While there is goodwill in making everyone feel a part of the creative process, it is also important for church leaders to understand they are competing with a secular and savvy world. It is time for the spirit of excellence to overtake the marketing department of churches. In the process, revelation and the inspiration of God can work through a small representative team of people and result in powerful and professional marketing tools that will draw people to the church, the ministry or a specific program.
Once the creative team is established, it should begin to assess and evaluate the marketing methods of the past and present to discern what works and what doesn't. The team should also define the current promotional needs of the church. In addition, the team should consider the many marketing options that can get the word out in the best and most cost-effective way.
Traditional marketing methods can still work, but allow the team to move outside of the conventional box. The goal is to consider the many new and different options available and to keep an open mind. This may require the team to include a youth or young adult who is aware of new technology and the latest media and marketing trends.
A partial list of marketing opportunities for today's churches, includes:
- Web sites with pod casts and forums
- E-mail campaigns
- Post card promotions
- Community outreaches
- Brochures with modern graphics
At the first meeting, the team leader should ask some questions that will help determine the overall marketing plan. The following are some questions to pose:
- Who are we targeting?
- What are the demographics of our target market, including age, cultural specifics, educational status, ethnicity, and so on.
- What do want to accomplish? This should be specific. For example, 100 new members this year, 10 salvations a week, 4 outreach activities a month, and so on.
