Скачать или смотреть Old School vs. New School Church Marketing | Jason and Bart

Old School vs. New School Church Marketing

In this episode of the Missional Marketing Podcast, hosts Jason Hamrock (CEO) and Bart Blair (Brand Director) explore the tension between traditional and digital marketing approaches for churches. Drawing from questions in the Church Communications Facebook group, they offer practical wisdom on integrating both old-school methods and new digital strategies for maximum effectiveness.

Episode Overview
As churches move past Easter and into summer planning, Jason and Bart tackle three key questions about balancing traditional marketing methods with digital strategies. Throughout the episode, they emphasize that successful church marketing isn't about choosing between old and new approaches, but strategically combining them.

Traditional vs. Digital: The Direct Mail Debate
The Question: "Is direct mail still relevant, or should we focus entirely on Google reviews and digital ads?"
Key Insights:
Direct mail remains valuable when integrated into a comprehensive strategy
Avoid ineffective mass mailings in favor of targeted neighborhood campaigns
The most effective approach combines:
Identifying church members already living in target areas
Targeted direct mail to specific neighborhoods
Coordinated digital ads to the same geographic areas
Mobilizing existing members as neighborhood ambassadors
Digital campaigns offer superior analytics and tracking
Traditional methods ensure physical delivery to specific households
The winning strategy isn't old vs. new but leveraging both approaches strategically

Building a Volunteer Communications Team
The Question: "How can we recruit and retain volunteers for communications roles like photography, videography, and design?"

Strategic Approaches:
Create professional job descriptions that outline expectations clearly
Empower volunteers with proper access and recognition as part of the team
Provide essential tools, training, and ongoing support
Regularly celebrate contributions and avoid volunteer burnout
Consider using AI tools to help develop position descriptions
Start with photography roles before moving to more complex video positions
Develop clear standard operating procedures for each communications role
Remember poor volunteer management can lead to losing both the volunteer and the church member

Connecting with Visitors: Beyond Traditional Methods
The Question: "How do we get visitors to share their information without sounding desperate?"
Balancing Traditional and Digital Connection Points:
Create low-barrier digital connection options like text-to-connect systems
Design purpose-driven requests rather than generic information collection
Implement strategic first steps like "Pizza with the Pastor" as low-commitment entry points
Use children's ministry check-in as a natural information collection opportunity
Consider having everyone complete connection cards to normalize the process
Recognize some visitors will choose anonymity regardless of your approach
Frame information requests around how you can serve them, not how they can help your metrics

Finding Your Marketing Balance
The hosts conclude that the most effective church marketing doesn't pit traditional methods against digital strategies but finds the right mix for each unique context. The key is developing a comprehensive strategy that leverages both old-school reliability and new-school analytics to effectively reach people where they are.

Additional Resources:
Church Communications Facebook Group
Previous podcast episodes on volunteer management:
Straight Talk About Church Volunteers | Mary Ann Sibley
   • Straight Talk About Church Volunteers | Ma...  
Building a Strong Volunteer Team for Your Church | Dan Reiland
   • Building a Strong Volunteer Team for Your ...  
The Volunteer Playbook for Churches | Nick Blevins
   • The Volunteer Playbook for Churches | Nick...  
Episode with Ben Stapley on church photography strategies
   • Telling Your Church's Visual Story | Ben S...