Last Thursday night, Sonic opened up a restaurant by my church. Sonic restaurants are nothing new to the Maryland area; however, this was a big deal. The lines were long, and the place was packed. For them to build a crowd was no problem. When it comes to the corporate world, most companies have a professional marketing and communication strategy.
When it comes to church ministry, marketing, getting the word out and building a crowd isn’t as easy. Your resources are limited, and you do not always have the personnel to help you get the word out quickly and effectively. In fact, youth ministry marketing can be a little messy. To overcome the obstacles and build a crowd in your ministry, you need to:
Use Multiple Mediums: Sending out an email or creating a fancy flyer for your bulletin board will not do the trick alone. It takes knowing your audience and pursuing them through different mediums (i.e., social media and community networks). Take advantage of social media, be consistent about posting and be clear with what you want them to do.
Cast Vision: It’s not just about communicating what you are doing, it’s also about why it’s important. People have enough events on their plate, you need to give them a reason why yours matters. Vision sticks as long as you put it out there. People want purpose; give them a chance to embrace it with your vision.
Invest in Advocates: The most effective invitation is a personal one. Find a core group of people who are committed to the vision of the program and ask them to help you spread the word. They’ll expand your network and reach people you have no contact with.
Be Patient and Persistent: It takes time to not only build a crowd, but a healthy foundation. Set small goals and celebrate them as you achieve them. As long as you are getting the word out and casting vision, you’ll build momentum and see the big results you were hoping for.
Build a crowd by building your communication strategy. You can spend all the time in the world building an incredible program; however, if no one knows about it, what’s the point? If your program is important to you, get the word out, share the burden and build the crowd.
How do you build a crowd?
