Helping your church or ministry share the good news in ways that get attention and invite response from the people you want to reach

Think like a Missionary Imagine you are a missionary in a foreign country to an Unreached people group who has never heard the gospel. The people don’t speak your language; have different culture traditions, theological backgrounds, technology, and other elements that make it a new environment for you. What would be your first order of business as a new arriving missionary?

Imagine you are a missionary in a foreign country to an Unreached people group who has never heard the gospel.

The people don’t speak your language; have different culture traditions, theological backgrounds, technology, and other elements that make it a new environment for you.

What would be your first order of business as a new arriving missionary?

The Value of Research Not “Unspiritual” Moses sent out spies (Numbers 13:1-2, 17-20) Jesus with Samaritan Woman (John 4) Paul (Acts 17, Col. 4:5)

Not “Unspiritual”

Moses sent out spies (Numbers 13:1-2, 17-20)

Jesus with Samaritan Woman (John 4)

Paul (Acts 17, Col. 4:5)

Do your homework! Just as a missionary begins working in a new mission field with learning, you must begin your ministry the same way. You must know the people you want to reach. You must become the expert on the people you want to reach. “ Know the people ” means you need to identify the specific target audience you are intending to reach.

Just as a missionary begins working in a new mission field with learning, you must begin your ministry the same way.

You must know the people you want to reach. You must become the expert on the people you want to reach.

“ Know the people ” means you need to identify the specific target audience you are intending to reach.

Short Cuts or Short Circuits? Many try to find short-cuts in this process Reading books Visiting successful ministries in other states. Caution: If you only rely on these books and ministries it can become dangerous Books and other ministries can’t tell you enough about the needs of the specific people you want to reach. You need to “ write the book ” on your target audience

Many try to find short-cuts in this process

Reading books

Visiting successful ministries in other states.

Caution: If you only rely on these books and ministries it can become dangerous

Books and other ministries can’t tell you enough about the needs of the specific people you want to reach.

You need to “ write the book ” on your target audience

Two kinds of Information you need about your people Primary Information (original research) Secondary Information (research developed by others)

Primary Information (original research)

Secondary Information (research developed by others)

Secondary Research

Using Research to Define Your Target Look at Your Church Look at Your Community

Look at Your Church

Look at Your Community

Demographics Median age Population by Age Household size Education Median Income Population distribution by Income Housing type Median housing cost Occupation Population by ethnicity

Median age

Population by Age

Household size

Education

Median Income

Population distribution by Income

Housing type

Median housing cost

Occupation

Population by ethnicity

Into Segments Broken down Total Market Step 1 Step 3 P1 P7 P3 P8 P5 P6 P2 P3 P8 P8 P2 P1 P7 P3 P8 P5 P6 P2 P3 P8 P2 P1 P7 P4 P8 P5 P6 P2 P3 P2 1 2 3 Segment “ 2” Step 2 Targeting Total population Individuals Meaningful Segments People Segment Steps in Segmentation

Where to look Denominational offices Government Offices (Chamber of commerce, economic development, small business development offices) Libraries (public and universities) Organizations (charities, advocacy groups) Companies (banks, real estate agencies) Periodicals (newspapers, magazines, newsletters) Internet sources (use the ones that are more official) Professional research organizations ( Clairitas, Scan US, Nielson, Gallup, Local companies)

Denominational offices

Government Offices (Chamber of commerce, economic development, small business development offices)

Libraries (public and universities)

Organizations (charities, advocacy groups)

Companies (banks, real estate agencies)

Periodicals (newspapers, magazines, newsletters)

Internet sources (use the ones that are more official)

Professional research organizations ( Clairitas, Scan US, Nielson, Gallup, Local companies)

A few terms Demographics: Who are the people? information classified by sex, age, race, income, etc Geographics: Where do the people live? State, city, region, urban, rural, Psychographics: How do the people live? Their lifestyle, attitudes, values and shared cultural experiences of the members of the community Religious Statistics: How many of the people are already actively involved in a church?

Demographics: Who are the people? information classified by sex, age, race, income, etc

Geographics: Where do the people live? State, city, region, urban, rural,

Psychographics: How do the people live? Their lifestyle, attitudes, values and shared cultural experiences of the members of the community

Religious Statistics: How many of the people are already actively involved in a church?

Have you reached your target? If you reach your target, the people on the inside of your church will look demographically like the people in your target audience outside your church. If your church is different, you are not reaching your community.

If you reach your target, the people on the inside of your church will look demographically like the people in your target audience outside your church.

If your church is different, you are not reaching your community.

Primary Research

Why do you need primary research? Not everything you need to know is available in research done by others Much of the secondary information that is available is too general to put to good use. You need more refined information. What is true in church growth and ministry planning books might not be true in your area There could be unique opportunities you are missing because you are unaware of the needs

Not everything you need to know is available in research done by others

Much of the secondary information that is available is too general to put to good use. You need more refined information.

What is true in church growth and ministry planning books might not be true in your area

There could be unique opportunities you are missing because you are unaware of the needs

Research Going to Pot?

Two types of research: Quantitative Quantitative: Useful where numeric projections are needed. For example: 75% of the parents of preschoolers prefer to attend the late worship service. 88% of the parents say security in the preschool program is unsatisfactory. Quantitative research tools. Surveys (web, mail, phone)

Quantitative:

Useful where numeric projections are needed.

For example:

75% of the parents of preschoolers prefer to attend the late worship service.

88% of the parents say security in the preschool program is unsatisfactory.

Quantitative research tools.

Surveys (web, mail, phone)

Survey Sampling "The purpose of a sample survey is to obtain information from a few respondents in order to describe the characteristics of hundreds, thousands, even millions. The sample is selected in such a way that is represents the entire population ; that is, observations from the sample can be generalized to the larger group".

"The purpose of a sample survey is to obtain information from a few respondents in order to describe the characteristics of hundreds, thousands, even millions.

The sample is selected in such a way that is represents the entire population ; that is, observations from the sample can be generalized to the larger group".

Calculating Sample Size +/- 3% +/- 5% +/- 10%

Qualitative: Useful for exploring topics, testing ideas Can not be projected to whole group Qualitative research tools Focus groups In-depth interviews Intentional Observation Two types of research: Qualitative

Qualitative:

Useful for exploring topics, testing ideas

Can not be projected to whole group

Qualitative research tools

Focus groups

In-depth interviews

Intentional Observation

All Surveys are Wrong It’s up to you to manage error! Four Types of Survey Error Sample Error: Use Scientific Methods Question Error: Write good Questions Response Error: Get “Enough” Respondents Reporting Error: Proper Calculations and Projections Look at the Amazingly Bad Survey!

It’s up to you to manage error!

Four Types of Survey Error

Sample Error: Use Scientific Methods

Question Error: Write good Questions

Response Error: Get “Enough” Respondents

Reporting Error: Proper Calculations and Projections

Look at the Amazingly Bad Survey!

Some things you can learn in surveys. What People Are What People Do What People Know What People Believe What do People Like

What People Are

What People Do

What People Know

What People Believe

What do People Like

6 Ways to Get Primary Research Have more intentional listening when you talk to people in your target audience both inside and outside the church. Have regular marketing focu s groups. Gather 6-10 people in the audience into discussion groups Build in feedback loops into every event or activity Conduct print and online surveys Talk about the feedback in your programming and planning Allow for complaints and talk about them with your ministry team (Your critic is not your enemy!)

Have more intentional listening when you talk to people in your target audience both inside and outside the church.

Have regular marketing focu s groups. Gather 6-10 people in the audience into discussion groups

Build in feedback loops into every event or activity

Conduct print and online surveys

Talk about the feedback in your programming and planning

Allow for complaints and talk about them with your ministry team (Your critic is not your enemy!)

Great Ministry Marketers Use Original Research Two examples Bill Hybels “Unchurched Harry and Mary” Rick Warren “Saddleback Sam” Each “wrote the book” on their people. They became experts on the people they wanted to reach. They did not stop when they had a bunch of secondary information. They both conducted original research.

Two examples

Bill Hybels “Unchurched Harry and Mary”

Rick Warren “Saddleback Sam”

Bill Hybels’ Questions Do you actively attend a local church? Why not? What is it that makes it difficult for you to attend? If such a church existed that was not like this, would you be interested in attending? If we start such a church, may we call you?

Do you actively attend a local church?

Why not? What is it that makes it difficult for you to attend?

If such a church existed that was not like this, would you be interested in attending?

If we start such a church, may we call you?

Rick Warren’s Questions Are you an active member of a local church? What is the greatest need in Saddleback Valley? Why do you think most people don’t attend church? If you were looking for a church, what kinds of things would you be looking for? What advice would you give to me a Pastor of a new church? What could I do for you?

Are you an active member of a local church?

What is the greatest need in Saddleback Valley?

Why do you think most people don’t attend church?

If you were looking for a church, what kinds of things would you be looking for?

What advice would you give to me a Pastor of a new church?

What could I do for you?

Create a profile sketch of your target audience Start a filing system to organize the information you gather about your target audience Consider conducting primary research to inform your ministry planning and outreach communications Your own marketing playbook Marketing Playbook

Create a profile sketch of your target audience

Start a filing system to organize the information you gather about your target audience

Consider conducting primary research to inform your ministry planning and outreach communications