No matter the size of your church, big or small, we all share the same communication problem - we want to get our message out and our audience to hear it.
In today’s world, with so much noise, it can be easy for messages to get lost in the shuffle between websites, emails, social media, and even advertisements. Because of all the communication pushed on us, everything is louder, and everyone is fighting to be the most audible voice. The only way to survive is to tune out what we don’t think is necessary.
So how can you cut through the noise? People will listen to what they think is essential. Our world has tuned out the church because they don’t believe it’s necessary. As a church leader, crafting your message and developing a communication strategy will help hone in your audience, capture their attention, and take the proper steps to prepare a statement others want to hear.
Practical Ways to Improve Your Church Communication
When it comes to practical ways to improve communication within your church, here are a few key points:
- Begin with tiering your church events and create designations based on who the audience is.
- Tier 1: A significant event that is for everyone and anyone
- Tier 2: A ministry event that impacts people across the ministry (ex., Children’s ministry, Student’s ministry, etc.)
- Tier 3: Anything that is more niche and only focuses on a small group of people.
- If you have live announcements, always start with announcing tier 1 ministries. Don’t make anyone bored with your announcement.
- When giving an announcement, provide little detail about the event and point people to your website to learn more.
- Create an events page so that it is easy to share and easy for people to find.
How to Better Understand Your Audience
When understanding your audience, it’s best to try to put yourself in their shoes. Consider their needs, experience, behaviors, and goals. How can you best be an advocate for them and provide a way to meet their needs with what your church has to offer? Consider how you would receive your message if you were in their place and craft your delivery.
Another way to better understand your audience is to make it someone’s job within your organization. Whether hiring a communications director or coordinator or finding a volunteer to help better study and understand your audience, having someone who can specialize at this level will allow them to understand the communication principles you want to deliver. The communication person can also help give the main communicator feedback to improve their message.
It’s always important to go back to the audience's thoughts and consider how to fill their need and best serve them.
Essential Communication Channels
In today’s world, delivering messaging within the church has become more complex. The church can communicate through its website, social media channels, email, bulletins/newsletters, and announcements.
Everyone has a preferred communication channel, but within your church, you must consider what works best for you, your workload, and your ability to stay consistent. You don’t have to do everything.
If considering a digital channel to focus on, focus on your website. Make it the digital hub that holds all your information for events, articles, messages, content, and church information. As you grow, see where you have room to expand your channels and reach more people.
Seeking Outside Help - What Are The Advantages?
Many church leaders have been in a place where they feel stuck and not sure how to take the next step to develop their communications strategy. A solution for some may be to seek outside help to provide guidance and assistance.
This can get them on the right track and implement a strategic plan. With the technology available today, there are many communication freebies available online. But the moment you have a budget, it might be worth investing in a consultant to come in and evaluate where you are and create steps to help get you where you want to be.
One of the essential things an outside consultant can help you do is figure out your church branding. It’s more than just your logo and design; your church branding defines your church and what it offers people.
Discovering this unique thread that helps tie everything together will allow your audience to understand what you are known for and how best you can meet their needs. You can say less when you know your thread; people will listen more.
By learning to communicate your message clearly, you can break through the noise of the world's busyness and make an impact. Avoid creating more noise at all costs and focus on how to put meaningful messaging in front of people that captures their attention and draws them in.
