Why? Reaching People
Communicating not only the “what God is saying” but it’s the “how” its communicated that’s the biggest challenge – very close to Grant and the elder’s hearts
- Com elders heart
- Know who you communicating to – is it church vs non church or both, whole church vs some church – women, men, youth, grannies etc, culturally sensitive in media
- Cover all your bases – church & city, printed-visual/video- web, sun – midweek
Comms Team – who’s involved?
- Dedicated team – creative direction/ graphics/ video/ web design
- Dedicated to Sunday comm./whole church/outreach
- Then site specific/ministry specific
- Host – ladies communicating the heart of the home on Sundays
Comms type
- Preaching platforms – creative videos (tony don’t forget the family), interviews (kids-grow up/ songs with emotive video/slide)
- Advertising/announcements – (video-men’s –boxers, Sparta, braveheart, announcement cards
- Regular comms (bulletins, web, newspaper, DD, pre-service & post-service (less important)
- Outreach specific (brochure, ticket invites, DVD invites (DP), knock & drop, city hall advertising, extra newspapers)
- Sunday vs midweek (DD, homegroup leaders sms, website)
- Church envisioning vs city outreach (ball Sunday, SMS Sunday
Comms Process
- Sunday planners & year calendar guide (flag month before to adv from 2-3 weeks before, big event 6-10 weeks before (sparkle)
- Weekly meeting – with Crawfs, or just team – direction hub
- New preaching series – incl. preachers to look at topics and media ideas
- Regulars – Sunday preaching platform, announcements (3max) advert, family announcements – build community/family
- Big event – brainstorm and put together media plan, (amashova/sparkle etc)
- Set weekly work list for the week with team – admin media plan
- Video-ing, research, design, wording
- Great printers – Moves Mountains for us! Build relationship there
- Constant review and rework
- Final review before release
- Announcement and MC Cards, site captains email, involvement desk card
- (from comms meetings, planners, to staff, to church, to young adults, 20s etc)
Key thoughts
- Keeping the vision in front of the people through whatever means – website, deacons digest, in all our homegroups (announcement), newspaper adds – free colour on weekends!, brochures, invites, posters
- Everything we do is the same – design, wording, communications – building an image type that is recognizable, but tailored to different audiences eg
- Preaching series – desktop backgrounds, powerpoint templates, posters, bulletins, web, invite cards)
- Important to have one person review all media – one comms person (no shot gun comms!)
Event evangelism:
- Using any excuse to invite people to church
- Create space in church – event, or item or something that’s an excuse to invite people or is a draw card
- Easter/Christmas – outreach family services – CSI, search for the perfect gift, or drama
- Heavens gates, alpha, sparkle
Media plan
- To church
- To city – unsaved
- To other churches
- Sparkle