So let me throw this out there – where are churches screwing up for paid marketing help, and where are they doing it right?

Christian churches (if they do marketing) have tended to take an easier road by trying to “buy” story-telling time when what they a really need to do is equip their members to tell the story of how a relationship with Jesus has personally impacted their lives within the networks of each individual member. Maybe the church is forced to take a “paid” approach because they are not building passionate people.

With respect to other religions, maybe they have not had to do “paid” marketing because they are being more relational than Christian churches have been – I can not say for sure. Or, maybe it is a cultural thing and their religion is so ingrained in the culture that it is a lifestyle more than a choice.

I think the comments in this post just goes to show you that the word “marketing” has a huge marketing and PR problem. If marketing is communicating value through story, then most would agree that marketing is what every church or religion needs. But many cringe at the word marketing, especially when coupled with a word like “church.” We’ve got a lot of work to do my friend!

Yes, churches need to market (they seem to have the best product)
The definition of marketing, as always, isn’t clear (John, I daresay it’s so much more than advertising or promoting something). But so far you all agree that the church has a message that needs to be communicated.
At the root of it all is storytelling.

Good stuff – keep it coming.

Also, I find it interesting that only Bill has mentioned a religion other than Christianity. I know many of your are Christians (as am I), and “church” is typically reserved for the Christian faith, but I wonder if marketing is even an issue for Muslims, Hindus and Buddhists? I don’t seem to hear near as much about Muslim programs to build attendance. Why is that? Other than beliefs, what makes those faiths so different that marketing doesn’t seem to be such a big issue?

Gladly, I’m in the business of, and am a proponent of communication. Selling is the heart of marketing, and there’s a great reason for us (as the church) to sell Jesus. It’s the best reason of all – the most lucrative “product” ever “sold”. But don’t call it marketing.

Jesus, disciples, my junior high choir teacher, all told me about Jesus. They shared stories. They communicated. At the heart of what the church should be doing is communicating – who they are (what is their culture) – who Jesus is (awesome!) – and what people can gain from what the church is offering.

I know, I know, it’s all semantics. Still, it’s still just telling others about Jesus. So… the greatest challenge here is – if the church wasn’t to market, then they should take down the sign in front of the church or remove the letters from the walls that tell you it’s just that. Because that sign? You guessed it: marketing.

It is the only entity in all of the world that has exclusive rights to the person of Jesus Christ. What better marketing can there be? I think every company in the world would want him as a spokesman…..ok I can think of a few that wouldn’t.

Interesting question. I think that entirely depends on how you define marketing. I define marketing as optimizing an exchange of value. In this case, as long as a church believes it has something of value (and I don’t know of one that doesn’t), then it should try to optimize it. Churches may share the common strategy of sharing the value contained in its teaching, but the the tactics of a church most likely differ and entirely depends on its traditions.

For a “unfinished” Buddhist monk in Thailand, simply wandering his local village in his robes with his alms bowl collecting food may be an effective tactic to optimize the value of his teachings. For a Jehovah’s Witness, optimization may come through active proselyting.

But each church tells a story in the way the religion is viewed and practiced among its followers, the ceremonies it holds, its teachings, its special symbols/clothing, etc. And all of this goes into the marketing or optimization of value for that church.