Marketing Strategies for Churches

If “marketing” feels out of place in church, then you may have the wrong connotations with the term. 

Marketing isn’t about sales, and it’s certainly not about manipulation. It’s actually about promoting a specific message to a specific audience. 

If you’re a church leader, then that message is some variation of this: Jesus loves you and wants to save you from your sin. 

Your audience? Most likely everybody. But you may also have a target community or demographic that you’re trying to reach (such as young professionals, a specific neighborhood, or even the homeless population). 

In the following article, we’ll talk about why marketing is critical to the church…and how you can use this approach to achieve your goals and bring others into closer relationship with Jesus. 

What is Marketing for Churches?

Marketing for churches involves promoting the church, its values, and its activities to both existing and potential members through both digital and printed content.

Marketing content for churches might look like:

• An email campaign promoting a specific conference or event (the right church management software can help with this!)
• Printed postcards that direct new church visitors to small groups
• Social media posts that promote your church to non-believers
• An intro video that you use at weekend services
• Informational flyers you can distribute to the community
• A website banner that lets site visitors know who you are and what you’re about

If the idea of creating this kind of content isn’t exciting to you, remember the ultimate goal of your marketing: to bring others to Christ. With this vision in mind, you’re far more likely to feel passionate about creating content and messaging that promote your church!

When churches ignore the power of marketing, they miss out on a simple but powerful opportunity to reach people. But marketing also requires strategy and intentionality. As a church leader, you have limited time and resources–you don’t want to waste time (or money) on efforts that don’t work. 

Here are 7 marketing tips for helping churches to impact others with the message of Jesus. 

7 Marketing Tips for Churches

1. Define your target audience.

Before embarking on any marketing campaign, it is essential to define your target audience. Churches cater to different people with different interests and needs. Identifying your target audience will help you tailor your messages and strategies to suit their needs.

Ultimately, this will impact the way you craft your marketing content–whether that’s your website, social media graphics, or even flyers. In other words, if your target “mission field” is a college campus, then focus on that audience in your marketing efforts by making content fresh and relevant to young people (hiring a young intern or volunteer can help with this step!)

2. Develop a church marketing plan.

Having a marketing plan is crucial to the success of any marketing campaign. A church marketing plan should include the objectives, strategies, tactics, and budget that will be used to achieve your specific goals–whether that’s to spread the word about a conference, to build your small groups, or simply to tell more people about your church.

3. Use social media.

Social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and even TikTok are great tools for promoting churches. Social media allows churches to connect with existing and potential members, share inspirational messages, and promote events. You can also use social media to build a community and engage with members on a regular basis.

4. Leverage email marketing.

Email marketing is another effective tool for promoting your church. You can use email marketing to send newsletters, event invitations, and updates to your members. It is essential to ensure that the emails are personalized and relevant to the recipients to increase the chances of them opening and engaging with the content.

5. Host events.

Events provide a great opportunity for churches to connect with existing and potential members. Consider hosting events such as concerts, fairs, block parties, conferences, free workshops, and community service projects to attract people and showcase your values. Events can also help you build a sense of community and foster relationships among your members.

6. Optimize your website.

Remember that in the 21st century, your website is often the first point of contact with potential members. Before checking out your church in person, visitors will almost always Google you to look at your staff page, About page, sermon series page, and more. 

That being said, it is essential to ensure that your site is user-friendly, visually appealing (invest in a professional photographer!), and informative. The website should also be optimized for search engines to increase its visibility and attract more visitors.

7. Utilize Yelp.

You might think of Yelp as a place to check out new restaurants or look for a new hair stylist, but it’s also become an important hub of information about churches. Don’t overlook the power of your church’s Yelp page to either attract or repel new visitors. Encourage your members to post positive reviews, post professional photos, and respond to comments that are less than positive. Your Yelp page will also include your church website address, location, and phone number.

In summary…

Ultimately, the success of your church is dependent on the power and grace of God–not marketing!

But that doesn’t mean you should ignore marketing as a strategy for reaching potential visitors and members. Without learning to effectively promote your church, you may miss out on reaching entire communities and demographics that would find great blessing and transformation in becoming a part of your church family. 

To sum it up: Identify your target audience, develop a marketing plan, and leverage tools such as social media, email marketing, events, and Yelp to promote the message of Jesus and attract more members. By implementing these tips, you can ultimately reach more people with the Gospel, grow your church family, and connect with people who are broken, lost, and in need of community!