We love when churches want to create buzz and get people talking about what church life is all about! Consider these steps to get prepared internally first!
Churches often want help building awareness or increasing their marketing efforts in their local community. Church leaders will mention wanting to purchase advertising space to connect with people through billboards, TV, radio, print and online.
We love it when churches want to create this buzz and get people talking about what faith and church life is all about! However, incredible creative efforts and buzz in the community will always fall flat if a church doesn’t get prepared internally first!
So let’s get practical ... and fast. We want to move and act efficiently, so we’re ready to connect with others in the community and welcome guests very soon!
Want to do billboards? Thinking about a social media campaign? Ready to sponsor or host an event for your community?
Great, but first ... consider these important steps:
- Vision
What are your vision and goals for these efforts? Who do you hope to reach and why? Make sure all of your leaders and your full congregation understand this vision. Communicate about it often and tell stories to bring it to life.
- Hospitality/Your guest experience and next steps for guests
As you reach out more and more in your community, you’re praying that new people will visit and get involved at your church. Are you ready to welcome these people? How are you growing the hospitality efforts at your church? Ask everyone in your congregation to get involved to greet, help and connect with guests (including their children/youth). Consider what simple next steps you’re guiding guests/newcomers to take to learn more at your church and get involved.
- Cheerleaders in the community
Where did you go to high school or college? What was the mascot? Do you remember the school song? That’s school pride! In a similar way, we want the leaders and people at your church to have a humble church pride. We want them to be excited about the people, ministry and impact happening through their (your) church. This comes as they know the vision for your church and how they can support that vision through their serving, giving and more.
As you kick off a community marketing and outreach effort, every member (all ages) of your congregation has a wonderful role to play. They can be advocates and fans for the church in the community. This might involve wearing church T-shirts or hats as they go to school, grocery shop or play at the park. Your church members might post a yard sign about your church in the front yard of their home or business. They could put a church decal (static cling or magnet) on their car. Or they can talk up your church on their social media channels.
- Inviting
Several research studies show that people are open to visiting a church and feel most comfortable doing so if invited by a friend. Ready to reach your community for Christ? Ask your people to start praying very intentionally for and inviting their friends to come to church with them.
I was recently talking with a college student. She mentioned that while she was home for summer break, she was committed to taking a different friend to church with her each week. She said, “My friends are willing to come with me, and they desperately need to know about the hope of Christ.” She gets it! And your congregation will too as your church’s vision, internal communications and action steps ready them to be part of the marketing and outreach effort you have planned.
Start internally! Then kick off an exciting external effort to build awareness and support all that your congregation will be doing to cheerlead, invite and welcome!
