Washington Conference of Seventh-day Adventists

Marketing your ministry is a great way to let people know who you are, what you do, and how your target audience can be involved. Here's a little homework to get you started in marketing your ministry!

Three Basic Questions People Want to Know:

    •     Who are you?
    •     What do you do?
    •     How can you help me? or How can I help you?

Answer these three questions to help you define your message(s) for your target audience(s).

Planning Your Content

As you develop your ministry marketing plans, you need to:
    •     Answer who, what, when, why, where, how
    •     Appeal to logic and emotion
    •     Tell a story
    •     Provide a point of contact (person, email, phone, website, etc.) for more information
    •     Build relationships with the target audience(s)
    •     Give a call to action

Call to Action Word Bank
apply, browse, call, check out, comment, connect, contact, discover, download, email, enroll, explore, fill in the blank, find out, find out what your friends think — ask them!, get involved, investigate, join, learn more, like, listen, please share, read, register, repost, request, RSVP, RT, scan, schedule, scroll, see, send, share, show yoursupport by, sign up, spread the word, subscribe, try out, tweet, view, visit, vote,volunteer, watch

Identify Your Audience

    •    Needs
    •    Interests
    •    Values
    •    Attitudes
    •    Lifestyles

Select Your Communication Method(s)

Choose methods based on:
    •    Best way to communicate a message
    •    Best way to connect with a target audience
    •    Best way to complete communication strategy
    •    How much time you have available
    •    How much budget you have available

Marketing Method Ideas

Free Marketing
Facebook updates, Facebook events, email marketing, blog, Twitter, Tumblr, Instagram, hashtags, e-newsletter, newspaper community calendar, bulletin announcements, networking, Craigslist, presentations and seminars, FAQ, list of services, calendar of events, church or community newsletters (announcements, column, news story)

Moderate-Cost Marketing
Banners, Facebook ads, e-newsletter, fair booth, print newsletter, text messaging, flyers, brochures, posters, postcards, direct mail, website or webpage, welcome packet, letterhead & envelopes, business cards, personal letters, give-aways (stickers, pens, yo-yos, hats, etc.), special offers, Eventbrite registration, Google Ads

Expensive Marketing
Billboards, radio ads, TV spots, special events, custom app, sponsorships, display advertisements

Implement Your Plans

Choose your methods and begin sharing your message! Create a content calendar to keep your message going strong in the days to come! Start with a weekly calendar, build up to a monthly/quarterly calendar, and establish an annual outline (with plenty of flexibility built in).

Marketing Tip

Let’s say you have a list of 10 ideas for marketing your ministry. Start by implementing 1-3 foundational marketing activities. Establish these marketing activities and then add one additional method at a time.