Our new PC business is just taking off. My partner and I spent our day yesterday at Liberty University’s community fair: where local businesses got a chance to welcome new students, give away free stuff, and hopefully get some business.

A couple things happened: 1)  We were able to claim our position among other local businesses, and 2) we began the branding process of telling the students that we should be their preferred PC repair shop.

There were all kinds of businesses there – hotels, pizza places, bookstores, coffee shops, the YMCA … but the one that really stuck out to me was a church college group. They brought at least 5 people from their group and were always surrounded by students. 

My question is… what is the value of representing your nonprofit or church in a community event like this one? 

I suppose it can be answered with more questions: what does the nonprofit or church do? Who do they serve? Are they already branded in the community? Do they not serve the local community at all… and if so… would is still benefit them to make an appearance? 

What about trade shows? Conferences? 

One of my mentors from the earlier days (from Grant Station) once told me not to waste my time at conferences. She had a valid point considering the return on investment. But what is the branding value if you have a representative who always attends these events? 

I would like some feedback on this issue. 

Organic? So you mean… biodegradable? “Save the trees” marketing? 

No… not even close…

Maybe a better way to describe what I am talking about is: fundamental.

I had actually started a blog on “Creating a Church Marketing Plan” and realized that I had not yet expressed the MOST important piece of church communications: relationships. 

One of the churches I am working on building a website for, Truth Community Fellowship, is a prime example of an organic church. They don’t do marketing in terms of mail campaigns or advertising. They market the heart. By creating healthy relationships among the body, God opens doors to new relationships in the community! When Christians are engaged in healthy relationships that means that they not only accept each other for who they are, but are confrontative and honest about their feelings. Its a natural way of building people’s trust. And trust is not something you can gain from a cheap, colorful postcard. It is absolutely something that has to be earned. 

So, tell me something more fundamental than trust? 

I have to admit that I cringe a little when I think about the word “church” and “marketing” in the same sentence. Especially if we think of our convergence goal in terms of attendance numbers or the number of services offered. After all, Christ didn’t come to get us to fill our church buildings, He came to offer us a personal relationship with Him and to teach us how to love each other. 

With that said, I think the most important groundwork churches, ministries and Christian nonprofits can set is to make sure our hearts are in the right place, with a motive of love. I think the team at ChurchMarketingSucks.com said it perfectly with their mission statement: “The blog to frustrate, educate and motivate the church to communicate, with uncompromising clarity, the truth of Jesus Christ.” 

Another important piece of the groundwork is to really evaluate where you are in terms of marketing. Step into reality about your communications: Do you have branding and is it good? How does the community see and feel about your ministry? Can you answer the million dollar question: “What is your mission?” in one minute or less? Do you understand the people in the communities around you, and are you regularly communicating with them? (The Compassion by Design blog has a lot of really good ideas and information about how to reach your community.)

Now, you are probably thinking, “No problem, I know exactly where we are and what we need to do to improve.” But the truth is that most things are subjective, and you may not be able to see the big picture until you bring someone else into it. Find a trusted colleague, bring your staff together, or hire an outsider to help you see clearly. 

Now, let’s rehash: 

1. Evaluate your own heart and motive;
2. Do your own communications audit; and
3. Bring someone else into it 

These are just a few steps in laying the groundwork for your church marketing plan. Stay tuned as there will be more to come!