Engaging Your Community with Electronic Communication
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Engaging Your Community with Electronic Communication
description
Is your church looking to increase contribution levels? Are you asking your current members to donate a little bit more to help with your financial crisis? Perhaps there is a better way. This presentation focuses on Electronic Communication to grow your church, to build your community and ultimately enable the church to increase contribution levels. We examine using your website as a marketing tool to attract new members. Once someone sits in your pews, using Social Networking tools to Engage them. Helping them be a part of your community and willing to contribute their time, talent and treasure. Finally we examine ways to make it easy for your newly engaged member to support the church financially.
Transcript of Engaging Your Community with Electronic Communication
Engaging Your Community with Electronic Communication
Today’s Agenda
I. Welcome and introductions
II. Stewardship is not a dirty word
III. Attracting new members
IV. Break
V. Engaging your current members
VI. Results of having an engaged church
Stewardship is not a dirty word
What if your members were…• 13 times more likely to have invited someone to attend
mass at your church in the past month?• Were 3 times as satisfied with their lives?• Spent more than 2 hours per week serving and helping
others in their community?• Tripled their giving to their church?• The key…
ENGAGEMENT
How to grow an engaged church?• Attract New Members
– You don’t get a second chance at a first impression– Building and grounds– Welcoming environment– Website
• Engaging Current Members– How easy is it for a new member to know what service
opportunities are needed?– Who do they contact?– Who can answer their questions?
Attracting New Members
Building a GREAT Church website
Website Axiom• In Real Estate its “location, location, location”• On the Internet, we had one axiom, but may be
developing a second:
It’s all about conversation!
Why You Need a Good Website
• The next generation of parishioners are growing up online. Simple. End of Discussion.
• Internet searches are far more common than Yellow Pages searches.
• Your website is your online marketing tool.• If you don’t do it, others will try: masstimes.org,
parishesonline.com, SeekAndFind.com, TheCatholicDirectory.com
Creating a Good Website
• Pick a Content Management System (CMS) that is simple to use.
• Put someone in charge of it. You have a bulletin editor, do you have a website editor?
• Keep the content fresh• Start small…just a few pages and then grow from there
Why You Need a GREAT Website
• The Internet is moving from a marketing and informational tool to an Engagement tool.
• Not only is the next generation of parishioners growing up online, they’re more comfortable engaging there too!
• Your website is your online marketing tool but can also be a parishioner engagement tool. Our goal is to drive engagement online and into Mass.
Creating a GREAT Website• Start with…
– Your Parish Mission and Vision…these will guide you – A theme…does your church already have a logo? Taglines?
Color standards? Standard fonts?
• Hire a professional or a volunteer, but make sure they’re up to the task– Unfortunately, well intentioned volunteers are the number one
cause of outdated and abandoned websites
• Design first, then build and then test…they’re all equally important
• Don’t forget to launch…have a goal and stick to it
Things on a Church’s Home Page
What not to do• Attempt more than you can handle…start with a plan or
start small• Blogging, Facebook, Twitter? Yes, but only if you’re
committed• Pictures of people? Yes, absolutely,
but only with their permission• Flash? Use it sparingly. Remember
it doesn’t work on some mobile devices• No Pop-ups and no special effects• Music, Hit Counters and Busy Backgrounds
Need a new website? WeConnect
Let’s take a break
Engaging New Members
Social Media and the Church
What is the oldest social network?
What is the oldest social network?
Religion
What is a Social Network?
Social Networking is not new, but digital social networking is changing the
way we communicate.
“The new technologies are not only changing the way we communicate, but communication itself, so much so that it could be said that we are living through a period of vast cultural transformation. This means of spreading information and knowledge is giving birth to a new way of learning and thinking, with unprecedented opportunities for establishing relationships and building fellowship.”
Message Of His Holiness Pope Benedict XVIFor the 45th World Day of CommunicationsJune 5, 2011
The Internet is Now Leading the Way
The Next Generation of Parishioners is Growing Up Online
Adapting and embracing this change is the challenge the church is facing.
The church must adapt to the new communication styles or be left behind.
How does the church take advantage of the new digital communication tools?
The Challenge is Engagement(not technology)
1. Plan to meet your parishioners where they are already gathering: online.
2. Find the right people who know the technology and can earn your trust.
3. In the end, it will save you time and free up staff for more meaningful ministry.
.
Invite membersto join
(give them the key)
They receive access to your “lobby” and general membership group.
Mom’s Group(anyone can
join)
FestivalPlanning
Group(ask to join)
FinanceGroup
(by invitationOnly)
Online Donations
• LPi’s online donation solution• Members set up their own accounts, online• Weekly, semi-monthly, monthly, quarterly or one-time
donations• Donations deposited in your account twice per week• Set up multiple funds:
– General– Building– Special Events
WeShare Fees & Costs• No start up fee • Month-to-month agreement• Monthly Fee $29/mo**• LPi’s transaction fee = 1.5% + $.75
– Credit card pass through fee = 2.25%
• Incidental and rare fees– NSF = $4– Stop Payment = $4– Chargeback = $5
Parishioner Activation Program• Custom Posters • Custom Flyers• Custom Post Cards• Brochures for New Parishioner Handbooks• Bulletin and Pulpit Announcements• Bulletin Advertisements (for LPi print customers only)• Engagement Manager
– Training & Set Up– Best Practices and Ideas– Assistance with custom materials
Thank you!
Mike StoneInternet Product Manager [email protected]
Debbie FarinaRegional Marketing Representative [email protected]
