By Josh Roberie

Is church branding for you? Your brand is more than a logo and a motto. It is what people think about your church before they ever visit.  It can seem that church branding is not for everyone. It is more businesslike than it is spiritual. Branding is also more than just a little intimidating when considering how much secular organizations spend on marketing. Did you know anywhere from 50% to 150% of a movie’s budget is spent on Marketing?

Here are five things to consider if you are wondering if creating a church brand is for you.

1. You Don’t Care About Your Church’s Reputation.

You have a brand whether you want one or not and whether you think branding is important or not, because your brand is your reputation. It is what will be known about you before people get the chance to know you in person. 

What comes into your mind when you think of Starbucks, Mercedes-Benz, or Apple? Now consider this for yourself: When people hear of my church, I want them to think and feel _________. That is the brand you are trying to build.

If you care about what people think about your church and what they experience when they interact with your ministry, then you should be intentional about your church’s brand.

2. You Do Not Mind Getting Off Mission.

Having a solid brand for your church is a daily reminder of your ministry’s mission. The idea of a church brand is about holding yourself accountable to your mission and values. Before you can do that, you have to have a clear vision, mission, and values. Your brand only re-enforces these things.

If you, as the pastor, cannot easily state what the vision and mission of your church is, then how can you expect others on your team or in your membership to be able to communicate what your church is about?

Your church branding should be vision-based, stand out, and be created with outsiders in mind. Having a church brand is not about trying to be better than anyone else or forgetting the Great Commission. It is a way to clearly communicate what your role is in your city to outsiders and see the Great Commission fulfilled.

3. You Think People Should Come to You Without You Going to Them.

Your church brand is one way you can meet people where they are, before expecting them to change and believe what you believe. If you expect new people to value what you do before they experience the life change found in Christ, then church branding is not for you. 

One way branding helps you lead people into an eternal decision is by speaking to people’s felt needs in your messaging. Doing this earns the opportunity to deliver the truth of God’s word through the church’s ministries and events. 

Simply put, marketing is the exchange of goods and services. On Sundays, you are asking people to exchange their time to receive the service of your worship experience. We know the value of our “product” is eternal, but how can we help people make this exchange who don’t yet value its result? This is done by meeting them where they are, connecting with what is important to them, and then introducing them to God’s Presence and truth.

4. Your Will Not Deliver on Your Promises.

A consistent brand is not just making a promise in an advertisement. It is delivering on that promise with an experience. This means you have to plan for the advertising as well as the experience side of church marketing.

To invite someone to hear an “incredible message” and “powerful worship” and not deliver on that expectation breaks a promise with guests and hurts your brand (reputation). Branding is not just about logos but delivering on what you tell people to expect. You want people to like, not only what they see in your promotion, but what they feel in your worship gatherings. That way, they tell others about how much they love your church.

If you think it is important that every guest at your church has a great experience and that you do not over promise and under deliver, then you should think about what your church gatherings are communicating about your brand.

5. You Do Not Think Excellence is Important.

Anytime you invite someone to church, or ask your member to do the same, you are “promoting” your church. If you are going to promote your church then why would you not want to be as intentional as possible and use all of the tools available to reach the most people with the best invite?

It may feel unspiritual to worry about your church’s brand, but aren’t there lots of non-spiritual parts of running a ministry? We do these other things with excellence because we know how they help the ministry fulfill its mission. Churchs should not be known for second-class experiences and cheesy advertisements. We serve THE Creator and should lead the way in creativity and innovation.

If you believe excellence communicates how much you value your people and the significance of what you are offering them, then you should plan to create a brand that delivers a consistent message to all who come in contact with your ministry.

Church branding can seem unspiritual but it can lead to spiritual results. Make your branding about the people you will reach instead of about your church. It’s not enough to let people know you want them to come to church. You will also need to let them know clearly, concisely, and convincingly how your church will help them in their life. 

Did you know Deka offers social media services that will help with your branding? Click here to schedule a complimentary coaching consultation to see how we can help your church’s social media presence today.

Josh is a ministry leader, communicator, and creative who helps train and coach church planters at the Association of Related Churches (ARC). He has written Believe Again: Finding Faith After Losing Religion and has contributed to many ministry publications, including Relevant Magazine. You can stay connected to Josh through his blog JoshRoberie.com and Social Media at @JoshRoberie.