mediasalt

Personal Intentions

We all know the famous phrase, so I won’t bother reciting it here, but we all can relate to having good intentions and then never delivering, right?

• I have good intentions to work out 3 days a week…
• I have good intentions to eat healthier than I do now…
• I have good intentions to have 1-hour of prayer and Bible reading time each day…

And so it goes.  How about you?  We all have some area(s) in our lives that we intend on changing, upgrading, or implementing but without a determined strategy, schedule, and accountability.

These things simply just don’t happen.

Church Intentions

Churches have the same problem with their media and communications:

• We have good intentions to build a new web site or freshen up our current one…
• We have good intentions to promote our Christmas services more effectively…
• We have good intentions on creating a good New Years outreach program…

So why don’t these things happen?  The same reasons apply.  Churches fail to create a strategy, implementation schedule, and accountability process whereby things can change and our media and communications can become more excellent and effective.

Here’s The Good News

September is the perfect time to start your church’s “plan-for-change”!  Your ministry leaders are refreshed from summer holidays, new programs are starting, people are getting into routines, and (hopefully) ministry excitement is building.

Now, you have to look outward to the next 12 months of ministry and start creating a plan.  What are the key things in your church that need promotion and clear communication?  What are your trying to implement to further your church’s mission and vision?  Pick the top three things, events, or programs and then step back to determine:

1. Who are you trying to reach?
2. What media tools will best help you communicate your ministry story to them?
3. What will it cost to ensure that these electronic and print tools are in place well in advance to give people time to respond?
4. Who is going to create the tools so that they are the best they can be while still fitting within your budget constraints?

Answering some of these questions will help you determine the core elements of a media and communications implementation strategy.

If the thought of all this scares you…then please seek some professional help - from a good church marketing and communications strategist.  Your ministry and it’s God-given mission are vitally important.  Please, I implore you, take the planning and implementation of your communication very seriously.  Good communication will not happen by accident or at the last minute.  Give your ministry and your people the tools to communicate your passion for your mission and vision and God will take that effort and the tools you create to impact your community with greater effectiveness.  I have seen it happen - it works - trust me!

Now…no more good intentions,  OK?  Go forth with good strategy, tools, and implementation!