Effective Church Communications

Effective Church Communications provides Timeless Strategy and Biblical Inspiration to help churches create communications that fully fulfill the Great Commission

Effective Church Communications provides Timeless Strategy and a Biblical Perspective to help churches create communications that fully fulfill the Great Commission. Our tools constantly change; our task doesn’t; we can help.

As you write for different communication channels, don’t change the content or look of your message

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Multi-channel communication creation
When you have to create communications for a variety of channels, you don't have to change content or design!

Writing multi-channel communications,creating content for both print and digitally forms is easier than many people who create it in church offices realize. That is because a common misconception in the church office is that if you create communications for various channels, e.g. brochure, web, email, brochure, you need to redo the content, restructure, rewrite, and reformat it for each channel. The truth is that you don't only not need to, but if you do change things in each channel, you will confuse people.

This article will explain:

  • what content details you need to include in every channel
  • the important visual elements that need to stay consistent
  • suggestions of what channels to use
  • how often you need to repeat your message

The essential content details that connect people with the ministry or event of your church

These details need to stay the same no matter what channel you use:

  • Name of event (clarify acronyms and church jargon)
  • Who the event is for
  • Time, including duration
  • Date
  • Location & how to get there
  • Contact information of person putting on the event
  • If childcare is provided
  • If there is a cost
  • Why people should want to attend, the text that explains and invites.

Getting these basic details together is often the hardest part of any communication process. Always remember that though these details seem small, they are the vital links that actually get people connected to an event. Once you have them, you simply need to repeat them.

Warnings:

You will always be tempted to leave some of them out thinking that people have already seen them, but remember that just because you have seen something 5-10 times as you put it into different communication channels--every piece you put out will always be the first piece some people see.

YOU MUST include all the important details in every piece you send out or with an easy link to them. NEVER (the shouting is intended here) tell people to "contact the church office for more information." Nobody has time to do that and even if they do, chances are that since you did not have the information when you first put out the communication, you don't have it now.

Getting the little details from people holding events and putting them into every channel of communication is some of the terribly hard servant work of church communications--but these details are essential to link people to life-changing events. For example, a newly-single mom at your church may want to come to an event, but if you are unclear about child care or child care costs she may not have the emotional courage to contact the church and ask about it.

In addition to consistency in your words, you also need visual consistency

What would you think of a team that changed its team colors to make the team "more interesting?" Doesn't make sense does it? It doesn't make any more sense for your church communications to change the items below to "make things more interesting."

Remember, people do not read church communications because they are "interesting" or not. They read them to find information, to meet needs to grow spiritually. It might not be as interesting for you to create consistent, but what might seem like boring designs, but consistency will serve your people well.

The visual content that needs to stay consistent includes:

  • Logo, if one has been created for the event or ministry
  • Key images or pictures.
  • Colors used in advertising, or tied to an event
  • Layout if unique

Once this core content is created: DO NOT CHANGE IT!

The content of your message needs to be consistent and don't change identifying colors or images.

The most successful advertising campaigns are ones where a company finds a slogan, image or person that works and they repeat it again and again. Some phrases have even become part of our vocabulary:

  • Can you hear me now?
  • Just do it!
  • Where's the beef?

Though we aren't attempting to become part of the national jargon, the same secret for success applies in church communications. For example, if your church has decided to use the slogan, "Everyone in One!" for a small group campaign, don't use that slogan in your printed material and "Never study alone!" as your theme on the website. People will be confused and think you are promoting two different programs.

Decide on your content and design and then take that content and design and put out the message using the various channels. For example, perhaps your content is a campaign to get the congregation involved in small groups. The communication team members, using the same content and perhaps similar colors and images, can create a variety of communications to carry out your ministry goals including:

  • a print brochure
  • a bulletin announcement and insert
  • a PowerPoint presentation
  • a website directory of small group times and locations
  • a print directory with the same information for the welcome center
  • cards for the various groups that people can take home
  • an email newsletter designed to inform and encourage people to sign up
  • social media that links to information and encourages sign-up

You may use more or less of it of the basic core of information (but always with the same look, color, slogan) in the various channels. For example on the web you might list every small group with detailed information about what is being studied and detailed directions on how to get to each small group, whereas in the church bulletin, you might simply give a list of topics, times, and a link to the website.

Finally, each channel should repeat the same message several times

Remember nobody sees all the channels and no one in your congregation will see each communication each time it is presented. Though the number changes with the authorities cited, most marketing experts agree that people need to see a message at least 5-7 times for it to register at all. We may be sick of repeating it, but you can be sure that after you send out the same message 10 times in at least 5 different channels, there will still be someone who says, "Thank you so much for that one (text, postcard, email, bulletin announcement)--I didn't know that was happening, but when I saw it, I went and it changed my life."

Flashy multi-media in church communication and why it doesn’t always work

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True story here: A church wasn't getting the response they wanted to get people to attend the various events of the church including small groups.

Their response: Instead of asking folks why they weren't coming, or doing an informal survey to see what they were or were not communicating with current materials, someone made the suggestion that the church start a new video newscast during the church service. The thinking was something like  "this is what will appeal to people today."

Two interns from the local Bible college were the newscasters, and with a team and a bit of time and effort, produced a highly entertaining video. Announcements were made for more folks to join the news team and to help with the production; mention was made of upcoming events of the week and the congregation encouraged sign up for small groups. The congregation loved the videos for the two weeks they were produced. They were filled with chatty banter, silly jokes, and tasteful humor.

Did that increase attendance at church events and especially in small groups?

Sadly, no. There was no increased attendance in small groups. [Read more...]

Don't hide your PR materials on your website

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One of the attendees at my seminar asked me to look at her online newsletter and website.

The website was attractive and welcoming, but there were no links to a "newsletter." However, because I see the publications from hundreds of churches each year, I suspected that the label "Messanger" was probably the newsletter. I clicked on it and it was.

I emailed her back and let her know that though both the website and newsletter were well-done and very seeker friendly, this was a good lesson for all of us--when we know and love certain publications in our church, we need to remember that unchurched folks visiting a website might not know the favorite name that we have for the publications.

A church newsletter is a great way to introduce your church to potential visitors who may be checking out your site to see if they want to attend your church--but if they don't know the name of your newsletter they may not be able to find it.

Application: make it easy for people to find things. Use their generic name: church newsletter (not The Messanger), children's ministry (not PromiseLand), single adult ministry (not OASIS) and so on.

Make it easy for people to connect, come visit and get involved.

You also communciate by what you don't do—the importance of the people channel

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True story here: a couple had started attending a new church. Excited about it, when the church asked for volunteers to work at various tasks for the Easter service, they signed up, adding a little note telling how they were looking forward to doing this, really wanted to serve wherever needed, would come early to make sure they could be put to work.

A week went by and two. No response from the church via email or phone.

At the Easter service, the person in charge of volunteers by chance encountered them, "Oh, I didn't get around to calling you—I have enough people now, but do you think you could stay after to clean up?"

The couple honestly had a firm commitment to be somewhere directly after the service, but I doubt even without it, if they would have volunteered to help. Sadly, I doubt if they will volunteer for much of anything again.

What you don't do can hurt deeply

I'm sure the person in charge of the big Easter production didn't mean to be unkind, but she was. She didn't mean to make these new folks feel unwanted and ignored but she did.

This illustrates the very important power of the people channel in communication. We pay close attention to our print and digital channels in our church communications, but the people channel is equally important. No matter how great your graphics or content, if you treat people rudely (and to not respond to a request for volunteers is very rude), that is what they will remember.

Never ask for something in a church publication, if you don't follow up. Even if you have to say you have enough volunteers, have the courtesy to call and let people know.

People are far more fragile in their emotions that they will often let on and we must honor every effort they make to reach out to the church. To not do that communicates loudly that you don't care.

Don't launch a website too soon

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People go to church websites for information.

I constantly emphasize that in my seminars—they are not going to your church website for their multi-media thrill of the week. A flash intro, moving parts, great graphics—these do not equate to a great church.

I was reminded of these lessons, when this week, I was looking at a new church website. This church was very excited about finally having the money to do a really "professional" website and they paid a bucket of money for it, as I discovered when I clicked on the link at the bottom of the page that took me to the company that made it. It had a great opening page, lots of moving parts, and color and excitement.

But I really wondered about the integrity of the company that created it and the wisdom of the folks at the church who ordered it because many of the placeholders for content, e.g. bios of the staff, including the senior pastor, schedules, photo albums, details about the various ministries in the church,  were all empty.

The place-holders were there, but little content was behind the initial click.

As a potential visitor or seeker, if I was checking out a church I don't think I'd be very impressed with one that had a fancy opening page, but didn't tell me a thing about the senior pastor or any of the other staff.

PLEASE, put content on your church websites and don't launch until you have all the sections with something in them. You don't have to have a deep and extensive website at the beginning, but the basics, such as who is the pastor, and the basics about core ministries are really essential.

Without content, it's worse than no website at all—it says this church didn't plan ahead, this church cares more about show than substance. This is definitely not the kind of information you want people to get from your website.