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How to communicate your church and its mission - without it costing the earth.
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stour valley vineyard church | For a life less ordinary
church. is there an app for that?simple communications strategies for getting the word out
NLC 2010 seminar
Andrew Stewart-Darling
Where do you want to go today?Microsoft
Don’t tell my mother I’m in advertising - she thinks I am a pianist in a brothel.
American adman Jacques Seguela
Some common misconceptionsAbout marketing
Marketing is of the world!
Called to be different
Branding and marketing is
manipulative
All we need is the Holy Spirit
If we simply pray more...
There are more important
things to give my time to
We’re are not big enough for that kind of thinking
A biblical approach to marketing
Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation.” (Mark 16:15)
“
A quick and simple definition of marketing...
Marketing is the management of perception
What communication channel works best?• One-to-one?• Up front verbal message?• Powerpoint notice slide?• News Sheet?• Email?• Phone call?• SMS text Message?• Website?• Twitter?• FaceBook?
In this hour: 1. ‘Branding’2. Websites & E-communications3. Social network tools4. Mobile SMS Text5. Public Relations6. Advertising
Does a church need a ‘brand’?
“An outward expression of an invisible grace.”1662 Book of Common Prayer
Definition of a brandCharles Handy (Inside Organizations, Penguin)...
A brand is more than a logo
“If you got a taxi from the train station to your church, would the driver know where to go?”
David Carr, NLC 2008
The role of brand awareness...
A personal case study: The meaning behind the
Stour Valley Vineyard logo
We are known locally as simply the Vineyard, so that’s reflected in the weight of the words
But our vision is for the Stour Valley area, as well as obviously needs differentiation from other Vineyard churches
We are not a wine-maker. Recognition of the Vineyard brand is low among the churches and often meaningless to those outside of it
Blue depicts big Suffolk skiesPalette shape: artistic heritage (Thomas Gainsborough & John Constable country)
Green reflects that we are in a rural area
Strapline: encapsulates our excitement for the Christian life in a non-religious way
70%OF OUR DECISION TO BUY IS
BASED ON HOW WE ARE TREATED AS
PEOPLE Source: Mintel
A good brand relationship is based on trust and respect
The power of word-of-mouth• 90% trust their spouse • 65% trust their friends, • However only 27% trust manufacturers• 14% trust advertisers • 8% trust celebrities
Source: Yankleovich
Word of mouth - social network apps
Use all if you need to...
• Don’t spend precious time and energy using the latest social network too if no-one else is using it
• Don’t stress yourself out, trying to be all things to all men
Scrutinise then prioritise, but don’t hypothetise
...but don’t, if you don’t have to
Blogs• Free• Easy to design and do• Gives reason to stay in
touch• Part of a gathering
strategy• Link it to your church
website
Top Tip: Best of the Blog Hosts:- TypePad- Blogger- WordPress
Your church website is thepurest expression of what you are about
What does yours say about you?
Does your home page have everything on it but...
• Is it friendly?• Is it easy to navigate around?• Does it show effort in trying to be
helpful?• Who is your target audience? Does it
really reflect that?• Do people see it as a home or a library
of church information?• Is it a site where people can gather and
bring their friends
What will bring them back again?
Your website
SMS Text Messaging
e-newsletters
The way email communication is read is very different to offline communication…
• Average amount of time readers spend once opening e-newsletter: 51 seconds
• Recipients fully read only 19%, often not scanning the entire newsletter.
• 35% of readers scanned only a small part of the newsletter
• 67% of readers completely skipped introductory text at the top of the newsletter.
e-newsletters• Free for up to 5,000 emails a
month• Easy to populate templates• Easy to send
Top Tip: MailChimp
e-newsletters• Free for up to 5,000 emails a
month• Easy to populate templates• Easy to send
Top Tip: MailChimp
Public Relations......What is it?
"Public relations is the practice of getting attention and shaping opinion"
• Traditional media (newspapers, radio, TV
• Online• Events
Some common PR misteaks• “We’re a marvellous church does
something marvellous”• Not setting aside regular time to work on
PR• Using vague and fluffy PR material• Not being available when a journalist
calls- Often journalists are on very
tight deadlines/ working late- You help them they will favour
you• Single event or announcement focus
Top Tip: Your awareness is built by ‘drip-drip-drip’
Getting in the media• Write articles or a column• Use local newspapers
(paid and free)• Local community
magazines• 1-2 good bits of coverage
a month
Advertising• Postcards (general
awareness)• Newspaper ads (special
events)• Council Notice boards
(Services)
interestingthings
do
interestingthings
and
will happen to you
do
SPECIAL OFFER: NLC 2010 Vineyard Churches website package
Pick up a handout on way out
Your questions
