Communicating Your Message

1
Church Communications

• Communicating Your Message
• in a Noisy World
• E3 WorkshopJanuary 24, 2009
• Presenter Jill Wilson
• Communications Coordinator
• Providence Presbytery

2
Who is your audience?

• Church Members
• Visitors
• Non-churched/De-churched
• Age
• Gender
• Technological/Equipment Demographics
• Technological demographics can change as much as
  every 6 months
• formal or informal surveys determine where your
  congregation is technologically
• Economic/Education Demographics

3
Know your message

• What are you attempting to communicate about your
  church?
• Message packaging is important.
• What are you saying VISUALLY?
• What are you saying in your TECHNOLOGY ADOPTION?
• Are you communicating TO or WITH your
  audience? (Web 2.0)

4
How we communicate

• Verbally
• Worship announcements
• Word of Mouth
• Leaders engaging individual members

5
How we communicate

• Print
• Bulletin and Inserts
• Posters/Bulletin Boards
• Flyers/Brochures
• Newsletters

6
How we communicate

• Electronically
• Website
• Blogs
• Facebook
• Twitter
• Podcasts
• Video Production
• What other ways are you communicating with your
  congregation?

7
Communication Plan Things to Consider

• Technological Savvy of audience
• Do they go online facebook twitter? listen to
  podcasts?
• Bandwidth of Internet Connection
• DSL or Dialup?
• Will they check email regularly?
• Do they want to receive texts?
• Do they READ snail mail pieces?

8
Print Communication

• Discounted Software for Non-profits
• (www.techsoup.com)
• (www.ccvsoftware.com)
• (http//www.1computerbargains.com)
• These Software Publishers offer DEEP discounts on
  software to non-profits
• Software is Discounted sometimes as much as 80
  (Publisher retail 149 Discounted price from 7
  to 24)
• Limited quantities
• Restricted to 501-3-c Nonprofits

9
Desktop Publishing Software

• MS Publisher
• Easy and functional
• WYSIWIG with templates
• Drag and Drop
• Adobe CSS 4.0
• More Powerful and integrated for wider range of
  graphic designs (Print and Web)
• More difficult to use
• Like Pagemaker or Quark Express
• Created for Graphic Designers
• Constant Contact (www.constantcontact.com)
• Contact management and newsletter design
• Priced on email list quantity
• Newsletter Templates Easy to add content and
  publish
• They send the email
• Not much flexibility on layout
• Primarily for email newsletter

10
Tips on Images with Impact

• Eyes Grab Attention Make sure you have at least
  one set of eyes looking at your camera.
• Grab opportunities to take pix at events with
  groups having fun
• Does this pic make me wish I was there?
• Show action! Real people helping people.

11
Images with Impact

• Unexpected and Bold images also grab attention
• Stock Photos are often eye catching
• Royalty Free doesnt mean free
• RF just means you do not have to pay a fee for
  each piece you print
• Truly FREE stock photo download sites
• http//sxc.hu/
• www.Dreamstime.com
• www.aarinfreephoto.com
• www.Everystockphoto.com
• www.flickr.com photo blogging site

12
Typography

• Use Display fonts sparingly!
• Typography creates subliminal emotion. If a
  creative font does not support your messagedont
  use it.
• Message in clean serifed or san-serifed font
• Point size guidelines
• Kindergarten-2nd grade --24 point
• 3rd 5th --14 point
• 6th-Adult 12 point
• Over 4014 point
• 16-18 point is considered Large Print

13
Website Content

• Church Website is a Color Brochure for your
  Church
• Content
• Worship Times
• Church Location
• Ways to Connect with others in your congregation
  (small groups)
• Calendar
• Contact Information
• Link to Your Churchs Facebook page
• Message from pastor (sermon or video msg)

14
Websites

• Blog --www.Wordpress.com
• Not so functional
• Get quick and easy website presence
• Get domain name (around 15 per year)or free at
  http//yourname.wordpress.com
• Service Providers (www.e-zekiel.com)
  (www.churchaddress.com)
• Content Management Software (CMS)
• Updating interface is like word processor
• No additional software required
• Hosting per month cost with small setup fee
• Templates
• Self-customized from menu of choices

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Websites

• Custom Web Designers (www.cloversites.com)
• Choose template and they customize for you
• You maintain with CMS interface
• Hosting per month cost with significant setup
  fee.
• More flexibility and customization to needs
• Purchase Template and Customize using HTML Editor
  www.dreamweaver-templates.net
• One-time cost 29-160
• Requires someone comfortable with html to edit
  and maintain.
• Design own site using HTML Editor
• Adobe Dreamweaver
• Microsoft Expression Web
• Top 6 Web Design Software 2008--http//www.consume
  rsearch.com/web-design-software

16
Video and Podcasting Tips

• Good Sound is CRITICAL
• Video can be grainybut people wont stay with
  you if the sound is not good
• Video Podcasts no longer than 5 minutes in
  length.
• Audio casts can be 2 hours or longer.
• They are like talk radio and b/c they allow for
  multitasking, people will tolerate much longer
  shows during commutes, workouts, etc.

17
Web 2.0 means InteractivityBlogging, Twittering,
Facebook

• These Web 2.0 elements allow for two way
  communication
• How can you use these in your ministry?
• Blogs with RSS www.wordpress.com
• Pastor Sermons
• Discussion Topics
• Twittering is like texting www.twitter.com
• What are you doing now?
• Message Character Limits
• Facebook www.facebook.com
• Facebook Page fosters community
• Create groups to communicate with group members
  (This is the new message board)

18
Contact Me

• Presentation Available online at
  www.provhereshow.wordpress.com
• jill_at_providencepres.org
• Ill be glad to help you with your website, or
  print communications
• Presbytery Office 803-328-6269