The Future of Church Marketing

By David Tonen • December 30th, 2008

ChurchCrunch recently conducted an interview with Kent Shaffer of ChurchRelevance.com. One of the questions asked Kent where he thinks the future of marketing for the church is headed…Kent’s answer:

“With more churches learning the importance of marketing, I think the next big trend for churches is learning how to have balance between their mission and their marketing. If not careful, it can be easy to take one’s marketing to an unhealthy extreme.

Marketing encompasses a church’s unique calling and every touchpoint it has with people. Once this is realized, the next step is to learn how to fine tune one’s marketing so that it truly enhances the results of one’s mission.”

He provides a nice definition (in the second paragraph) of marketing for churches still trying to understand what marketing really is for their organization.  Marketing encompasses a church’s unique calling through every touchpoint it has with people.  Marketing is your communication at all levels and in all platforms.  Churches need to realize that they are marketing via everything that people come in contact with.  Their web site, the sign(s) outside the building, the bulletin, the greeters, the pastor, the programs, and the building itself.  The things you say and the things you are (physically, spiritually, emotionally, and mentally) as an organization.

Each church has a unique calling and a unique culture.  How you convey that is your marketing – your communication – your story.  Realizing who you are, what you currently convey, and what you want to convey is an important assessment.  Then, take that to the next level and fine tune it so that you will move forward and enhance the unique mission you have to serve your community.

Every church needs to market themselves differently and uniquely.  I do however want to build on what Kent said to encourage churches to get some “outside of their community” advice on how to do that marketing fine tuning.  When you are in the centre of your organization, seldom do you have a clear perspective of what you need to do next to take your church to the next level with excellence.  It usually helps to have a fresh perspective of where you are and then get the guidance to see new ways of making the greatest impact for God going forward.  That way, a good marketing navigator will help you find the healthy marketing balance to compliment your unique mission.

What are your thoughts on Kent’s commentary and your experience with church marketing? What do you think is the future of church marketing?

Comments(4) Church Marketing, Marketing, Ministry
  • http://www.egracecreative.com Brandon Cox

    Marketing is inevitable and unavoidable. Every church will have a story that people talk about, good or bad. For me, church marketing boils down to an attempt to shape that story from the inside out and to make sure we’re doing all we can to have people telling the right story.

    Logos are important along with letterhead, brochures, commercials, etc. But at the end of the day, individually changed lives create the real contagion necessary to make sure people are telling the right story, and telling it broadly.

    I’m an advocate for church marketing, but I’m even more an advocate for focusing our energy on the next person, the next story of life change.

  • http://www.egracecreative.com Brandon Cox

    Marketing is inevitable and unavoidable. Every church will have a story that people talk about, good or bad. For me, church marketing boils down to an attempt to shape that story from the inside out and to make sure we’re doing all we can to have people telling the right story.

    Logos are important along with letterhead, brochures, commercials, etc. But at the end of the day, individually changed lives create the real contagion necessary to make sure people are telling the right story, and telling it broadly.

    I’m an advocate for church marketing, but I’m even more an advocate for focusing our energy on the next person, the next story of life change.

  • http://navigateyourmarketing.com/ David

    Thanks Brandon. Indeed, life change happens one person at a time and one story at a time. It involves numerous people within a congregation working together with a unified mission of investing in people and helping them to discover a personal relationship with Jesus in God’s timing not ours.

    Marketing activities only help on the peripheral of the process but contribute to presenting the first impressions new people have of the church and its specific culture, and enhance the clarity of communication of the message.

    As always, I appreciate your participation in the conversation. Happy 2009!

  • http://navigateyourmarketing.com/ David

    Thanks Brandon. Indeed, life change happens one person at a time and one story at a time. It involves numerous people within a congregation working together with a unified mission of investing in people and helping them to discover a personal relationship with Jesus in God’s timing not ours.

    Marketing activities only help on the peripheral of the process but contribute to presenting the first impressions new people have of the church and its specific culture, and enhance the clarity of communication of the message.

    As always, I appreciate your participation in the conversation. Happy 2009!

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