Effective communication is crucial in churches, especially in the digital age we're in. It can significantly influence growth, improve engagement and further connection.
In this article, we recap the info shared by Katie Allred on Church Leadership Lab and dive into the nuances of crafting a church communication strategy for today's digital age.
1. Evaluating Your Current Church Communication Strategy.
In a rapidly changing world, stopping to evaluate what you're currently doing is vital. Church leaders must make it a point to assess their current communication strategies to ensure they align with the preferences of their people and the current best practices.
2. Creating Compelling Content.
It might seem overwhelming for a church leader to think about the amount of content needed for a communication strategy. But you most likely already have the content you need and it's a matter of repurposing it for the channels you use to communicate.
Take things like teachings from your service, explanation of worship songs, and deep dives on sermon topics and fill up the content needs for your communication plan. Furthermore, look to delegate these things so you have multiple voices participating and are able to share the workload.
3. Understanding Your People's Preferences:
Understanding the preferences of your congregation is vital in any church communication plan. Does your community lean more toward email? Social media? Text messages?
Conducting periodic surveys can be helpful in gaining insights into the specific needs of your community. This then helps in deciding what to spend time and energy on when it comes to communication.
4. Overcoming the Reactive Approach:
Did you know that nearly 90% of small businesses and churches operate without a structured communication plan? This puts them in "reactionary mode" and makes it difficult to get ahead.
Operating in a reactionary mode isn't sustainable. Instead, by strategizing in advance, anticipating community needs, and preparing for them, churches can begin to operate proactively and communicate more effectively.
Conclusion:
While foundational principles remain constant, the methods of communication evolve and change. Churches need to be aware of these and at times, adapt, harnessing tools and strategies to build connections.
