Church marketing has become an essential aspect of running a church of any size. It helps attract new members, promotes events and activities, and keeps your community informed and engaged. However, with the many responsibilities that come with running a church, it can be challenging to find the time to plan and execute a comprehensive marketing strategy.
One solution is to have one meeting to plan all your marketing for the year. Sound impossible?
Here’s how to do it…
Step 1: Identify your goals
The first step in planning your church marketing strategy is to identify your goals. According to a survey by Barna Group, one of the top reasons people attend church is to grow spiritually, with 83% of respondents saying it’s essential or very important. Therefore, a primary goal of church marketing should be to promote discipleship and the spiritual development of members.
Step 2: Understand your audience
Once you’ve identified your goals, the next step is to understand your audience, then tailor your church marketing messages to your audience’s interests, values, and needs.
Step 3: Create a marketing plan
With your goals and audience in mind, it’s time to create a marketing plan. This plan should include the channels you’ll use to reach your audience, such as social media, email marketing, and traditional advertising methods like billboards and flyers. It should also include the messaging and creative elements you’ll use to convey your message.
Step 4: Assign responsibilities
Once you have a plan in place, it’s essential to assign responsibilities to team members or volunteers. Each person should have a clear understanding of their role and what’s expected of them.
Step 5: Consider outsourcing
While it’s possible to handle church marketing in-house, it’s essential to consider outsourcing to a dedicated digital marketing agency. According to HubSpot, companies that outsource their marketing generate 63% more leads than those that handle it in-house. And while this statistic speaks to businesses, not churches, it certainly suggests entrusting a church’s messaging needs to a proven creative agency will help it leverage expertise and resources that may not be available in-house.
Church Marketing Made Easier
One meeting to plan all your church marketing for the year? Not easy, but it is possible. And if that project is handed over to a partner company like CHAPTER + VERSE, it gets a whole lot easier. Give us a call today and let’s talk.