church. got an app for that?

stour valley vineyard church | For a life less ordinary

church. is there an app for that?simple communications strategies for getting the word out

NLC 2010 seminar

Andrew Stewart-Darling

Where do you want to go today?Microsoft

Don’t tell my mother I’m in advertising - she thinks I am a pianist in a brothel.

American adman Jacques Seguela

Some common misconceptionsAbout marketing

Marketing is of the world!

Called to be different

Branding and marketing is

manipulative

All we need is the Holy Spirit

If we simply pray more...

There are more important

things to give my time to

We’re are not big enough for that kind of thinking

A biblical approach to marketing

Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation.” (Mark 16:15)

“

A quick and simple definition of marketing...

Marketing is the management of perception

What communication channel works best?• One-to-one?• Up front verbal message?• Powerpoint notice slide?• News Sheet?• Email?• Phone call?• SMS text Message?• Website?• Twitter?• FaceBook?

In this hour: 1. ‘Branding’2. Websites & E-communications3. Social network tools4. Mobile SMS Text5. Public Relations6. Advertising

Does a church need a ‘brand’?

“An outward expression of an invisible grace.”1662 Book of Common Prayer

Definition of a brandCharles Handy (Inside Organizations, Penguin)...

A brand is more than a logo

“If you got a taxi from the train station to your church, would the driver know where to go?”

David Carr, NLC 2008

The role of brand awareness...

A personal case study: The meaning behind the

Stour Valley Vineyard logo

We are known locally as simply the Vineyard, so that’s reflected in the weight of the words

But our vision is for the Stour Valley area, as well as obviously needs differentiation from other Vineyard churches

We are not a wine-maker. Recognition of the Vineyard brand is low among the churches and often meaningless to those outside of it

Blue depicts big Suffolk skiesPalette shape: artistic heritage (Thomas Gainsborough & John Constable country)

Green reflects that we are in a rural area

Strapline: encapsulates our excitement for the Christian life in a non-religious way

70%OF OUR DECISION TO BUY IS

BASED ON HOW WE ARE TREATED AS

PEOPLE Source: Mintel

A good brand relationship is based on trust and respect

The power of word-of-mouth• 90% trust their spouse • 65% trust their friends, • However only 27% trust manufacturers• 14% trust advertisers • 8% trust celebrities

Source: Yankleovich

Word of mouth - social network apps

Use all if you need to...

• Don’t spend precious time and energy using the latest social network too if no-one else is using it

• Don’t stress yourself out, trying to be all things to all men

Scrutinise then prioritise, but don’t hypothetise

...but don’t, if you don’t have to

Blogs• Free• Easy to design and do• Gives reason to stay in

touch• Part of a gathering

strategy• Link it to your church

website

Top Tip: Best of the Blog Hosts:- TypePad- Blogger- WordPress

Your church website is thepurest expression of what you are about

What does yours say about you?

Does your home page have everything on it but...

Our site

Our site

Top Tip: Amazon Associates online bookshop

Link

• Is it friendly?• Is it easy to navigate around?• Does it show effort in trying to be

helpful?• Who is your target audience? Does it

really reflect that?• Do people see it as a home or a library

of church information?• Is it a site where people can gather and

bring their friends

What will bring them back again?

Your website

SMS Text Messaging

e-newsletters

The way email communication is read is very different to offline communication…

• Average amount of time readers spend once opening e-newsletter: 51 seconds

• Recipients fully read only 19%, often not scanning the entire newsletter.

• 35% of readers scanned only a small part of the newsletter

• 67% of readers completely skipped introductory text at the top of the newsletter.

e-newsletters• Free for up to 5,000 emails a

month• Easy to populate templates• Easy to send

Top Tip: MailChimp

e-newsletters• Free for up to 5,000 emails a

month• Easy to populate templates• Easy to send

Top Tip: MailChimp

Public Relations......What is it?

"Public relations is the practice of getting attention and shaping opinion"

• Traditional media (newspapers, radio, TV

• Online• Events

Some common PR misteaks• “We’re a marvellous church does

something marvellous”• Not setting aside regular time to work on

PR• Using vague and fluffy PR material• Not being available when a journalist

calls- Often journalists are on very

tight deadlines/ working late- You help them they will favour

you• Single event or announcement focus

Top Tip: Your awareness is built by ‘drip-drip-drip’

Getting in the media• Write articles or a column• Use local newspapers

(paid and free)• Local community

magazines• 1-2 good bits of coverage

a month

Advertising• Postcards (general

awareness)• Newspaper ads (special

events)• Council Notice boards

(Services)

interestingthings

do

interestingthings

and

will happen to you

do

SPECIAL OFFER: NLC 2010 Vineyard Churches website package

Pick up a handout on way out

Your questions