Re-post 5 Rules of Marketing Church Media

5 Rules of Marketing Church Media

As promised here are the 5 Rules of Marketing Church Media that I referred to in the class lecture:

     1. Research-
                 What can you get the most for your money in your situation and event promotion? You
                 won't know until you take the time to research all the pricing and possibilities.
                  Facebook ads? TV spots? Radio?

     2. Know your audience-
                 Learn the Demographics of your audience and where they get their news, info, and
                 entertainment. You waste money otherwise.

     3. Be redundant-
                 Repeat your message over and over in as many different ways possible.
                 People don't retain from the first couple of impressions alone.

    4. Be relevant-
                A message that is seemingly out of touch with your audience is a wasted one. Educate
                yourself to their likes and preferences. This means ask questions!

    5. Know your limits-
               Certainly your budget and time frame come into play here, but even more than that, what
               is it that God has called you to do specifically? Trying to be all things to all people all the
               time is not only impossible, it's ingenuous as well. Decide what's important and stick to it.

Now realize these aren't the end all rules. They are just some essential ones from my experience over the last 18 years or so. What's some that you would submit?

Class Notes 3-28-14

1. Brief and to the point is best.
2. Quality matters (both audio and video).
3. Don’t rely only on the video (things go wrong).
4. Just because you want a video to supplement doesn’t mean you should have one.
5. Video should never replace a sound sermon.
6. Be engaging not distracting.

Be consistent 
Look beyond you
Creative teaching is not about the latest technology.
It’s about clearly communicating in the right language for the culture.

Relationships matter

What makes your product, class, etc. something that the consumer values.
It’s the experience that matters for consumers.

Perceived value is VERY important.
Consumers don’t always understand the relevance of the church, because the value is perceived as low. 

Tell YOUR STORY!
Nothing relates the message of the Gospel better than personal stories. The Bible is full of such examples.
“A generation ago the question was, “What is truth?” Today, the question is, “What’s the point?” -Billy Graham
Relating to the community on a level that matters to them is paramount to reaching a generation that is increasingly disinterested in all things church related.

"First World Problems" or "First World Solutions"?

I'm always intrigued by the conversations my wife and I get into especially on date nights. Recently she was sharing with me how she had been thinking a lot about the hashtag we see a lot "First World Problems". She's an elementary teacher and in dealing with kids you hear quite a bit of situations that fit that.

She shared how she taught a Bible lesson recently about thankfulness and how that relates to us here in the developed world.

We do take much for granted. And we mostly know this. If you've traveled outside the U.S. like I have you know just how good we have it here. Clean water, opportunity to labor and be paid a decent wage, freedom to worship and free speech... All examples of how blessed we are here in the "First World".

So the discussion led to this thought. What are we doing within our First World for others? And I pose the question to my own self too.

Maybe it's just being friendly to the barista at your favorite coffee shop. Or being mindful and sensitive that God might lead you to help someone you're not even aware of is in need?

You need not be "in" ministry to be a minister.

I think it's easy to "mock" the hashtag here, but instead let's use it as a reminder for action. A reminder to "do" more then just "say".

Showing God's love and grace to our community. Being God's hands and feet in the daily world we navigate in.

THAT is how we create a different world.

Today make a point to do something positive in our first world. Pay it forward or whatever you'd like to label it.

Be a small part of what could be a big miracle for somebody else.

#FirstWorldSolutions

D

Media Ministry Resources

Great resources for Media Ministry-
Check out just some of the resources that I have come across.

Books
"Media Ministry Made Easy" by Tim Eason ebook download
http://www.scribd.com/doc/19821358/Media-Ministry-Made-Easy

"The Wired Church" by Len Wilson
"Branding Faith" by Phil Cooke

Websites
http://www.worshiphousemedia.com
http://www.ignitermedia.com
http://www.videoblocks.com
http://steelehouse.com
http://www.sermonspice.com

5 Rules of Marketing Church Media

As promised here are the 5 Rules of Marketing Church Media that I referred to in the class lecture:

     1. Research-
                 What can you get the most for your money in your situation and event promotion? You
                 won't know until you take the time to research all the pricing and possibilities.
                  Facebook ads? TV spots? Radio?

     2. Know your audience-
                 Learn the Demographics of your audience and where they get their news, info, and
                 entertainment. You waste money otherwise.

     3. Be redundant-
                 Repeat your message over and over in as many different ways possible.
                 People don't retain from the first couple of impressions alone.

    4. Be relevant-
                A message that is seemingly out of touch with your audience is a wasted one. Educate
                yourself to their likes and preferences. This means ask questions!

    5. Know your limits-
               Certainly your budget and time frame come into play here, but even more than that, what
               is it that God has called you to do specifically? Trying to be all things to all people all the
               time is not only impossible, it's ingenuous as well. Decide what's important and stick to it.

Now realize these aren't the end all rules. They are just some essential ones from my experience over the last 18 years or so. What's some that you would submit?

Lecture Notes

To everyone taking any of my 3 classes... I will be posting lecture notes weekly during the term. Check back here the end of this week for the first ones.

Keep Dreaming

The journey has much to sway us and thrill us. I recently found myself deep musing at my favorite coffee shop. I was fiercely studying for a class I teach each Spring on the Pauline letters 1st and 2nd Corinthians. Now I'm not a scholar. In fact I remind the students that at the beginning of the term. I always tell them "I'm on this journey just like you. Growing in knowledge of the awesomeness of God's word".
And that thought got me to thinking about the "journey" statement.
Deep thinking.
I'm startled sometimes by this journey.
We all have our dreams. But what stops us from dreaming about the journey forward? Yep, I think it's actually the journey itself that does. We lose hope because the disappointments are too disappointing. Or the hurt feels to deep. Something or someone causes us to sit back and say "that was the last straw!" I can't bother hoping or dreaming... It's too painful.
But actually friend its ALL a part of the greatness, of the journey. And what God is actually up to.
A mentor of mine recently told me "you can't power thru like you did when you were in your twenties Dave, God is trying to get you to focus on what HE wants to do thru you right now".
God is up to something? Yep and He uses the snares from the enemy, the hopeless feelings, probably even more then the great victories.

So back to the coffee shop...
I asked myself "what dream have I forgotten or shelved because of the noise of life?" I felt a lump in my throat because I quickly remembered things that I need to dream about again.
The journey IS hard. It wears on us when we suffer a setback or things don't go like WE planned. But, that is exactly a part of God's path being laid before our feet.
IF we are chasing His will and focusing not on the messes, but the message we need to hear in them.
If our hearts truly are humble for God's leading then we are on the road towards the dreams He set in our hearts.
The enemy of our souls is warring against God for tomorrow. God is only bringing the good for our hearts. So be encouraged. He is for us not against us. Our dreams may seem impossible now. But today we choose to hope and have faith. God is up to something.
And it's His love that's the motivation.