Church Marketing: 11 Common Marketing Mistakes to Avoid

August 13, 2021 by Christine

Marketing has been associated more with the secular world than with the church. Many people associate marketing with profit-making, which may not be an objective of a True Gospel-preaching church. However, the church, too, requires a clear marketing plan and strategy. Here are common church marketing mistakes to avoid.

Why Is Church Marketing Necessary?

The great commission of preaching the gospel comes from Matthew 28:19-20, which commands Christians to preach the gospel to the whole world.

“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” – Matthew 28:19-20

In this spirit, churches should use all available avenues to fulfill this mission. Just like businesses need to inform their existing and new customers about their products and services, a church needs to promote its brand, inform its members of any developments, changes, as well as upcoming church events, and at the same time attract new members to the faith.  

Enter marketing.

It enables the church:

1. To create awareness about the kingdom of God
2. To help people understand the value Jesus would add to their lives
3. Win more souls to the Kingdom of God 
4. To spread the gospel to all the nations

However, to achieve all this, the church needs to get its marketing strategies right, but unfortunately, this is where many fail. Luckily, at Viral Solutions, we can help you design a perfect church marketing strategy and guide you on how to execute it. We audit your existing marketing methods and poke holes to identify all the marketing mistakes made and then make the strategy better.

To help you prepare a good marketing strategy, here are a few tips from the industry leaders on common church marketing mistakes you should avoid.  

Common Church Marketing Mistakes to Avoid at All Cost

1. Not Taking Advantage of Passing Traffic

Every day, hundreds or even thousands of people drive or walk past your church. This presents a unique opportunity to get your message across. Advertise upcoming church events or different church programs on your church signage or billboard. You'd be surprised at how many people you can attract with the right message.

Remember that this may be the first impression of your church for many people driving by, and your signage should make a good impression. When people should see an organized and welcoming church, chances are they will drop by someday.

2. Displaying Fake-Looking Photos on Your Social Media and Website

The image you send to the world should be the true representation of your church. People on the internet today have a knack for telling what looks real and what is not. Similarly, anyone would feel cheated if they discover photos on your church website or social media were only meant to attract them.

When people find out they have been lied to, they lose trust and may not want anything to do with your church. However, if they find what they saw on your website matches what they find, a sense of trust is developed.

3. Failing to Collect Emails from Your Guests

Though many may consider this an old-generation digital marketing tool, emails are still a great marketing channel. New and existing members need constant updates on the activities of the church, programs announcements, newsletters, as well as sermon series.

And what a better way to get this information to them than through what everyone has; an email. 

Nothing would make a guest feel more welcome to your church than getting a “Thank you for visiting us” email from you. This makes them feel valued, and they will definitely come back again.

4. Having an Old Website with Nothing Relevant

Your website is what people see globally. An old website with outdated information passes a negative message to your online prospects and is a big marketing mistake you should not make.

In the current digital era, your website should:

• Have recent and relevant information about your church
• Have a fast loading time and be interactive
• Be mobile-friendly 
• Have quality photos, videos, as well as sermons  

5. Not Taking Advantage of Facebook Ads

Just like a website, a Facebook page has now become an essential tool in today's marketing. It's equally important for a church to have one. Here people can follow your live services or read your posts. Facebooks Ads are, therefore, a great way to increase your reach and share of the Facebook audience.

Through them, your message, whether in the form of short videos or infographics can reach a wide audience than ever before.

6. Failure to Have a Plan for When Visitors Come

A forward-thinking church should have a hospitality department that takes care of all new visitors. In most cases, the visitors' decision of whether they'll be returning to your church is largely influenced by how they are treated on the first day.

The team handling visitors plays a very important role in the growth of the church. They should therefore be adequately trained and prepared to make your visitors feel welcome and comfortable. For example, have a guest register and even some takeaway gifts for your visitors. Don't forget to send them that welcome email later.

7. Not Promoting a New Sermon Series

Promoting an upcoming sermon creates a sense of anticipation in your members, and they will plan to attend that particular service. It also allows the audience to invite someone else whom they think may need to hear the sermon. Moreover, promoting a sermon beforehand is a sign of order and shows the preparedness of the speaker.

8. Neglecting Your SEO

If you want to find or know about something today, you search for the item or product on the internet. It's what everyone does. As a church, simply having a website is not enough. You must make sure that your website appears among the top search results for relevant local keywords.  

You, therefore, cannot afford to ignore SEO. Optimize your website and social media for local searches. You want to make sure that when one searches “churches near me,” your church appears on their top search result.

9. Not Having Testimonials on Your Site

People tend to believe what other people say about a certain product or company. This also applies to your church. If they cannot find testimonials on your website, they wouldn't know what to think of you. Therefore, have testimonies of transformation on your site, whether in the form of short stories, quotes, or videos. This will motivate others to come to see for themselves.

10. Having Smartphone Tech and Not Taking Advantage of it

Most of the people in the church have smartphones. You can take advantage of this to drive member engagement. For example, you can have different WhatsApp groups for different groups in the church. This can help you target your messaging to formats that each group resonates best with.

For instance, your youth would appreciate some religious memes and short animated videos.

11. Not Targeting Your Messages

This is one of the most common marketing mistakes churches make. Effective marketing requires that you send the appropriate message, to the appropriate audience, in the appropriate format, and through the appropriate channels. Ask yourself who's message is this? Is it for the youth, married couples, or the adults in your congregation? Then find the best way and the best format to pass that message across.

We Can Help

If you need some help with your church marketing strategies, you have come to the right place. At Vital Solutions, we have affordable and data-backed strategies and a results-oriented team of professionals to take your church marketing to the next level. Contact us today to learn more. We're happy to help. 

Filed Under: Marketing by Industry