| As Twitter increasingly becomes more of a social | | | | going after. I love what Tony Stewart with |
| phenomenon, there is a lot of emphasis on drawing | | | | LifeChurch says about how his church "meets that at |
| new followers. Churches have been the precursor for | | | | their place of need" So you should be thinking how |
| a lot of things, so it is no surprise that they are doing | | | | you can interact with these folks. Tools such as |
| everything in their powers (and budgets) to amass | | | | Twitter and Facebook make that more possible. |
| new followers. | | | | Those same tools put you on a more level playing |
| Let's be clear, it is a lot easier to get hundreds or | | | | field with the mega churches. It begins to build the |
| even thousands of followers on Twitter than it is to | | | | relationship. Maintain the thought that a relationship |
| do so at your local church. That being said, if you | | | | through the age of 36 will probably result in a lifelong |
| were going to build a playbook on how to get new | | | | relationship. |
| followers into your church, I would be looking at | | | | Step 4. Be prepared to do more than just social |
| these steps to begin to get your church on the road | | | | media. You can start a relationship through social |
| to success. | | | | media. But you can't rely on Twitter and Facebook |
| Step 1. Focus your efforts! There is a reason that | | | | (and those are just a few Web 2.0 outlets) to do it |
| advertisers go after the 18-34 year old market. We | | | | all. Just like you success on the internet is rarely done |
| have been taught that this is the demographic that | | | | with one website or model, church marketing is no |
| has disposable income. And that may be true. But the | | | | different. You are going to have to have all of your |
| real answer is that this is the time when consumers | | | | oars rowing in the same direction at the same time. |
| (and church goers) develop their brand identity. | | | | Check out what the United Methodist church is doing |
| Surveys show that people generally settle on their | | | | with the 10thousanddoors campaign! While your |
| faith sometime between 24 and 36. Faith based | | | | church budget may not currently afford network |
| efforts shouldn't be any different! | | | | television and radio ads, print, text, email and outdoor |
| Step 2. Be prepared by doing your homework and | | | | events are totally in your realm. Just scale it down to |
| have something of value! A survey found that 62% | | | | what you can afford. But keep this in mind. Better to |
| of 18- to 34-year-olds consider themselves spiritual, | | | | do one in excellence than 3 that comes off as lame |
| and another 43% have prayed in the past two | | | | or less than excellent. |
| months. If you get that and most of your church | | | | Step 5. Keep in mind marketing can only do so much.. |
| messages/programs are for another demographic, | | | | Your marketing and promotional efforts make a |
| you may be missing a great opportunity. If your | | | | commitment that when someone attends your |
| current audience is other than this for lack of a | | | | church, that the church experience they have is going |
| better term "sweet spot", don't forget them. Just | | | | to be better than going somewhere else. If |
| make sure you also have something of value that will | | | | marketing got them to the door, there job is done. |
| interest and then inspire that target market for | | | | They then hand it off and the rest of the church has |
| longer than just a visit. | | | | to live up to the promise. Failure to do so will have |
| Step 3. Meet them where they live. Social media is | | | | wasted the time, energy and monies that marketing |
| increasingly getting everyone's attention. But it is | | | | spent to get them there. |
| "the" big attraction for the demographic you are | | | | |