Church Marketing 101

Church Relevance - Issue 3
January 2006
by Kent Shaffer

Wow! Another year is upon us. I enjoyed 2005. It was incredible. I look forward to an even better 2006. We will all face some challenges, but I am confident that God will give us each a great year in 2006 as we continue to seek his face. To bring in the New Year, I wanted to cover Church Marketing 101. No, it’s not an intro class to marketing your ministry. It is 101 tips for how to effectively fulfill your calling in 2006. By no means does it cover everything, and each tip could be a book in itself. Take time to consider each one. Not every point may be for you at this moment, but you should be able to find one or two points that really inspire you. I encourage you as you enter into another year of ministry that you focus on at least two points to practice and near perfection. There are 101 to choose from. Perhaps a few bold readers will attempt all of them. I hope the best for you in 2006. You will be in my prayers. Feel free to share any testimonies of success that you experience over the next year. Before delving into the 101 tips, I want you to understand that marketing encompasses a great range of activities. It is common for best selling books to offer the key to success by saying that a specific area of marketing will bring you that success. It’s not true. Branding alone will not bring you success. Neither will public relations, search engine optimization, e-commerce, or all the other gimmicks that have risen and fallen over past decades. There is no one perfect solution. I believe that effective marketing requires a complete understanding not only of marketing but also design, leadership, and God’s Word. With that said, let’s begin our look at 101 things we can do to enhance our ministries in 2006.

1. You must have something worth marketing. Fortunately, we do. Christ left us with the responsibility to tell the world about what He did. (Mark 16:15)

Your Relevance
2. Recognize who God called you to reach.
3. Learn more about your congregation.
4. Learn more about your community.
5. Avoid offending others without compromising God’s Word.
6. Surveys get specifics.
7. Focus groups are revealing.
8. Cluster marketing respects privacy.
9. Research cultures.
10. Observe people.
11. Talk to people.
12. Be a good listener.
13. Experience their culture without compromising your convictions.
14. Watch what they watch without compromising your convictions.
15. Blogs, networks, and forums give insight into cultures.
16. Show God’s love.
17. Show you care.
18. Show respect.
19. Spend time and money.
20. Stay current.
21. Customize everything you do to the culture you are trying to reach.

Your Image
22. Brand your church.
23. Every point of contact your church has with someone is a branding experience.
24. Create a relevant image.
25. Emphasize your brand.
26. Choose appropriate names without negative connotation.
27. Create graphic standards.
28. Great design is a constant.
29. Design equals credibility.
30. Learn the principles of design.
31. Content is as important as design.
32. Professional is expected.
33. Enhance your facility.
34. Cleanliness is expected.
35. Lighting sets the mood.
36. Audio/Visual does wonders.
37. Repair things.
38. Train your staff and volunteers.
39. Smiles are essential.
40. Dress appropriately.
41. Stay current.
42. Be yourself.

Your Message
43. Create a campaign using a variety of communication techniques.
44. Know your target audiences.
45. Learn what is the best way to communicate your message.
46. Communicate your brand.
47. Communicate relevantly.
48. Beware of the calloused consumer.
49. Make it easy to understand.
50. Master the art of storytelling.
51. Communicate truth.
52. Communicate by example.
53. Show intelligence.
54. Show your caring side.
55. Be strategic.
56. Be interactive.
57. Master the art of “free” publicity and word of mouth.
58. Use the internet.
59. Use printed media.
60. Get scientific.
61. Marry marketing with design.
62. Master the pulpit.

Your Vision
63. Know the vision and plans that God has for you.
64. Pray.
65. Stay focused on your vision.
66. Set goals.
67. Determine your capabilities.
68. Plan an effective and efficient execution of your vision.
69. Create a plan B, C, & D.
70. Create a budget and be a good steward.
71. Focus on your strengths.
72. Train others and delegate.
73. Teach your staff your core beliefs.
74. Look at things through a different perspective.
75. Evaluate what other things are vying for your target’s attention.
76. Plan for and foresee cultural change.
77. Learn, read, and improve your leadership.
78. Create systems.
79. Create solutions to problems.
80. Find the balance between management and creativity.
81. Innovate.
82. Use databases.

Your Impact
83. Are you making progress to achieving your vision?
84. Are you reaching everyone you are called to reach?
85. Align with God’s Word.
86. Put God first.
87. Know your strengths and weaknesses?
88. Chart your progress.
89. Avoid settling for satisfactory.
90. Learn from your mistakes.
91. Set up measurement systems.
92. Is there consistency in everything you do?
93. Learn time management.
94. Keep your staff fresh.
95. Get feedback.
96. How are you perceived?
97. Are you user friendly?
98. Observe your ministry.
99. Maximize efficiency.
100. Identify problems and situations that can be improved.
101. Learn how to manage the unique qualities of your workers.

If any one of these areas inspires you, find resources that can teach you more about it. A few areas we will cover more in depth in upcoming issues of Church Relevance. Again, I hope for the best for you and your ministry.

Happy New Year!

-Kent Shaffer

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