pic By The Library of Congress

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If the magician failed to keep track of the correct cup, or has no strategy in place, the trick loses not only its effectiveness, but also makes them appear inexperienced.

How often is marketing approached this way?  We put our brand or messaging in one medium, slosh it around a couple times, then pull the lid off hoping it ended up where we expected.  Slapping a website online, throwing out mind-numbing tweets/updates into cyberspace and printing out mailers/handouts until the cartridges shrivel are perfect examples of spotty marketing.

Taking the time to actually write out goals, create measurements and weed out the ineffective methods could be the difference of success vs. failure for marketing.  In fact, maybe there doesn’t even need to be any major changes. Maybe…all that is needed is a bit of rearranging.  Or…maybe adding another person to the team could help…who knows, maybe they are much better at tracking the ball while you move the cups around.

The point is, you’ll never find that perfect sweet spot until all your mediums align.  Your website should promote your social media. Your social media should support your website. Your print should support your website. Your print should support your social media. Your website should support… you get the picture.

Keeping your logo, your brand and your campaigns the same across all channels will increase brand awareness, while re-enforcing who you are to not only your audience, but your staff as well.  Besides, we’ve all heard before that it takes several encounters with your brand for it to start registering to your audience.

Once you’ve mastered the marketing channels you are currently on, you can look to add new ones into the mix. This will keep it new and exciting for you and the team.   Until then, only hold as many cups as you can handle.

What’s absolutely wonderful about goal setting, strategizing and adding members to your team is the amazing feeling of accomplishment when the prize is attained.

Not only to you get to gloat about winning, you also get to go drop your ball off the second floor to see how high it will go (and who doesn’t want to do that?).

Today we take step one by looking at what branding means. Over the next few weeks on The Q, we will break down all the pieces of a brand.

pic by Todd Klassy

Choose who you will advertise to based on age, gender, city, state, country, interests, connections and friends. This sort of targeting allows you to really hone in on your audience.

The Cost Per Click method of advertising allows you to decide what your monthly budget is and work from there. With the robust analytics, you can start out small and grow and adjust your campaign and demographics accordingly.

Here are the steps to create an advertising campaign on Facebook.

1. Create a new Advertising Campaign: http://www.facebook.com/ads/create/

2. Upload Destination URL (church web address or dedicated campaign landing page)

3. Enter Title and Body

4. Upload Campaign Image or Logo

5. Select your Location and Target Demographic

6. Type in an Interest (this serves as a keyword to narrow your audience)

7. Select your Campaign Daily Budget

8. Set your Cost Per Click Max Bid estimate (it is suggested to fall in the between the suggested high and low bid for your audience, otherwise your ads may not be viewed)

One important thing to consider is where you will point your user click throughs. Some choose to lead them to the homepage of the website, while others choose to create a dedicated landing page. In advertising, generally a custom landing page is created to send all campaign traffic to. This allows you to more highly control the desired action of your user. With a landing page, you can reduce the number of click “options” on the page, forcing them to pick from one or two actions. For example, a homepage gives you the option to select from multiple main navigation items as well as various other graphic navigation buttons.

But, a landing page can offer a reduced number of selections such as “Sign up for a small group today” or “Email the pastor today to learn more about Main Street Church”. Removing the options makes it easier for your goal to be understood and met by the user.

With over 500 million users on Facebook, there is no question that our culture finds it relevant to their lives. Now we just have to decide how we can best use it to build the Kingdom together. Have further questions about advertising on Facebook? Let us know. We’d be happy to help.

1. Anchor your online strategy. A website should act as the main hub of activity, offering information and interactivity across multiple tools and features.  All of your additional online outlets should merely be an extension…taking advantage of the core competencies of social networks.  While you can utilize YouTube for online sermons, Flickr for event photos and Facebook/Twitter to inspire and connect, you’ll want one central place to have all of these intersect.  Otherwise, how will a visitor ever really know who you are? Just like a consumer searching for information about a hotel before booking a reservation, if they can’t easily find all the information about your church right away, chances are less likely that they will attend.
2. Search Engine Optimization. With search engines being one of the number one ways a visitor will come across your church website, it is imperative that you are empowered with the best SEO (search engine optimization) possible.  A website will give you more power and potential to get your church at the top of the search list.  With several pages to include text, optimized images and metatags, your website is going to be what drives your church to the top of those engines.
3. More flexibility. While customizing a Facebook fan page is possible (in fact we offer this service), there are many restrictions that will keep your page from presenting exactly who you are.  There is no co-branding with a faithHighway website…only custom design built around your unique vision to reach your community.  However, utilizing a Facebook fan page only, you’ll be stuck with that Facebook-ish look forever.
4. Legitimacy of brand. As mentioned before, we highly value social media activity for all organizations. It is a great way to connect with visitors and members throughout the work week. However, if this is the only online presence, the general public may question the “legitimacy” of the organization.  Everyone knows a quality website is an investment of both time and money.  Just about anyone can setup a fan page.  To show the quality of your brand, a website is key.

Photo By: Ethan Bloch

This package through faithHighway can help you get the word out for your fresh new start.

Along with the purchase of a new custom website, you receive a FREE TV Commercial PLUS an Easter Vinyl Banner.  This ensures that your new vision for 2011 receives the attention necessary to excite your members and staff.

With one of the highest attended Sundays (Easter) right around the corner, you can be sure that your community knows that your church is ready and waiting for them when they decide to seek spiritual answers.

Receive a free consultation today. Simply call 877.703.2484 or visit us here.

Check out some of the various identity pieces faithHighway can design for you:

Custom Logo

Business Card

Giving Envelope

Letterhead

If you are interested in incorporating faithHighway’s Identity Package into your marketing strategy, contact us today!

Choose who you will advertise to based on age, gender, city, state, country, interests, connections and friends. This sort of targeting allows you to really hone in on your audience.

The Cost Per Click method of advertising allows you to decide what your monthly budget is and work from there.  With the robust analytics, you can start out small and grow and adjust your campaign and demographics accordingly.

Here are the steps to create an advertising campaign on Facebook.

1.       Create a new Advertising Campaign: http://www.facebook.com/ads/create/

2.       Upload Destination URL (church web address or dedicated campaign landing page)

3.       Enter Title and Body

4.       Upload Campaign Image or Logo

5.       Select your Location and Target Demographic

6.       Type in an Interest (this serves as a keyword to narrow your audience)

7.       Select your Campaign Daily Budget

8.       Set your Cost Per Click Max Bid estimate (it is suggested to fall in the between the suggested high and low bid for your audience, otherwise your ads may not be viewed)

One important thing to consider is where you will point your user click throughs.  Some choose to lead them to the homepage of the website, while others choose to create a dedicated landing page.  In advertising, generally a custom landing page is created to send all campaign traffic to. This allows you to more highly control the desired action of your user.  With a landing page, you can reduce the number of click “options” on the page, forcing them to pick from one or two actions. For example, a homepage gives you the option to select from multiple main navigation items as well as various other graphic navigation buttons.

But, a landing page can offer a reduced number of selections such as “Sign up for a small group today” or “Email the pastor today to learn more about Main Street Church”.  Removing the options makes it easier for your goal to be understood and met by the user.

With over 500 million users on Facebook, there is no question that our culture finds it relevant to their lives.  Now we just have to decide how we can best use it to build the Kingdom together.  Have further questions about advertising on Facebook? Let us know. We’d be happy to help.