text: Your church wants to build relationships and impact lives. A marketing plan can help you develop ministries that satisfy the particular needs of your surrounding community. United Methodist Communications has five easy steps for creating a church marketing plan.
  1. Values & Vision
  Who are you and where are you going? Discovering your congregation’s demographics and personality can help you create a marketing plan. Set your church on a clear path with a short vision statement.
  2. Perception & Needs
  You know the cliché. “You never get a second chance to make a first impression.” Think outside the doors. What does the community think about your church? Why would someone visit? What are your neighbors’ needs? Aim to create an atmosphere that makes your church simply irresistible.
  Determine your church’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. Define your target audience. Of course, you will still serve several groups, but in a marketing plan, it’s important to focus your communications and programs on a specific segment. For example, if you’re located near a school, you might want to think about families with children.
  Create a list of specific tactics that meet the needs you identified, like hosting an afterschool program, community service event or cultivating a community garden. Dig in and brainstorm.
  Set goals and get to work. Create a timeline and assign willing members to help accomplish the goals. And when one is complete, check it off the list and celebrate!
  United Methodist Communications has a free, complete marketing plan guide with worksheets and detailed instructions at umcom.org/learn/market-your-church. For more church communication tips, check out youtube.com/mycomtips.