Running a church and sustaining its viability needs more than evangelism, Bible study, and home fellowships. Yes, we must follow Jesus’ church growth principles, but He also shows us how to do church creatively in the Bible.
Jesus’ ministry was radical and relevant. Feeding the five thousand with five loaves of bread and two fish was a brilliant marketing strategy for God’s love and generosity. He used stories and parables to explain complex kingdom concepts.
So, what is preventing church pastors today from using church marketing to engage and communicate with people in such a way that captivates them to experience God’s presence in our churches?
The world is currently in a crisis, which demands churches to think outside the box to keep their message alive and their community connected. It’s definitely not church as usual.
Here are three of the best church marketing tips pastors need to know:
1. Learn Marketing Trends and Strategies
The digital landscape can feel foreign and cumbersome, but fulfilling the great commission has never been easier. The church today needs pastors who are exceptional at online church marketing.
Most pastors don’t bother to upgrade their know-how on the latest trends in connecting with people. Since you are in the Father’s business of reaching out to people where they are, you need to learn the various ways available to do so.
You can start by building a marketing team. This is still possible even if you are a small church with a few staff. You can learn together the best practices you can take to bring church awareness closer to people.
Good marketing simply means recognizing your audience, using your time and resources wisely, and creating a church communication plan with quantifiable and achievable goals for engagement and growth.
2. Establish a Brand Identity
Jesus had a unique brand during His ministry that resonated with multitudes around Him. As the church, we also have our brand or identity–loving God and people, expressed in many beautiful ways across His body worldwide. So while you are one with the body, you also carry your unique identity as a church.
“Brand identity” defines your church’s visual style and personality. Many companies create a brand standards guide to identify their brand. This includes a color palette, typefaces, logo, mission, and vision.
Making a brand guide is essential in creating a cohesive church brand to ensure that your church’s print and digital assets are consistent and purposeful. This can aid in developing a sense of belonging and trust among your church members.
3. Connect, Convert, Close
Picture your church marketing in three phases:
- Connect: Your goal in this phase of your marketing strategy is to find people you don’t know wherever they are (online and off) and invite them back to your church and website.
- Convert: In this phase, you will collect as much contact information as possible from new visitors.
- Close: In this stage, you will create value for your new audience, follow up, and call them to action.
This requires you to set goals and define a target market. Pastors frequently assume it is their goal to reach everyone. However, only by speaking to their distinct and deeply felt needs will you be able to connect with your audience.
For example, if your community comprises young people, your marketing methods must be relatable and appealing to them. You will also need to utilize different marketing strategies and platforms relevant to your target market and be prepared to run ads or send marketing campaigns.
For instance, aside from social media platforms, you can also make use of Google My Business, so anyone searching for a church in your locality through Google search will find your church details quickly.
The goal is to get people to church or bring the church to them so you can successfully connect, convert, and build your church community.
Conclusion
With digital marketing, you can gain a better market share in your community, in evangelism and outreach, discipleship, and the like to continue to meet the needs of people in your community. Marketing helps bring your church beyond its walls, so learn how to steward and use it to the best of your ability.
ChurchCandy assists pastors in growing their church community by advertising for churches. Take part in our planning sessions to learn more about how we can help you establish the church brand that enables you to achieve your goals. Contact us today!