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Slide 1: Issue 1 :: Volume 1 HEYCOACH! m i n i s t r y m a r ke t i n g THE EZINE Don’t Make these Marketing Mistakes! What is a Ministry Six Ways Marketing I can help Coach? You Tackle Featuring: Your Chris Forbes, MMC Marketing • Bio • Portfolio Problems • Articles • Contact

Slide 2: Issue 1 :: Volume 1 BIO :: PORTFOLIO :: ARTICLES :: CONTACT HEYCOACH! Bio :: Chris Forbes Ministry Marketing Coach Chris Forbes has developed and implemented International Languages Spoken: ways to use media in ministry since 1989. He has Spanish and French worked all around the world with pastors, church planters, missionaries, denominational leaders Interests: and Christian organizations of all types, helping Current events, historical documentaries, comedy and twangy music them to develop and deliver effective communication. Professional Resume: Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma, Oklahoma City, OK (Since 2002) Through his Ministry Marketing Coach™ s Church Planting Media Strategist Seminar, Chris introduces his popular s Internet Evangelism Strategist "Surprisingly Simple" marketing concepts. These s Marketing Communications Consulting no-nonsense fundamentals were conceived while he served in real ministry situations as an international missionary, International Mission Board, Richmond, Virginia (1996-2002) strategy leader, media strategist, and marketplace researcher. He has a s Missions Advocacy and Mobilization Communications vision for helping your church or ministry share the Good News in ways that s Global Media Strategist get attention and invite response from the people you want to reach. s Global Research Reporting s Western Europe Ministry Marketing Trainer Personal Information s Strategy Coordinator Alto-Aragonese People of Spain Faith: Southwest Chinese Baptist Church, Houston, Texas (1993-1996) Accepted Christ and baptized South Lindsey Baptist Church, Oklahoma City s English language Associate Pastor 1972. Called to Preach 1987. Ordained and Licensed to preach by First s City-wide Asian Youth Ministries Baptist Church Edmond, Oklahoma 1992 Commissioned as an International Missionary Woodstock, Georgia, 1996 First Baptist Church Edmond, Oklahoma (1989-1993) s Ministry to Collegiate and Adult Internationals Family: s Media Production for International Ministry Married to Angela since 1990 three daughters; s Offset Printing for FBC Hannah (born 1993) Sarah (born 1995) Rebekah (born 1998) Education: Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary (MDivBL.) and University of Central Oklahoma (BS) 2

Slide 3: Issue 1 :: Volume 1 BIO :: PORTFOLIO :: ARTICLES :: CONTACT HEYCOACH! Portfolio Equipping Churches with Websites Postmodern Young Adult Market Penetration Customer Satisfaction & Product Development Research Marketing Project Management Re-positioning a Ministry Brand Helping People Make the Connextion Integrated Communications 3

Slide 4: Issue 1 :: Volume 1 BIO :: PORTFOLIO :: ARTICLES :: CONTACT HEYCOACH! Equipping Churches with Websites www.okbaptist.com I developed and marketed a customized product concept that helped more than 118 churches and ministries affiliated with the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma (BGCO) establish a quality online presence in less than 8 months. The resource also helps the BGCO accomplish its objectives by syndicating communication and evangelistic content to all the websites in the system. Churches who use the websites claim they are now getting new people in their doors and have experienced better responses from their other promotional tools since they can include a website address in their marketing materials. 4

Slide 5: Issue 1 :: Volume 1 BIO :: PORTFOLIO :: ARTICLES :: CONTACT HEYCOACH! Postmodern Young Adult Market Penetration www.VitaNovis.com VitaNovis means life for novices, in Latin. This evangelistic project was developed to penetrate the global target market of 18-35 year old postmodern people. The website, branding concepts and integrated marketing promotional strategy I developed were used in seven countries and 14 states to reach the target audience. New ministries were launched, the segment of people was reached and new ministries started resulting from using the VitaNovis project. The site is now a part of the North American Mission Board's Evangelism department. 5

Slide 6: Issue 1 :: Volume 1 BIO :: PORTFOLIO :: ARTICLES :: CONTACT HEYCOACH! Customer Satisfaction & Product Development Research I helped the world's largest denominational missionary sending organization, the International Mission Board (IMB), learn more about what their supporters and missionaries need and want in video products, magazines, and promotional tools for fund raising and missions awareness. I designed a research strategy, conducted surveys, moderated focus groups in professional research facilities, and executed environmental scanning and other research approaches to get the needed information. The IMB was able to adapt their communication products to better serve their supporters and missionary mobilizers. 6

Slide 7: Issue 1 :: Volume 1 BIO :: PORTFOLIO :: ARTICLES :: CONTACT HEYCOACH! Marketing Project Management I assist ministries in developing integrated marketing plans and professional promotional collateral. I develop concepts, write copy, collaborate with graphics artists, web designers, etc to get good resources produced. Helping ministries put their best foot forward is one of my favorite things to do. 7

Slide 8: Issue 1 :: Volume 1 BIO :: PORTFOLIO :: ARTICLES :: CONTACT HEYCOACH! Re-positioning a Ministry Brand Church planting has not been widely perceived as urgent to Baptist Churches in Oklahoma. However, this perception does not match the needs for new churches in the state if Baptists expect to keep pace with population and cultural changes. To help change perceptions, I developed an integrated communication plan for the Church Planting Group of the BGCO. Promotional brochures, an interactive CD-Rom, advertisements, public relations, multimedia presentation, and outreach were developed into an integrated plan. Branding Church Planting into an awareness program called "Each One, Plant One," caused a steady flow of prospective church planters to contact the BGCO about church planting information. Perceptions about church planting have begun to change, and the Church Planting Group's marketing materials helped the Church Planting Group get national attention from other church planting states. 8

Slide 9: Issue 1 :: Volume 1 BIO :: PORTFOLIO :: ARTICLES :: CONTACT HEYCOACH! Helping People Make the Connextion www.okconnextion.com One project that I worked on took the ministry objectives from church planting and turned them up to maximize impact. I was able to work together with the team in developing the product concepts and not just the marketing promotion materials and plan. The results were a more integrated resource that is being developed into a turn-key operation that could easily be replicated anywhere in the world. I used simplicity in design to help the ministry mobilize into a church planting prospecting organization. 9

Slide 10: Issue 1 :: Volume 1 BIO :: PORTFOLIO :: ARTICLES :: CONTACT HEYCOACH! Integrated Communications www.mostimportantthing.org Working with state evangelism leaders, I developed a plan to re-launch this evangelistic website with a new look and new locally-focused strategy for Oklahoma. In addition to new functions added to give more appeal to the site, I developed an integrated marketing plan that brings visitors to the site through traditional and Internet media channels. The strategy increased traffic by 150%, doubled the amount of time people stayed on the site, tripled the number of testimonies in the databases, and yielded new evangelistic contacts and decisions. In addition, I worked to leverage the website development into an expanded ministry that can help other ministries replicate these successes for 10% of the original development cost. 10

Slide 11: Issue 1 :: Volume 1 BIO :: PORTFOLIO :: ARTICLES :: CONTACT HEYCOACH! Articles Don't Make These Marketing Mistakes! What Is A Ministry Marketing Coach? Six Ways I Can Help You. 11

Slide 12: Issue 1 :: Volume 1 BIO :: PORTFOLIO :: ARTICLES :: CONTACT HEYCOACH! Six Ways I Can Help Your Ministry by Chris Forbes Ministry marketing is my passion! My enthusiasm for developing ministry 4. Media Production and Creative Development communications began in 1987 while working as a cross-cultural ministry leader. Let me help you develop promotional material that is marketing savvy and I became fascinated by the communication process and how media and professionally designed. I can help you develop logos, brochures, websites, video, communications might be developed to help people spiritually. and display ads-anything you need. I can do it all because I have developed a strategic network of partnerships with media production professionals that Ever since then, I have been developing a growing awareness and skill in ministry enable me to save you a lot of money! marketing communications. I find great joy in creatively working to touch people's lives with God's word. Over the years, God has given me opportunities to Besides that, you won't need to know any of the media production jargon or develop ministry marketing solutions that have reached people from every handle any technical things. You'll be able to focus on the ministry and follow-up region of the world. I have loved using my communication experiences to help on the people you are trying to reach. Don't make the mistake of using a graphics ministry leaders, pastors, church planters, missionaries, denominational leaders, artist as your only marketing director. Frankly, most graphic artists are not and Christian organizations all over the planet. There are six ways I'd love to help marketers. You need someone who can help them accomplish your goals and you! keep your big picture in mind. 1. Training Seminars 5. Market Research The Ministry Marketing Coach™ Seminar can help you learn to develop and deliver Everybody does research to find out what people need and what will work in effective marketing communication that will get the word out, get attention, and marketing and promotions. Don't believe me? It's true by default. Some people invite response from the people you want to reach. Our surprisingly simple just don't realize it because they launch out with a neat idea and a prayer. Then, if communication strategy training can help you learn to break through the clutter the ministry idea flops or flies they learn if it works or not. That's a backward so you can start building relationships with the people you want to reach. research approach. 2. Coaching I prefer to learn as much as I can before I spend all the money and time on You don't need generic cookie cutter materials from Christian marketing catalogs. promotional tools and ideas that won't work. It may seem costly to test new ideas, You may be surprised to learn that you already have within you what you need to conduct surveys, focus groups, interviews, etc. But research actually saves money know to make sound marketing decisions. If you haven't been making them now, by reducing wasted expenditures. Besides money, research helps save time. It it's because you haven't developed the marketing mind-set and don't practice usually takes a long time to realize and admit that a "great" idea is not so great sound marketing disciplines. I will help you develop and deliver your own after all. marketing communications through marketing coaching. 6. Advertising Design and Media Strategy 3. Project Management Let me work with you to develop your promotion and advertising strategy. I'll When I take on a project to manage, I stay on task until the ministry gets the handle the scheduling details and relate to the advertising sales people for you as results they are after. I work hard to understand the ministry objectives and your agent. Many times I can negotiate savings or little extras that will stretch suggest ways to make them happen. Many times I am able to help add the extra your marketing budget. I can also help you stay away from advertising in media angle that takes the ministry to the next level. Being in ministry since 1989, I can you don't need. Let me help you match media to the people you want to reach. integrate the minister's needs with sound marketing discipline. 12

Slide 13: Issue 1 :: Volume 1 BIO :: PORTFOLIO :: ARTICLES :: CONTACT HEYCOACH! Don't Make These Marketing Mistakes! by Chris Forbes In our message-cluttered world, marketing can make or break a ministry. You Not Learning Needs of the People You Want To Reach want to get the word out about your ministry or church, but how can you grab After you have an audience in mind, it is time to learn as much as you can about people's attention? Sadly, ministers too often use marketing and communication them, what are they like? What do they read, listen to and watch? How can they media in ways that actually frustrate the communication process. Look below at be reached with the message? This is the area where research will help you what are the most common marketing mistakes ministers and missionaries make. tremendously. But it is not enough to just gather a little demographic information Have you done any of the following? and stick it in a file somewhere! You need to develop a sense of openness and strive to become an expert on the people you want to reach. Making assumptions Thinking Ministry Marketing is Worldly about them won't do. Marketing for ministry sounds like a crass thing to some people. After all, people think ministry is about spirituality and marketing is about making a fast buck, right? Are you an expert on the people you want to reach yet? There are many ways to Actually, marketing is just a discipline people use to plan communications. True, it is learn-surveys, focus groups, and interviews are a few good ways. You can even a business discipline-but that doesn't make it evil. Think of the many disciplines learn a lot just walking around the area where your people live. churches use now that came from the business world: time management, Not Connecting Your Ministry Communication to the People's Needs budgeting, mission statements, policies, etc. These days there is a lot of help in the area of communication. You can buy all What makes a business discipline Christian or worldly is the way it is used. kinds of things to help you look more professional. Some companies even sell Marketing can be used either for good or for bad. Yes, ungodly people do prepackaged promotional materials that seem to be money savers. Others ungodly things with marketing. But don't they also handle their finances in produce graphics themselves in house. It seems these days that everyone with ungodly ways too? Haven't you ever met a person in the ministry that was poor at the software and a few stock images considers themselves a marketing expert. managing their time-even abusive of it? Marketing is what you make of it-it is But did you know it is possible to design media that actually drives away the neither good nor bad. people you want to reach? How can you avoid this? Find or produce media that Not Targeting an Audience matches the lifestyle and felt needs of the people you want to reach. Better still, Ministers want to reach everybody, so they are naturally resistant toward work with a Marketing Coach and develop customized materials within the identifying a target audience in their marketing. After all, didn't Paul say he was context of a well thought out marketing plan that lets your strengths shine "all things to all men"? He did say that, but he never tried to be all things to all through and touches your people's real felt needs. It is not as expensive as you men-- all at the same time! might think! It is true the gospel message is for everybody-but not everybody thinks and acts CONTINUED :: CLICK HERE the same way. Not everyone reads the same things, listens to the same radio stations, and watches the same shows on TV. For communication planning, ministers need to think about audiences. Who are you trying to reach with that print ad? What should the tone of the radio spot be like? Youthful? Serious? Long? Short? There is a lot to think about there. Also, it only makes sense to zero in on a specific audience for your media because you can't afford to be everywhere! 13

Slide 14: Issue 1 :: Volume 1 BIO :: PORTFOLIO :: ARTICLES :: CONTACT HEYCOACH! Don't Make These Marketing Mistakes! by Chris Forbes CONTINUED FROM PAGE 13 Not Matching Media Channels to the Target Audience Not Following Up On Your Communication This is the stage where you follow-up on the people you reach through your This one is related to the issue of not connecting to ministry needs. Sometimes we media. It always surprises me when people are more motivated to develop slick produce media simply because we think we need to. We have no carefully new media than they are about following up on the list of names from responses thought out plan for the media, we just thought it would be good to have some of people attracted by the new media. Build in the personal follow-up! materials on hand. That wordy brochure that you use on visitation night-goes unused when the target audience really doesn't like to read. Sure it would be When you do, find out how they found out about you, be sure to get feedback. good to have a website, but do the people in your audience have Internet? You Then at some point in the year when you are making next year's plan you can want to place an advertisement in the newspaper-which one does the audience evaluate your media. Besides the lack of concern for following up on people, it read? seems almost nobody follows-up to see if the marketing is doing the job or not. What would you learn if you evaluated your current marketing? You might find Not Having a Communication Plan that the website is a waste of your time. Or you might find that you need to pour A big issue for ministries that use media is to have a plan. Companies who more money into the radio spots, etc. advertise have to do a lot of planning before they launch an advertising campaign or a sales emphasis. When you get to around making your own media, you will How Did You Do? need to make sure you have a plan so you can evaluate if the media is getting the These are a few of the most common marketing mistakes ministers make. How job done. Did the ads work? Do people use the website enough for your ministry did you rate? If you would like help, consider contacting me about ministry to justify how much time is spend on keeping it updated? Setting goals for your marketing coaching. I would love to help you get to know the people you want to media with objectives and clear strategies will take you to the next level of reach better, learn their needs and link them to ministry in your church. I can help reaching your community. you match media to your audiences and help you develop a media plan that will get results you can follow-up on. You can also use your communication plan for recruiting people to help you in your marketing, or for making assignments on your staff. You will need to use the document when planning your budget. How much will you need for ads next year? How much for the brochure? A master plan for your media will be a big help for you when you present the annual budget to the finance committee. 14

Slide 15: Issue 1 :: Volume 1 BIO :: PORTFOLIO :: ARTICLES :: CONTACT HEYCOACH! What is a Marketing Coach? by Chris Forbes So what is Marketing Coach anyway? A Marketing Coach is a marketing Marketing planning will help you focus your communication efforts on the communications generalist, who works with ministries to develop and deliver understanding you have of the people you want to reach. You will answer effective marketing. Marketing Coaches are skilled in marketing and advertising. questions that will help you gain insight into mapping out a communication plan. They deal in six major areas of marketing communications: marketplace research, Who are you? What is your ministry focus? How do people perceive you? What marketing planning, promotions and advertising, public relations, production needs to change? Where are you going? Where should you start? What media management and training. Let's look at each one. might serve you best? Market Research We use the acronym G.O.S.P.A. to show what a marketing plan will include: Ministers usually agree that some research is an important part of planning. Goals s Research can lead to greater understanding of the people who may be reached Objectives s with the gospel. But many ministries are not aware of the full potential research Strategies s can give to communication planning. A marketing coach works as a consultant Plans s with them in maximizing the use of secondary research such as census data, Actions s professional demographic sources, media ratings etc. A Marketing Coach can also A Marketing Coach is equipped to help you connect your ministry's help with primary research like surveys, focus groups and field-testing new ideas. communication media to the needs of the people you want to reach. You'll get Research can provide your ministry with useful information about the people you your plans on paper so you can carry out an integrated plan. want to reach. What are they like, really? How do they make decisions? What are their attitudes toward you and/or your message? How much do they really know Advertising and Promotions about you? A Marketing Coach can help you learn to plan and conduct research. Once you have your marketing objectives and plans set, a Marketing Coach can Survey Design guide you in ways that will help you share the good news (G.O.S.P.A.). The s Focus Groups Marketing Coach helps you review your objectives in light of the media you will s s Secondary Research need to accomplish your plans. You will no doubt have a limited budget for your s Reporting and Analysis communications and you will want to make the most of the investment you place Look to a marketing coach to help you in knowing your target audience better in marketplace communications. and learning the needs of the people you want to reach. A Marketing Coach is familiar with the somewhat technical aspects of Marketing Planning communication through advertising. Issues of audience, penetration, reach, and Until recently, ministers have been reluctant to use the word "marketing" when frequency are not taught in seminary. Your Marketing Coach can help you in talking about ministry, because the term conjures up negative images of matching media channels to the target audience and getting better response manipulation and hucksterism. But many are ready to realize that marketing is results. just a discipline people use to plan communications. It can be used for good, if the CONTINUED :: CLICK HERE people are good who use it. Marketing and communication planning is just working to do what it takes to reach more people than you can reach all alone. How big is the vision God has given you? 15

Slide 16: Issue 1 :: Volume 1 BIO :: PORTFOLIO :: ARTICLES :: CONTACT HEYCOACH! What is a Marketing Coach? by Chris Forbes CONTINUED FROM PAGE 15 Your media plan may include a combination of many forms of media. Production Management Marketing Coaches can help you with media production and placement. They Printed materials (brochures, cards, flyers, etc) s usually have a network of media specialists who help them develop marketing Broadcast media (radio, television, satellite, cable, etc) s resources. Media specialists are usually not trained in marketing and media Internet (websites, email newsletters, etc) s strategy. They know more about website development, videography, printing, Multimedia presentations (CD Rom, DVDs, etc) s etc. They are production oriented. Production people usually don't have the Event promotions (Fairs, conventions, revivals, etc) s communication big picture in mind when dealing with ministries. A Marketing Telephone (Surveys, promotions, etc) s Coach works to integrate all your media into a plan that helps you gain more One-to-one (Visitation, canvassing, surveys, etc) s impact. They can help you move away from mere production and into community A Marketing Coach can help you develop and deliver better communications awareness and branding. through media by helping you develop a communication plan. He can also advise Marketing Training you on media buying issues. A good Marketing Coach doesn't just produce materials and plans, he/she also Public Relations trains ministers and members in how to use the materials and plans he helps Marketing Coaches are not publicity specialists who write all your press releases, develop. That way everyone gets the maximum benefit of the ministry marketing. etc. You may not need to have a PR specialist. But you will need to communicate with the local press of your town if you are doing public ministry. Marketing Coach can help you develop a media relations plan and help you learn the habit of writing press releases for your events. There is a great resource of free advertising in the news media, provided you know the way to relate your message. A Marketing Coach can also help you avoid common mistakes in public relations. 16

Slide 17: Issue 1 :: Volume 1 BIO :: PORTFOLIO :: ARTICLES :: CONTACT HEYCOACH! Contact Information Chris Forbes 2401 Red Elm Court Edmond, Oklahoma 73013 Tel: (405) 570-4566 Email: chris@ministrymarketingcoach.com Web: www.MinistryMarketingCoach.com 17