Sometimes in the course of our work as church communicators we forget that we need to repeatedly share what we have learned about communications with the church staff. As with any skill, because we practice it on an ongoing basis, we forget not everyone has the knowledge base we have. If we don’t share why we do what we do, or why it is important to communicate in the ways we know best, our churches won’t be as effective as they could be in outreach and communications.
I recently received this email about the importance of multi-channel communications and wanted to pass it along. I really like that the person who did it called his communication an “Insight Note.” What a gentle and kind way to educate the staff of the importance of what you do in church communications. Many in leadership have not studied communications other than the communication involved in preaching. You can be of great service by helping them understand effective ways to share the church’s message.
Note from a church communicator:
Last night I went to a "Church Council" meeting and presented my regular report to which I had quickly appended a note adapted from your material about there being three primary channels of communication. I was quite surprised when I was asked to explain the note and the "lights that went on" when I mentioned that we tend to not emphasize the third channel enough. And, yet, the third channel is probably the most important.
My note is reproduced below.
Insight Note: Communications is now multi-channel, with three primary channels:
1) Print Channel (articles, posters, leaflets, signage, bulletins, newsletters, business cards, stationery, door hangers, tracts, ads, invitation cards, calendars, etc.)
2) Digital Channel (email, websites, social networking, video, podcasts, etc.)
3) People Channel (conversing with neighbours and friends and sharing print and digital resources to invite/inform others. One function of the church (PR) is to provide resources and tools that people can use to invite others. We tend to not adequately emphasize, equip and support the “people channel” when planning church communications, yet the “people channel” is probably the most effective method of communication.)
All three channels are needed in today’s communications.
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For the article that prompted this Insight Note, The Five Steps Strategy #1: Create multi-channel communication, click here.
Our thanks to Ewald Wuschke for sending his comments. Please send any comments you have on what has worked in your church communications to: yvon@effectivechurchcom.com. We learn the best from learning from each other.
Please share your thoughts, comments, questions!