Communication has become complex. There are dozens of channels and mediums through which we interact and share information. It’s true for churches, too: Layla from women’s group may love to communicate through Facebook, while Dave from study group doesn’t have a Facebook and prefers to text. How do you reach diverse audiences with differing communication preferences? Here [at] Aware3 ChMS, we suggest that you need a church communicator! Someone who sees the forest through the trees, has a creative soul, a knack for planning and most importantly, a love for Jesus Christ.
Defining the role of church communicator
It typically boils down to:
- Communication strategy and content optimization
- Project management
- Brand management
- Copywriting and design creation: content organization, layouts & other visual elements
- Managing mobile, web, and social media platforms
A church communicator collaborates with church leadership, ministry departments, and other individuals to create a communication strategy and then champion that strategy. They audit the needs and inner workings of the church. Because they see the big picture, church communicators help prioritize, create, and place content.
Ensuring that the church’s brand rings true is an integral part of any communication strategy. Each church has [its] own unique way of spreading and articulating God’s message. It’s this unique voice, style, and overall experience that helps to attract and retain members to a specific church. Whether it’s shown through a logo, facebook post, or text message, church communicators consistently deliver communications that are authentic to the church and the church’s brand.
Finally, church communicators work to streamline processes and efforts, as well as to reduce “noise.” When we talk about noise, we’re referring to the bombardment of content and messages that members receive on a daily basis. Gobs of emails, notifications, and posts flood our brains and compete for our attention. Your church communicator can create quality, targeted content so that your messages aren’t getting lost in the shuffle. With so many events, social media groups, and calls to action happening, there’s likely overlap in the work that’s being done. As church communicators form and execute their strategy, this proper planning prevents wasted manpower, time, and resources.
So you’re saying church communicators are pretty darn important?
We sure are. When we take a deeper dive into this role, it’s easy to see why it’s such a crucial position. Church communicators can help in unexpected ways as well, like exposing blind spots and areas that need improvement. As the saying goes, “you don’t know what you don’t know.”
For example, church communicators often help churches prevent or eliminate ministry silos. Individual ministries and departments are wonderful parts of any church as they create opportunities to bond over shared characteristics and interests. However, if they become too autonomous, this can confuse members in a number of ways. Church communicators work diligently to impart a consistent vision and reliable processes in order to boost clarity, productivity, and morale — all of which break down ministry silos.
Creating the perfect toolkit for success
Now that we’ve defined the role of church communicator, it’s important to note they need the right resources and tools to power their efforts. Take a look at some of the best tips and tools for church communicators:
- Apps, calendars, features & more
These are what digital dreams are made of for church communicators. From church mobile apps to content calendars and texting features, these tools help communication folks succeed — and when they succeed, the church succeeds! Take this stat: 98 [percent] of texts are opened compared to 20 [percent] – 30 [percent] of emails. By simply putting a texting feature in their toolkit, churches can skyrocket giving, volunteering, and more.
- Insights + Analytics
In today’s world, you no longer have to guess what resonates and what does not. By using an intelligent app platform, teams can easily boost engagement. Insights enable church communicators to:
-Quickly see how many app downloads you have, how many times everyone who has downloaded your app clicked inside a feature, as well as feature usage broken down by percentage.
– Plus, with in-app member intelligence, church communicators can view what interests and chats each member opted-in to, view when a member has filled out a form as well as when and where they gave.
- Outside vendors + volunteers
Delegation happens at every level, and since this role can be quite extensive, sometimes you gotta call in the reinforcements. Whether it’s phoning in help from a photographer friend or sourcing an outside vendor for a fundraising event, people are the friendliest of resources.
- Education
Church communicators are curious people at heart so they often self-educate simply because they want to. Inspire your team by passing along informative articles, ebooks, videos, and more. Start with this ebook, “6 Tech Secrets Every Church Communicator Needs to Know”.
- Empowerment
Empowering your church communicator is huge. Give them the tools, resources, and freedom they need to see the communication strategy through.
- Prayer
We left the most powerful one for last. With such an important role to fill, church communicators need your prayers. Whatever your prayer may be, it’s the best gift you can give your church communicator.
To learn more about creating a digital toolkit for church success, visit us at aware3.com.
