Launching A Ministry Isn’t Just About The Digital “Stuff”
In our efforts to be digital, we often forget the importance of being analog…
Over the years, our team at Cooke Media Group has coached and consulted with a number of what I would call “emerging ministries.” These are church plants, ministry, and nonprofit organizations that are just starting out or launching, and are desperate to get on the radar of potential donors, members, and the general public.
In most of these cases, they rightly want to focus on their website, social media presence, online giving, blogs, and other digital platforms, thinking that’s the best way to reach people.
To an extent, that’s correct. But in that effort, they often forget the importance of being analog.
With small churches, ministries, and nonprofits, the first thing is to activate people, not platforms. Certainly, all the digital “stuff” is important, but my advice is:
Surround yourself with a small advisory team. These are people with experience and expertise in areas you don’t have and are happy to donate a few hours a month with advice and counsel. High-level experts are often more than happy to give you their advice at no charge if you’ll just reach out.
Find one or more key donors. This is something you have to do in person. Find one or more people who believe in your vision and are willing to support the early stages of your growth. But you have to get out there and meet and greet. These initial key donors are often willing to become board members and financially partner for the long haul.
Get recommendations from these relationships. The first thing great salespeople do after making a sale is to ask that customer for recommendations or introductions to others who might be interested in his or her product. Those personal recommendations are marketing gold.
Remember – in the early stages of launching a church, ministry, or nonprofit, while digital tools and platforms are important, it’s not just about the “stuff.”
It’s about casting a vision to a small group of potential believers and supporters.
Even in today’s digital world, the old analog methods still matter.
Photo by Edmond Dantès
Phil Cooke, PhD. has been called “one of the most innovative communicators of our generation.” As a media producer, writer, speaker, and consultant, his client list includes major film studios and TV networks as well as major Christian organizations like Voice of the Martyrs, The Museum of the Bible, The Salvation Army, and others. He’s also coached and consulted with many of the most influential churches and nonprofit organizations in the world, helping them use media to tell their story. You can hear his podcast here.
