How to Create Your Church’s Brand
A brand is the consistent communication of your church’s vision throughout all forms of media and actions.
When you create a brand for your church, it makes your vision tangible. An awareness is created that can speak to and appeal to all the senses.
A brand supports your vision; it expresses and communicates the vision by making it visual, touchable, and audible. Quality branding adds value to your ministry because it makes the vision unique and memorable.
A brand expresses your approach; it showcases what you’re passionate about and what drives you as a ministry. It allows you to focus on and draw in a certain audience.
Visual identity is a large part of brand
Out of all the senses, sight provides the most information. Images are remembered and recognized, which triggers association. Through repeated exposure, you become memorable.
Your identity includes the visual elements of a brand: logo, colors, fonts, etc. It is a major part of the entire brand which goes beyond the visual elements.
In a nutshell, a brand identity expresses who you are graphically. You must decide your message internally, then create your visuals elements to share it with the world.
What is your vision?
Your brand is directly related to your vision. Without vision, you will have no direction. Without direction, you will be misguided and essentially without purpose. Branding is largely about sending a clear message. You want to send a message that expresses your vision and shows what matters to you.
Before taking any creative steps, you must establish what defines you. Give people something to get behind, something they want to be a part of. When they are convinced that your ministry is worth investing in, they will get behind your vision and support you as you push toward your goals for the future.
Who are you called to reach?
While reaching the entire world would be the ultimate accomplishment, it is not realistic. People want to be engaged uniquely. A message designed for your chosen outreach is much more effective. A campaign cannot be successful without a target audience.
Familiarity is created through understanding. When you speak someone’s language, better the chances are of you forming and cultivating a relationship.
It works the same way with your chosen community. A language tailored to them connects you with them, and speaks to them through each touchpoint of your brand.
Example of an effective brand: Disney World
Disney World’s slogan is “The happiest place on Earth.” In the book Creating Magic, Lee Cockerel writes about the 4 points of the Disney World brand which allows them to be the happiest place on Earth for millions of people each year.
- Make them feel special
- Treat them as an individual
- Respect them no matter where they are from
- Have your people well trained
These points are a vital part of the Disney World brand and serves to focus all team members on what is important. All decisions can be made in light of these values. They go far beyond graphics and media and into the culture of the organization.
Churches can do the same things when they are able to identify their brand. They too can reach their audience with a consistent message.
Please offer your perspective on the following question:
What have you done in the past that worked to reach your target audience?
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