Is your church doing things that are worthy of a press release?

Shouldn't the church being doing amazing things in the community all the time, that the news would be begging to know what's coming next so they have that heart warming cover story?

I'm not saying the church should be doing things for the sake of press coverage. I'm saying the church should be upholding its mission, and really impacting its immediate community in such a way that people are talking about it.

Think about how the word spread when Jesus performed miracles. People were so excited just to see these things that they traveled for days for a chance to catch a glimpse of Jesus. Word of mouth is a powerful and sought after medium for spreading the word about a product, service or even person. Since our goal is showing love to people, helping the sick and needy, uplifting the widowed and broken, what are we doing to reach out to this community of people?

Handing out water bottles with our church website on it at a community event? That's great and all but how are you using that to leave a lasting impact on people's lives in our community. You want press coverage? You want people talking about how great your church is? You want to shed the negative feeling people have about Christians? You want people to learn about Christ's love? Then do it.

The words "marketing" and "branding" are being tossed around during staff meetings at churches across America, and we're glad. Church staffs are for the most part understanding that marketing does have a place in the church and is an important aspect in church growth. Pastors know it, and jump right in feet first. But... many churches miss the mark when creating marketing goals. Lack of education, resources, and support many times end up with ineffective efforts and a waste of money. Mostly, though, its the lack of a plan.

Part of effective marketing is creating something that people love and are excited about. Something timeless and people are proud of. A place that people want to invite their unchurched friends to.

When creating your marketing plan, be sure to capture the personality of your church. Don't try to create a personality that is deceiving and will be giving people the wrong impression.Think about your church. Talk to the people. Live life with the your church and you'll understand it's personality and character. Bring that personality to all your marketing pieces, environments, your website, and everything the public eye will ever see. People in your community will begin to recognize your church and will know what to expect when they come to visit. In a nutshell... be honest and be real.