Archive for the 'Uncategorized' Category

“The Power of Back to School As A New Marketing Event”

Published
by
jsquiric
on July 28, 2008
in Uncategorized
. 0 Comments

The Power of Back to School As A New Marketing Event

Everyone knows that Easter and Christmas are considered the two most strategic times of year to attract people to your church.

Most Churches don’t realize that there is yet one more key time of the year for bringing new people into their congregation.

When is this special season? It’s “Back to School”. And if you’re not marketing to your community at this time of year, you are missing out on potential guests you could reach at this critical time.

What makes this such a great time to market your church?

1. People move more in the summer months.
More people move during the summer months than in any other time of year. After a move, people are looking for places to shop, eat, go to the doctor and oftentimes they are looking for a church. They want to get to know people in their community. A church can provide a great way to meet new neighbors and assimilate into a new community

2. People who come to church in the Fall are more likely to “stick.”
Every year pastors are frustrated by the masses of people who show up for Easter and Christmas only to continue their previous habit of non-attendance. People have been conditioned to go to church during these times. During ‘back to school” people are prompted to attend church as a lifestyle choice more than as a one time event. Since the people are not focused on a one-time event they are more likely to return than those who only attend during those other times of year.

3. Fall has become the 2nd New Year Season
Summer months are filled with different activities, vacations and changes in family schedules. Once Fall comes around, people return to a more consistent program. Many people take this time to refocus their lives and oftentimes – that includes finding a church home.

4. People often re-evaluate their Church commitments
While you no doubt want to be a church who cultivates new members from the unchurched crowd, there is an opportunity to attract new visitors that may have become less interested with their previous church after being out of church all summer.

After being away from church all summer, some people will be in the market to try out a new church when the fall season rolls around. This can be a great opportunity to attract them to your church with a “life applicable” sermon series.

Call us - and take advantage of the season now .

If you want to take advantage of this once a year event, you must seize this time now. Plan a new sermon series to begin with the start of school. Focus on topics relating to parenting, family, and new beginnings. These tie in well with this time of year and are hot topics for reaching new people. Create new small groups to enhance the connection of new people. If people can connect with others in your church they are much more likely to stay involved.

We would love to help you with your individual needs. Our web site contains many resources to assist you with your marketing program including samples and demographic counts. Call us if you would like to talk to someone about your marketing needs.

 

“Church Advertising 101″

Published
by
jsquiric
on July 24, 2008
in Church Advertising, Church Growth, Pastor Testimonials and Uncategorized
. 1 Comment

Church Advertising 101

By John Squiric
Church Marketing Expert

There really are only 4 reasons why people don’t buy a particular product or service.

No Need
No Money
No Time
No Trust - They don’t believe it will do what they say it will.

Savvy marketing, advertising, and sales people will address these up front in the 4 steps of the marketing process.

Translated into relevance for your church, they change slightly, but the overall ideas are the same

No Need - They don’t see a need for Church. They don’t see how the Church can help them, their families, children, marriage, etc.

No Money - Most people often times feel the church is going to ask them for money, or they feel guilty when the offering plate is passed around. When we use marketing to reach people, we are dealing mostly with non-believers. They don’t understand the benefits of tithing, and they feel they just don’t have the extra money to give to the Church.

No Time - Most non-believers would rather do just about anything else on Sunday then get out of bed, gather up the children and come to church on a Sunday morning.

No Trust - They either flat out don’t believe in the Gospel, or they feel that there may be an underlying reason for a Church inviting them to attend on a given Sunday.

When we use the  marketing process correctly we  address these issue in a systematic 4 step process.

The first job of marketing is to CAPTURE your ATTENTION: In order to offer, explain, help, or solve a problem you must gain the attention of your audience. If you don’t do this first step you fail the process.  A common misconception in our society is that “Sex Sells”. Actually sex, gets peoples attention.  Have you ever wondered why you keep seeing commercials pushing the limits of censorship with risqué and often times even violent images? It is because as a society we have become de-sensitized to the point that advertisers and marketers must continue to up the shock value to get our attention.  From the perspective of the Church, we can’t use sex and violence but we can use appropriate graphics, and strong headlines to capture peoples attention.  See the example on the next page of an attention getting headline.

The second job of marketing is to ENGAGE its audience: Engaging the audience just means keeping the attention of the audience long enough to educate them on what a particular product or service has to offer them. We do this with an appropriate action step, sub-headline: See the example below of an appropriate engaging sub-headline.

The third job of marketing is to EDUCATE its audience: This is where they tell you all the benefits of how their product is guaranteed to make your life better. They establish “the need”. You might not of thought you needed the product 60 seconds ago, but now that they had the chance to educate you, how can you live without it. If they didn’t get your attention and keep your attention, they weren’t able to establish a need. In order to do this with your church we need to list the great things you offer, your music, kids programs, your special classes or groups you offer,  etc. Also we need to list out the sermon series topics if we are running a series. Show them just how your church will make their marriages better, their kids better behaved, how you can get them out of debt, etc.

The fourth job of marketing is to MAKE you an OFFER: This is when they tell you what to do. “Buy Now”, “Call Today”,  by this point they got you. If they captured your attention and  engaged you correctly, they had the  chance to educate you and create a need for their product. If you listened to all the great things their product will do for you than you’re ready to bite. If the price is right chances are you will buy. With the Church, don’t neglect the opportunity to use a personal invitation from the pastor to invite them to church on Sunday.

Below is a recent highly successful church mailer designed, printed and mailed by Truth Advertising, that effectively uses  the 4 steps of the marketing process.

Step #1: Capture The Audience Attention.
Strong Headline: Make Your New Year’s Resolution a Reality This Year - Also an attention getting graphic

Step #2: Engage the Reader
Action Sub-Headline: 6 Strategies for Overcoming Temptation in 2006

Step #3: Educate the Reader.
Here is what we offer. Here is what we believe. Here is how we are going to help you.

Step #4: Make them an offer, tell them what to do.
I am Pastor Ryan Heller and I would like to personally invite you to join us this Sunday…

Marketing for Churches should not be a guessing game. You should use the science of well thought out steps that when implemented correctly
produce the desired results.