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Using Social Media to Inspire Evangelism . Janis Greenbaum Pam Evans October 6, 2012. Agenda:. Church communications 101 Social media 101 Best practices Q&A Closing prayer. Church Communications 101
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Using Social Media to Inspire Evangelism Janis Greenbaum Pam Evans October 6, 2012
Agenda: Church communications 101 Social media 101 Best practices Q&A Closing prayer
Church Communications 101 It's how we spread the gospel, disciple believers, and connect the disconnected in relationships with God and each other. We tell, shout, herald, preach, and evangelize the world. We communicate. - Brandon Cox, Three Layers of a Total Church Communications Strategy
Why we communicate: INVITE: to get people inside your church doors or attend a church-sponsored activity INFORM: to help people understand what is happening INCLUDE: to grow in faith, people need to be included in more than Sunday morning INSTRUCT: intentional training offers opportunities to grow spiritually INSPIRE: reaching out, taking action to share your passion - Five Steps to Effective Church Communications, by YvonPrehn
Three layers of church communications: • from Three Layers of a Total Church Communications Strategy, by Brandon Cox1. Communication among the leadership STAFF MEMBERS to LAY LEADERS - crucial for day-to-day operation of church - meet the needs of the people - get the right information to the right people at the right time - sort out the big signals from the smaller matters - starts with the Rector; vision spreads among leaders
Three layers of church communications: • from Three Layers of a Total Church Communications Strategy, by Brandon Cox2. Communication between the pulpit and the pew CHURCH LEADERSHIP to CONGREGATION - passing along information; getting attention - giving a voice to ideas - setting priorities for business of the church and for spiritual growth
Three layers of church communications: - from Three Layers of a Total Church Communications Strategy, by Brandon Cox3. Communication as outreach THE CHURCH to OUR COMMUNITY - letting the community know about our service ministries - inviting the community - fulfilling the Great Commission: "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of 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 28:18-20)
Ways we communicate: 1. word of mouth 2. print 3. online 4. advertising 5. inter-office forms 6. property/signage 7. Prayer 8. more…
Social Media 101 How to get started and maintain a vibrant conversation
The voice of “one” helps reach “many” • Social media makes it easy to “act” like a “big” church • website is “bridge” to networking + facebook + twitter + foursquare + Pinterest + Tumblr + Vimeo + Storify, etc.
Other tools: • Pinterest • Strong following among women but men joining too • Personal and professional interests create “new” friends • It’s easy to add “spirituality” and “religion” as a board
Next steps to magnify your voice: • Try “sharing” from your website • Link to page • Link to page • Get people to or • Partner congregants with teens/young adults/or the tech savvy • One-on-one’s workshop • Benefit = get social media tools working faster
Let the Good News be heard! • Limited only by our creativity and networks • We can help each other
Best Practices "Effective communications has less to do with sending the right message, and everything to do with releasing the right response. To release the right response with anyone, you've got to take time to figure out what makes your message worth their time; figure out how it relates to their world." - Kem Meyer, Granger Community Church
Best Practices "For every piece of communication, before you do anything else, determine the goal. Do whatever you need to do to gain clarity about the desired outcome and keep it in front of you during the entire creation process." - Lori Bailey, Life Church
Best Practices "If your goal in church communication -- whether you're designing a bulletin or launching a social media campaign – is something other than serving people, stop and start over." - Scott McClellan, Echo Conference
General Principles for Good Communications: • Seek consistency with branding and themes.episcopalchurch.org/page/episcopal-church-style-guide • Language, photography and layouts should be simple, approachable, authentic and welcoming. • Avoid jargon, "church-speak" and clutter. • Share stories, rather than facts and figures. People learn through storytelling. • Encourage word-of-mouth, both face-to-face and online. • Do not be afraid to revel in our history and tradition. • Do not be afraid to try something new.
Good Storytelling Techniques: • Always answer who, what, when, where, why, how. • Assume you are writing for someone who has never heard of your church or anything you are talking about. • Be concise and clear. • Use and upper case "T" for The Episcopal Church; don't use "The National Church” • Avoid acronyms... or at least give a first reference (ECW / Episcopal Church Women) • Pictures should be clear and active... show faces! • Identify people in pictures (first names only for children under 18)
Closing Prayer: Almighty God, you proclaim your truth in every age by many voices: Direct, in our time, we pray, those who speak where many listen and write what many read; that they may do their part in making the heart of this people wise, its mind sound and its will righteous, to the honor of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
