This post shares session notes from the 2011 Navigating Change Conference breakout session, “Using Social Media To Grow Your Church,” by Justin Aymer.
Main Concept
What are we saying and who are we saying it to? You can’t say anything until you figure out who you are talking to. The message you deliver will be drastically different depending on who is receiving the information. Identify your platforms. What mediums of communication work well for your congregation? Create and deliver meaningful information to your audience. Is your message / church worth sharing? Will people relate to your message and pass it on? Finally, did it work? Are you being effective. You have to keep track of anything you can count.
Identify Your Audience
This is step one. Always. This will drive everything you do. A message tailored to women will be very different than a message for men. A message to women ages 18-25 is amazingly different than the same message to women in the 50+ age range. Is your intended audience guests or regulars? Who is this message for and is it reaching them? Each audience has a platform, look, feel and message that works best for them.
Identify Your Platform
What medium is your audience communicating on? Newspaper, email, facebook, twitter, mobile phone? Where do they get information? Yellow pages example. Ask yourself this basic question. How do you find an address or phone number? Think about this answer and your congregation. What would they do?
Craft Your Message
Fit your message into the language, look and feel of your intended audience. Always strive for readability. Short and sweet. Make sure the main points are easy to read. Create content that is meaningful and worthwhile for the reader. Make it easy to share.
Word Of Mouth – in a digital world
Christianity spreads by invitation. A friend invites a friend. A family brings loved ones. We can advertise our budgets dry and it won’t matter unless people are invited. What steps are you taking to teach your congregation to be evangelical? How much are you investing into word of mouth? Social media platforms are the word of mouth in our digital world. A person will share with their friends what is important to them. Are you making your church an important part of their life? The way people communicate has changed. People go and get the information they want instead of the information being pushed to them. Social media gives a microphone to word of mouth.
Is It Working?
You must have a way to track effectiveness. What is your return on investment? Implement a “how did you hear about us” process. Don’t put out useless information on a “just because we always have” basis. Get strategic and be effective.
Resources
http://www.addthis.com/ – Free social media “share” buttons for web content.
http://www.google.com/analytics/ – Free service to track visits on your website.
http://www.jotform.com/ – Free form building. Easily create online contact forms, sign ups and registrations.
www.mailchimp.com – Free html email client and builder.
Book List
- Less Clutter. Less Noise: Beyond Bulletins, Brochures and Bake Sales – Kem Meyer
- Church Marketing 101: Preparing Your Church for Greater Growth – Richard L. Reising
