If I were to ask you:
Who is your church targeting?
What would you say? When I ask most church leaders this question, I almost always get the answer, “everyone,” or I get a blank stare. For some strange reason, churches think that they are there to serve everyone - and they are right - they are! The message of the Bible is indeed for everyone.
Yet, take a look at your church. Who are the people that are there? Most small churches typically attract one demographic (a specific age group, ethnic group, income-level, community, etc) more than others. Larger churches may attract several. Rare is the church that is a complete mosaic.
So, if churches are attracting and serving one demographic more than others, shouldn’t they define who that is and strategically target this group more effectively?
Target Market Defined
A “Target Market” is a marketing segmentation process where an organization (in this case a church), defines a particular demographic that they will focus their marketing communication and services toward. So, for example, when McDonalds does an advertising campaign built around the latest children’s movie, they are aiming or targeting that campaign at families with young children. The point of defining a target market is so you can focus your efforts clearly at one segment of a community so you use those resources for their maximum effectiveness.
Church Plant Target Market
I am on of the leadership team of a church plant that launched with six people in 2005. We had minimal resources - human and financial. Our marketing was aimed at young couples (ages 25-40) with young children between ages 5-10 who were not already going to a church.
Were we their in our community to serve everyone who was searching for God? Absolutely yes - but we were targeting our programming, our messaging, and our services toward families with young children within a ten kilometer radius of where we were located.
Consequently, our largest demographic is just that - young families - because that is who we “targeted.” Pleasantly though, we have become multi-ethnic and attracted many seniors as well. Everyone is welcome but in our communication to not everyone is targeted.
Targeting Makes Sense
If an established church has an average attendance of 100 people on Sunday morning and 75% of those in attendance are 65-80 years old - they will most naturally “attract” senior citizens. Their existing people resources will feel most comfortable talking to their friends who are seniors. Their programs will most likely serve seniors. Now, if they decided they wanted to attract young families, then the leadership would have to ensure they created a strategy, programs, leaders, and communication that would target young families. They will not attract these young families without targeting a strategy to do so.
So please understand, I firmly believe that churches exist for everyone, but I strongly encourage leaders of smaller churches or specific ministries to target a particular demographic so they can use their resources (people and financial) most effectively. Results will not be achieved without a targeted strategy!
Does the church you attend have a target market? Do you think churches should strategize their programming, services, and marketing? Please share your comments below.
Absolutely. From our direct mailers during pre-launch to the songs we still pick on Sunday, we’re targeting couples, 26-35, w/ 0-2 kids. That our audience. I think it helps you define your flavor and keep it consistent.
I also think that you can’t just reach couples because you want to reach new couples. We were planting a church in the Northland of KC where couples who commute to the city were moving into. Our target was also the median age of our team which seemed to be natural for us.
Great post!
Thanks Tommy - we experienced the same things. Our church planting team was primarily 35-40 ish so we naturally connect with people in that age group because we have common life stages and experience. That was therefore a natural target demographic for us.