Ministry Marketing CoachMinistry Branding and Marketing that Works

As a marketing coach, I would like to be a part of helping churches do what Ed Stetzer calls “contextualizing and contending“.  That is, I  don’t want to help a church contextualize without contending for God’s word and the Gospel, nor do I want to help them contend without contextualizing to culture.

I believe only when you truly understand the people you want to reach, when you really comprehend their needs, can you develop ministry that is more than just contextualizing in style as so many are doing nowadays. You will be able to contextualize in substantial ways that are beyond current fads, because you understand the core of the culture you are reaching into.

Most of what I see in church marketing these days is really just imitating what churches see others doing. They imitate other churches. Or more pathetically, in my opinion, they imitate Starbucks, Apple, BMW, Nike, etc. I am not trying to be rude. But if I hear another person praise these product marketing strategies I will burst. We are not doing product marketing–we are doing ministry marketing!

If you want to do what these people did, don’t do what they do in terms of programing and message. Do what they did in terms of learning needs and linking to solutions. Imitate process, not program. There is a difference between benchmarking and innovating.

The Dangers in Benchmarking: Hey, I understand the attraction of doing what others do, trying to recreate their success. But there is a trap door in benchmarking you don’t want to fall through.

• Leads to mediocrity, making everyone about the same in quality
• Leads to homogeneity, get’s everyone doing the same thing.
• Leads quickly to cliched uninteresting, ineffectiveness

The Benefits of Innovation: That is finding a need and filling it. That’s the mark of really effective ministry.

• Leads to creativity- you make yourself keep going until you find that solution that only works where you are
• Leads to uniqueness: There will be nobody like you, doing what you do.
• Leads to freshness: Your strategies will work and people will take notice

A lot that is popular today is only popular in a faddish sense. Your need to move beyond knocking-off the activities of other churches and more into a deeper understanding of reaching your community. If you know how to contextualize, you won’t be beholding to others to help you do it. Churches that are effective, know why they are effective. Below are the tasks for delivering effective communication.

Match the Media

In this phase identify which media will best gain access to your audience. To use media most powerfully, consider sending your message through a variety of media. Media combinations are what you need–not the one killer media application that reaches everyone.  At this point your church may consider developing relationships with strategic partners for developing and buying media for your church.

• Review your present use of media and determine if any changes are needed to fit better with your target audience. Audit your use of media (print, web, etc)
• Develop a “Creative Worksheet” that can be used by your team and strategic partners for ministry communications. This document would be needed for media developers and agencies.
• Develop a rough draft media plan of media you would like to consider using in marketing your church. We will determine the best fit for your church and your audience.
• Consider working with a strategic partners (advertising agency, professional graphics designers, etc) Develop an RFP to send to them to get bids on media and “creative” development.

Share the Good News

Now we are ready to develop our plan of action. When you know your target audience, have an understanding of their needs and have developed a message that is a solution to their needs, you are ready to share the good news! Your communication will be good news because it meets a need!

Lay out a marketing plan that shares the G.O.S.P.A.: with Goals, Objectives, Strategies, Plans, and Actions. Hammer out a written plan and bring the marketing communication of your church to life.

• Brainstorm communication goals, objectives, strategy and plans (working with strategic partners, church staff and other leaders you determine)
• Develop a written marketing plan for the next 18-24 months (by month) that includes action plans for each week.
• Determine what Guerrilla Marketing activities might be used in your plans. A lot of marketing can be done without spending much money. When you don’t have money, you need to deploy time, energy and imagination.
• Develop plans for the use of Public relations for the next 18-24 months