Nuts and bolts work closely together but serve different purposes. If you do not understand the difference, then you will have a hard time putting together or keeping together whatever you are building. It is the same with marketing.
The word marketing is often used interchangeably with advertising and promotion, but it is not the same. The basic definition of marketing is the exchange of goods and services. It is most often used to describe the process you use to create that exchange. In the church world, the exchange we are looking for is the opportunity to connect with people at an event or worship experience.
If your marketing plan consists of only using bits and pieces of what has worked for other people, you do not actually have a marketing plan. Doing this is like driving in someone else's car until it runs out of gas and then switching modes of transportation until you hopefully get where you want to go. Directions, GPS, maps — who needs 'em? Fuel, restrooms, and food — just distractions! We'll get there when we get there! Wrong! Spending money on random types of advertising does not guarantee success. You want to work smarter and not harder, and you definitely do not want to work more expensively.
If you are going to promote your church effectively, you should first create a process that leads to an exchange. The process is your marketing strategy, and the exchange is them investing their time in your church. So, let me ask you an important question you should be able to answer if you want people to know about your church: what is your marketing strategy?
The fundamental element, the cornerstone of your marketing strategy, is your brand. Your brand is not something you get to choose to have. You have a brand whether you want one or not. The only choice you get is what you are going to do to create the best possible brand.
What do you want people to think about when they think of your church? That is the brand you are trying to create. Everything that interacts with people should be done with this thought in mind. If you do a good job creating your brand, it will lead to the exchange you want: people visiting your church.
When you create a good brand, the promotion and advertising get a lot cheaper because people start doing it for free by simply spreading the word about their great experience with your church. At this point, your marketing budget just adds fuel to the fire.
For more free resources to help you market your ministry and build your church, visit buildthe.church.
