WHAT IS MARKETING & WHY DOES MY MINISTRY NEED IT?
Put simply, marketing is the promotion or selling of a product or service. Within the context of ministries, marketing can quickly be dismissed as irrelevant, unnecessary or taboo. Should religion be sold? Does Jesus need promotion? Isn’t marketing manipulation?
These are all good questions. Time would be well spent wrestling with any internal hesitation, conviction or disruption that surfaces when you think about marketing. However, marketing might be different from what your initial thoughts lead you to believe.
Let’s take a step back and look into whether the myths you’ve heard are worthy of believing.
MYTH OR REALITY — MARKETING FOR MINISTRIES
1. MYTH: All marketing is executed with the intent of persuasion.
Contrary to popular belief, marketing is more about transparency than persuasion. When marketing your ministry, integrity and clarity will be integral to the success of your communication. More than a method of sales, marketing practices will add tools to your communications toolbelt and increase your credibility. Think about it like pulling back the curtain on what you believe, the need your ministry is filling and the relationships you want to build. As you invest in marketing practices, your mission, vision, belief and values will come to life in a new and exciting way, beginning with your ability to communicate them.
2. MYTH: Utilizing marketing practices means conforming to the current culture.
A long-held debate within ministry circles is the tension between remaining “relevant” or reachable and not wanting to conform to the culture around us. Social media, for example, has likely split ministry leaders down the middle regarding opinions on whether they should invest time and resources in social media marketing, maintenance and engagement. When confronting marketing practices and cultural trends, ministries should consider the necessity to meet people where they are and be seen where people are looking.
3. REALITY: Ministries can benefit from agency assistance in marketing efforts.
Partnering with an agency for marketing support has several benefits for ministries. In addition to equipping ministries with best practices for marketing generally, agencies can help ministries define their purpose and clearly communicate their mission and vision. In doing so, ministries will increase their impact by reaching their target audience, gaining support, and ushering in the kingdom of Heaven.
SHARE YOUR MINISTRY’S MISSION
Ultimately, the purpose of marketing for ministries is to share – with clarity – what your ministry is doing. How are you investing in your community? What do you believe about the work you are doing and the people you serve? How do you see your ministry making an impact? What do you value? How are you pursuing relationships? What programs do you have available?
Through the implementation of a few marketing best practices, your ministry can deepen its impact and strengthen the faith of others as we hear about the good work you are doing. That’s what we’re here for.
Elevating your missions through storytelling is one of Angel Oak Creative’s deepest passions. And we believe you have one to share! Let us know if we can help you identify, capture and communicate your amazing stories of impact!
– Emily White, Client Success Executive
