Small Church Learns the Secret of Church Marketing

Some American churches of late have become notorious abusers of marketing. They know how to drum up business through provocation. They strive to be hip, relevant and they boast of their pastor's ability to "relate God's word to your world." They have cool logos, catchy slogans, Twitter accounts, Facebook pages and pastors who dress like Abercrombie models. They hang banners that cause an intended stir or they announce a series about sex that they know will rile their small conservative community. It's all for the sake of hoped-for viral success or a mention on the evening news. They count this attention as something God has blessed. Their numbers grow and they think "surely the Lord is behind this." Any attention is good, they believe, and if they have to get them in the door through shock and awe, that's how they'll do it. It's a tough market out there, and with so many things competing for the attention of the prospective church-goer, a pastor has to do what a pastor has to do. Or rather, an Associate Pastor of Marketing and Community Outreach has to do what an Associate Pastor of Marketing and Community Outreach has to do.

So along comes "Dr." Terry Jones of Dove World Outreach Center in Gainesville, Florida. His first marketing trick is the title before his name. I am unable to find any information on Jones' supposed doctorate. His second trick is the name of his church. When you have 50 members in your pews and you call yourself a "world outreach center," that's very clever marketing. You might consider it misleading, but I'm sure Jones would make a case that he sends money to Africa and Asia.

But Dr. Terry Jones has one-upped his marketing brethren in a big way. He's not going to preach a series on good sex. He's not going to debate an atheist in a warm-hearted gesture of goodwill toward atheists. He's simply going to burn some Korans this Saturday and get the attention of the whole world. With that simple announcement and a few other provocative signs around the neighborhood, Jones has succeeded in drawing the attention of Muslims from around the world, the world's media, and he has even drawn responses from the commander of US Forces in Afghanistan as well as the White House.

Look at that sign. Crude layout. Kerning is all off. I can safely guess from the appearance of this sign that  Dove World Outreach Center doesn't have a Pastor of Electronic Arts and Media overseeing the creation of its outdoor advertising. But they have the basics down, learned very well from the best practitioners of modern American church marketing. You must provoke, shock, announce a press conference, create a controversy, get people mad, get people talking. And points to them for doing it on a very small budget.

As the nation's church leaders step up to denounce this man and his message, they should probably also repent that they taught him too well. 

Crossposted to Radio Free Babylon.

Soul-Wow!

When it comes to church advertising, almost all of it makes me want to puke. Heart-string tugging, little kids, sadness, despair, whatever - come on out to Life Center Faith Fellowship or Morningstar Community and get your fix of happy! (And come as you are, 'cause we're all hip like that, where cool boys play guitars while hot chicks sing for Jesus.)

On the other hand, this one is great. A timely, tongue-in-cheek spoof of the ShamWow dork. And from the Catholics, no less - not normally known for doing advertising beyond letting you know via vinyl banner that they're having a bingo night this Saturday.



Via.

On a somewhat related note, check out ShamWow guy - en Español!

Marketing Your Church to an Ever-Moving Target

How to Get Free, Constant Exposure!
Striking While The Iron's Hot!
Making the Most of a Media Circus!

I'm sure they've created their talking points over at First Baptist Church of Orlando, justifying why helicopters, news trucks and vans and thousands of people who never knew Caylee Anthony or her family are gathering in the church for a PUBLIC "memorial service" orchestrated by the grandmother of the slain toddler.

If you're unfamiliar with the case, good for you. Try to stay that way. It's a sordid tale given way too much press by a ghoulish media, headed by Chief Demon Nancy Grace, who fanned the flames nightly in a self-righteous roar, boosting her ratings. The tragic tale was lapped up by a sick segment of society that now believes they knew this little girl.

And in an effort to appear compassionate, along comes this church, portraying itself as a gracious and welcoming place for "healing and hope" for our community as we "move past this ordeal and find closure."

And you're welcome to come back this Sunday!


And how about this for some sick advertising over at WESH news? Another little girl goes missing, and be sure to watch LIVE COVERAGE of the memorial!

Render Unto Little Ceasars

(WASHINGTON, DC) With church attendance nationwide in a slump, some churches are looking to marketers to help increase the size of their coffers, if not their congregations.

“Gone are the days of ‘create a cool logo and call your church something hip,’” said Marla Washburn of Nothing is Sacred, a marketing consultancy in Washington, DC. “It used to be easy to rebrand a church and get a whole new flock, but the churchgoer is a shopper and a consumer, and they’ve seen that tack before. It’s time to work with what we've got. Lower attendance means lower offerings, so we had to find another angle.”

Nothing is Sacred has begun placing ads in church pews, offering a new revenue stream to struggling houses of worship.

“We went first with what we know. Church folks are always going out to eat after service, so why not try restaurants first?” said Washburn, "But I can see this expanding to all manner of products and services."

Pastor Charles Franklin of the 3^rd Baptist Church of Arlington, Virginia was initially against the idea, but when the money started rolling in, he became a believer.

“I had my doubts at first,” said Franklin, “But now I’ve got to say, Marla and her team are our saviors. This is a real godsend.”

The story you just read is fake. But it could happen.