thiAst point this point, you , myoightu m bighte curiou be curious as tos aswho to whoInflu itivInfleu’sitiv uned’serserve underserved d heroeheroes ares. Waree . serveWe serve custo cmuserto mmaerr kmaetersrketers, who, wareho responare responsible sfoibler for 3131 3131