Reaching your community shouldn’t be a shotgun effort. You should have a pointed, carefully executed strategic plan to get your message to the right people.

I’ll ask the question posed in our previous post, “What do those 7 encounters look like for your organization?”

Your strategy should include a mixture of mediums that are broad enough to reach your audience multiple times, multiple ways. Keep in mind, the goal is to not only stand out amongst the 5,000 marketing messages our culture encounters. Your goal is to be remembered. Here is a quick checklist for your organization:

1.  Take a few minutes to write out every form of marketing and outreach your church currently employs. How many ways can the same person see or hear your message?

2.  Now ask yourself, “What is communicated across all of those channels?”

• Is it the same message? Is the messaging even similar? 
• Do you have brand cohesion or brand confusion across all of your outreach mediums?
• Are any of your marketing/outreach promotions centered around who you are and your vision, rather than an event?

3.  While thinking through what your main communication point is across all of your marketing, consider what call-to-action is on each of your outreach mediums.

• What do you ask of your audience? What do you instruct them to do?
• How clear is that request?                 
• Is that call-to-action the same on all of your messaging?

One important call-to-action across all of your marketing materials is for people to visit your website. Today, 85% of people will visit your website before attending in person.

According to UseIt.com, users will leave a webpage in 10-20 seconds unless their attention is captured.

Churches can spend thousands, even millions on outreach and marketing, but until there is a process in place to grab a guest’s attention and connect them to your church, those resources are wasted.

• Your marketing should all funnel to your website
• Your website should reflect the quality of your ministry
• Create your website as the front door of your church, with visitors in mind

If you’d like to have an Online Strategy Review of your church’s marketing and communication efforts, give us a call at 877.703.2484 and press 2, or request  a quote for your church.

Here are some additional ways faithHighway partners with your church to help you attract visitors and close the back door:

• Church Marketing to build connections
• Web Design to attract more visitors
• Church Management Software to increase retention and engagement
• Church Commercials to reach more people
• Sermon Streaming to take your message beyond the Sunday experience
• Church Planting Resources for an affordable, successful launch

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 This is a sponsored post from faithHighway, one of my ministry partners on TonyMorganLive.com

I thought you might be interested in seeing the tools I’m currently using for my business. Some of these will also be applicable in ministry settings. In some instances, though, there are better ministry-specific solutions available. Here are…

12 Tools I Use to Run My Business

1. Asana — This is what my team uses to track all our projects and tasks. We’ve created templates for projects that reoccur. We can deletage tasks to fellow teammates and follow the progress on each project. This drives the conversation in our weekly traffic meetings. (HT to Phil for introducing me to Asana.)
2. Bidsketch — This app creates all the proposals we send to potential clients. It syncs with Highrise to track when proposals are created, sent, viewed and accepted. The best part, though, are the templates that we set up so that we don’t have to recreate the wheel every time we generate a new proposal.
3. Expensify — This is a great app for creating travel expense reports. It imports expenses directly from the credit cards. You can also use the SmartScan feature using the mobile app to import receipts into reports without typing anything. It almost makes expense reports fun.
4. Google Drive — This is how my team shares documents. Every church we work with has a shared folder. Every document that’s generated through our consultations is dropped into the folder. Google Drive makes it easy for our entire team to collaborate without having to send large files through email.
5. Google+ Hangouts — We use the Hangouts for our weekly traffic meetings. It’s great for video chat and screensharing is built in. I’ve also started using it for coaching with church leaders when we’re not able to meet face-to-face.
6. Highrise — This is our client database. We use it to track every person, church and consultation. We also use it to log every email message and phone conversation we have. If I’ve talked with you, there’s a note in Highrise with your name on it. This is a great solution for small businesses. For churches, though, I recommend Church Community Builder, my strategic partner on the Leisure Suit Series. 
7. Intuit Online Payroll — This is the solution I use to make sure my team gets paid and the government gets all their taxes. (By the way, the government makes it as challenging as possible for small businesses to add jobs. It’s ridiculous.)
8. LessAccounting — It’s accounting for guys like me who have only had a couple of college accounting courses. Similar to Mint for personal finances, LessAccounting pulls in transactions automatically from my business checking, credit card and PayPal accounts. Once a week I go in and make sure all the transactions are coded accurately. We also use LessAccounting to handle all the invoicing. My tax accountant loves this solution, because the reporting makes life easy for her.
9. MailChimp — Are you signed up for our monthly newsletter? This is the solution we use to manage our email lists and send out the ever-popular monthly newsletter.
10. PayPal — Yes, there are other options that are cheaper for accepting payments for services, but PayPal integrates with all the solutions I use and it’s the standard that everyone knows and trusts. My favorite feature is the subscription solution that I use to handle all the monthly coaching network payments.
11. TripIt — I’ve upgraded to the PRO version to track all my travel itineraries. TripIt grabs all the travel confirmations from my email inbox and automatically creates the itineraries and makes sure all those details get on my calendar. I used to create “trip folders” every time I traveled. Now it’s all right on my phone.
12. Wufoo — It’s simply one of the best web applications available. Wufoo is what we use to capture information in forms on our website. It integrates with Highrise, so there’s no data entry to update our client database. We also use Wufoo for our online surveys that are a part of the ministry health assessment we offer to churches.

Do you see anything in my toolbox that’s missing? If so, I’d love your recommendation. Join the conversation by sharing your comment.

[Image: www.FreeDigitalPhotos.net]

Open Source software allows churches to have the system for a lower total cost. However, because there is no revenue from commercial license fees, this requires a different type of funding for the continued development of new software features. So, the Open Source BVCMS has become a Church Sponsored project. New features and improvements to the software are paid for and sponsored by churches. The Open Source BVCMS currently has two main sponsors: Bellevue Baptist Church in Memphis and Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City.

Bellevue was the originator of the project and is the largest church using the system. They generously released the source code under an Open Source license, which now benefits well over 100 churches and will continue to reap Kingdom rewards.

We are now fortunate to have Redeemer Presbyterian Church, NYC as a partner. Redeemer has used BVCMS since July 2010 and became an official sponsor in October 2011. Their attention to design, detail and user experience has helped improve BVCMS in many ways. Redeemer helped design our online registration system and our iPhone App used for directory search and recording attendance. They helped sponsor the new iPad BVCheckin App, used for self check-in for events and children’s ministries at their new W83 Ministry Center. Also, Redeemer directed the development of a complete API in BVCMS, used to run custom modules on redeemer.com.

But the sponsorship work of Bellevue and Redeemer doesn’t only benefit their own projects—the products go back into the Open Source project for the benefit of other churches too. In this way, churches can help each other, sharing even their technological talent and resources.

Sponsoring new features pays the costs of software development as well as the developers who work on it. Our developers start out as volunteers, but as they prove themselves productive, their time is paid for at industry competitive rates. We currently have four developers from various churches. One works on the iPad/iPhone Apps, another works on Facebook integration and reporting, and one, a developer from the Netherlands, works on internationalization of the user interface.

Finally, BVCMS stands apart from its competitors because it offers all churches, regardless of size, the full access to its features. Fees for hosting and support at BVCMS.com start at $15 per month to as much as $1,500/ month. Pricing is based on the number of active records. At these rates, churches can afford a full suite of church management capability—and even help sponsor new projects for the benefit of all.

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This is a sponsored post from BVCMS, one of my ministry partners on TonyMorganLive.com

What do you do when a task is overdue?

If it’s overdue, my first question is, “Do I still need to do it?” Many times a task ends up in the overdue category because it’s not a priority. When that’s the case, the best option is to use the delete button. The next question I ask myself is, “Who else can do this?” Again, most of what I do is empower other people. Leadership isn’t leadership unless it’s released to other people. Finally, if I determine it’s still my task, I prioritize and reschedule the task for the future. Of course, all of these filters are easy to implement using the tools built in to Producteev.

Check out the full interview on prioritizing tasks and using systems to manage a busy life over on the Producteev blog.

1. Netflix
2. Pulse
3. USA Today
4. gReader
5. Spotify (Here’s how I got it.)

If you’re like most pastors, choosing your next church management solution (ChMS) may not be on the top of your list. You might be inclined to let your technology guy take the reins or simply avoid the process completely. As I wrote about in Getting Disciple Making Right, too often church leaders fail to see the connection between technology and ministry. Therefore, they underestimate the role a ChMS plays in key decision making.

Part of the reason so many leaders are reluctant to begin a search for another ChMS is because they don’t have the right decision criteria or fear it will be a waste of time. Here are five things that will ensure your next search is a profitable one. If you follow these five steps, you’re much more likely to end up with a technology solution that will enhance your ministry rather than create more headaches.

1. Begin with your ministry processes. Your church operates through a series of processes and systems. Start your search by mapping out the most critical ones. If designed properly, they should be working even in the absence of technology.   Understanding how everything works within your organization will help you understand how technology can help you sustain, measure, and improve the processes in your church.
2. Complete an internal needs assessment. If you don’t know what you’re looking for, how will you know when you find it? (You won’t!) Take one hour with your key ministry leaders and, using what you learned in Step 1, outline exactly what it is you love most about your current solution and what frustrates you. Determine if the frustrations are really a training issue or a functionality concern. If it is functionality, then you’ll know what you need to evaluate carefully as you select a new ChMS.
3. Identify a “must have’s list” of features and functionality. Ask your frontline ministry staff what their “must have’s list” would be in a new technology solution. You’ll be surprised by how quickly they answer that question. Those who interact with the system the most are very acutely aware of its strengths and weaknesses. The more people involved in the decision process, the greater the adoption rate will be once a decision has been made.
4. Talk to other churches. Don’t just depend on the reference list provider by a particular company. Call the churches that you think understand how to leverage technology to enhance and improve ministry processes. Ask them which solution they are using and how they made their decision. Be sure to drill down on this last point. Many times, churches make decisions with poor criteria and end up learning a lot about what they should have done differently. Ask them to share that with you.
5. Talk to multiple ChMS companies. Choosing a new ChMS is a big decision. Don’t just pick an option because your friends chose it. Make sure you find the right fit for your church. The solution you ultimately land on will reflect your investment of time and energy. Sure, you might get lucky but do you really want to bet on that? Talking to multiple companies helps you educate yourself about what’s available.

Choosing a ChMS can be a good reason to begin a strategic planning process, too. You’re going to have to outline how your church operates and functions for the implementation process anyway. Treating this process as a casual one leaves a lot of ministry potential on the table.

How does your position on technology in ministry change when you see it as an extension of your church strategy rather than a line item in your church budget?

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This is a sponsored post from Church Community Builder, one of my ministry partners on TonyMorganLive.com.

Amazon Kindle Fire

Last week the new Kindle Fire was delivered to my doorstep. I decided to use some Amazon gift certificates to make the purchase, so I only ended up paying for the cover. It’s my first “tablet,” since I don’t own an iPad. I’ve been hesitant to purchase a tablet, because I couldn’t figure out how I would use it differently than I already use my smartphone and my laptop.

After using the Kindle Fire for a week, I’ve come to the conclusion that it’s a fantastic device for consuming content, but it’s not a good solution for productivity. My phone and laptop are still better solutions for getting work done. But, frankly, I don’t think Amazon designed the Fire to be a productivity tool. Ultimately, they just want to sell more content. That’s why they’re willing to take a loss on the device.

Here’s what I love about the Kindle Fire:

• It’s a great tool for reading books and other documents I’ve uploaded (like the draft of a new book from Tim Stevens).
• The gReader app syncs with Google Reader and makes it easy to scan and read content from blogs I follow.
• The Seesmic app allows me to keep up with my Twitter lists, replies and DMs.
• I’m using the YouVersion app to use the Fire as my primary Bible.
• I love being able to plug in my headphones and stream TV shows and movies using Netflix and Hulu Plus. Though I’ve not used it yet, I also have access to a number of “free” video streams thanks to my Amazon Prime membership. (By the way, the free two-day shipping pays for the membership.)
• The price is obviously very competitive if you’re in the tablet market.

Though it will never compete with the iPad, here are a couple of tweaks I’d like to see to make the Fire a more useful device:

• In future models, having a 3G/4G option would obviously improve its use as a portable device especially for those of us who travel.
• Though the Fire operates on Android, it’s missing a number of key apps including all the Google apps (Gmail, Calendar, Voice, Docs, etc.). Just adding those apps would significantly improve its usefulness as a productivity tool rather than just a tool for consuming content.
• I’m currently using Spotify for my music, and that app isn’t available either.
• I’d prefer to remove the “carousel” from the home screen, but I don’t think that option exists in the OS to this point.

All that to say, if you’re looking for a tablet to keep up with email, your calendar and tasks, this doesn’t yet fit the bill. If, on the other hand, you’re looking for a relatively cheap tablet to read books, online content and stream videos, the Kindle Fire is a great option.

Here’s my Amazon link for the Kindle Fire if you’d like to learn more.

Once the sermon has been delivered at all of your services and all of your campuses, what happens to it? If you’re like most churches, the sermon probably spends seven days on the “last week’s sermon” box on your website, and hopefully shows up in your podcast for a few weeks. Then, it begins to die a slow death, slipping gradually into the annals of other great sermons that time forgot.

Why Sermons Get Lost and Forgotten

Here are some reasons why sermons typically carry a very short shelf life:

• Churches think of sermons as live events, rather than study and spiritual growth tools.
• Most church websites post sermons based on chronology, so the oldest ones get lost.
• Podcast feeds typically deliver only the most recent “episodes.”
• Many people only get sermons via podcast, and may never visit the website itself.
• Many churches still offer sermons only via tape or CD, which are becoming increasingly irrelevant in an MP3 world.
• Sermons are for Sunday. There is rarely a connection to any other activity or curriculum being shared in other corners of the church (children, youth, small groups, etc.).

5 Ideas to Get More Value from Your Sermon Archives

With a few tweaks to your strategy, though, sermons can become a useful resource for years to come.

1. Make sermons available on your website. If you’re not offering sermons via web delivery, do it! If you are lacking equipment or manpower, consider a pocket digital voice recorder like this.
2. Make sermons free. Give away your sermon downloads. Some churches will charge for a download of a sermon, while attending their church on Sunday is free of charge. We wrote more extensively about this on our blog.
3. Promote the popular messages. Publish a “most viewed” sermon list each month or each quarter. This implies that you have tools allowing you to measure these stats (which, by the way, are a very valuable thing to have as a feedback mechanism for your teaching team).
4. Offer tools to filter results. Allow searching/browsing by Scripture, topic, speaker or title (not just by date).
5. Extend the conversation. Develop curriculum for your small groups, to discuss the deeper points of a sermon. Consider packaging these with DVDs of your sermons so that if a group isn’t ready to tackle a series now, they can obtain it from the church later.

There are plenty more ways to add value to your sermons! We’re hosting a brand new webinar on this topic next week, and we’d love to have you join us. You can register for free.

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This is a sponsored post from SiteOrganic. They are an advertising partner on TonyMorganlive.com

Unfortunately, an obvious lack of organization made the event awkward and uncomfortable. I didn’t know where to take him in the building. It was chaotic and…I didn’t feel welcomed.

It reminded me of one statistic I had heard recently, “only 10% of first time visitors end up becoming regular attendees.”

With only 2% of Christians inviting a non-believer to church any given year, there’s a big chance that most visitors to your church aren’t going to know anyone.

Here’s the upside. The likelihood of a first time guest becoming a member increases to 50% when they are invited to a small group.

It’s been proven that almost 90% of guests will return to a church, if someone follows up with them on the same day as their visit; that percentage drops to 60% if you wait just 24 hours.

Unfortunately, many churches don’t have an effective way to manage and follow up with visitors in 24 hours, much less at all. We need to get people from Point A (inactive) to Point B (engaged). To do this, we need a process in place and to communicate it often.

Ask yourself these questions as you consider your visitor connection process: