Research and Road Maps

Church Relevance - Issue 8
June 2006
by Kent Shaffer

Imagine driving without directions. No maps. No road signs. No GPS or landmarks. Without directions, there is no guarantee that you will ever reach your destination. It is not impossible, but it certainly is not efficient. Directions give guidance that saves valuable time and resources.

In marketing, research is your road map. Without it, there is a good chance you will make a wrong turn. Unfortunately, many people blindly chase marketing goals with little consideration to research. Simply having a goal will not make you successful. I may have a destination - let’s say Los Angeles - but that still does not tell me how to get there. You need a path. However, choosing a path simply because it has worked for other ministries also does not guarantee success. If I am trying to get to LA, it does not help to know how to get to Dallas.

Your ministry should have specific goals and destinations you want to reach. The right research will give you direction so that you can reach those goals more quickly and efficiently. There are three areas of research every good marketing road map needs. Let’s take the next few minutes to learn what they are.

#1 :: Know Yourself

At first thought, it may seem unnecessary to learn more about yourself, but it is actually the foundation of successful marketing. You can’t be something you are not; people are drawn to what is authentic. Discover what makes you unique. What are your core values? Define your mission statement. Identify your strengths and weaknesses, and learn how to use them to your advantage.

If you begin to learn these things, you will discover your brand. Your brand should be present in everything you do. If your brand exudes a certain character trait, show it. Communicate that quality through your advertisements, worship services, environments, and any other touch points your ministry has with the people you want to reach. Think about Apple, Nike, Starbucks, and Mercedes. They all have consistency in their brand. Every touch point these companies have with consumers is used to generate consistent feelings and emotions.

The better you understand yourself, the easier it is to effectively and accurately communicate your brand. Being able to clearly communicate your strong points is the first step to effectively reaching people. A clear understanding of your brand - who you are - will also give you better insight into who you are capable of reaching and who you are not.

#2 :: Know Your Audience

When I minister to five year olds, I communicate quite differently than when I minister to high school students. The message may be essentially the same, but its delivery is different. The more you know about your audience, the more opportunity you have to customize your delivery and leave a bigger impression.

There are numerous variables to consider. Of course, there is age, but there is also culture. In some cases race, gender, or religion may be a common characteristic of your audience, while in other situations, these factors may be too diverse to consider. There are plenty of ways to learn more about people you want to reach. Libraries and the internet are full of research, but you could also conduct your own research. Surveys, if done properly, tend to be the most accurate forms of collecting research, but more subjective methods, such as interviews, focus groups, and observation, are also worth considering. One of my favorite areas of research is geodemographics, which is applying statistics and census data to maps. I studied my own city using this information and discovered the following:

There are hundreds of similar fascinating statistics about my city. What is exciting is that each one poses a new opportunity and insight into how to reach people. Obviously, the zip code with a high number of single parents has different needs than the zip code with hardly any single parents. Here is an opportunity for a church to customize their communication materials to meet the immediate needs of a specific community. If your church conducts city-wide outreach, it would be helpful to know how each community will differ.

What works for one lifestyle may not reach another lifestyle. What appeals to one demographic may repel another. It is important that churches know and understand their congregation and community. Also, remember that people change. Every generation is different from the last. People come, and people go. Learn to anticipate change and be prepared to make the adjustments needed to reach an evolving community.

#3 :: Know Your Environment

I used to run hurdles in track and field. Of course, my ability determined whether I would win a medal or not, but an equally important factor was my environment. My race times were fairly consistent. When I showed up at a track meet, I knew what I was capable of. I did not, however, know who would be vying for the same medal.

Who is vying to reach the same people that your ministry wants to reach? Every day each person faces thousands of advertising messages, yet many of these advertisements are ignored. People can only give so much attention. Is your message well-engineered enough to cut through the clutter? The marketplace for people’s attention is only getting more competitive.

You must be able to continue developing your communication skills to be able to keep up with the evolving marketplace. Figure out what is the best way to communicate your message at the moment. Quite often advertising methods that worked in the past become ineffective as too many people begin using them. Many marketers jump on a band wagon doing what worked for someone else. Instead, look for an opportunity to reach people with a method that no one else is using. At the very least, purpose to communicate with a creativity that stands out from how everyone else is communicating.

How do you do this? Be aware of your environment. Also, be aware of any hurdles that might be in your way. For example, some churches face city regulations that prevent them from using certain methods to reach people. There are numerous obstacles you might encounter, but learn to adjust to your environment. Learn what methods are most effective for your ministry, and use them.

Reading the Road Map

Knowing yourself, your audience, and your environment is a powerful thing. Combining what you learn from each area of research will begin to paint a clear picture of how you can effectively reach people. You will gain valuable insights into how to design materials that communicate what your ministry is about, appeals to your audience, and actually gets attention. Research offers guidelines that will help you stay on track and avoid making wrong turns. Most importantly, it will help you reach your destination more quickly and efficiently.

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