Church Marketing Plan Step Three: Strategy

Now that Your Marketing Plan Team has:

• Completed Step 1: Values & Vision and has identified your church’s:
  • Values
  • Demographics
  • Vision
  • Key Messaging/Elevator Statement
• Completed Step 2: Perception & Needs and has identified:
  • Perception
  • Needs

It’s time to take the third step to focus on strategy. This step will help your Marketing Team:

• Set the direction and narrow the scope of your marketing resources so you can connect who you are (Values & Vision) with the people you want to reach (Target Audience).
• Defines what you want to accomplish within a designated amount of time.

Step 3: What's Involved

Homework

• Homework 1: Strategy & S.W.O.T.
• Homework 2: Target Audience
• Homework 3: Strategic Objectives
• Homework 4: Goals
• Homework 5: Resources

Action Steps

• Action Step: Strategy Retreat

Marketing Plan Deliverables

• S.W.O.T.
• Target Audience
• Strategic Objective
• Goals
• Resources

What will I learn?
During this step, your team will conduct a S.W.O.T. analysis to help you develop your MARKETING PLAN strategy based on your church's:

• Strengths
• Weaknesses
• Opportunities
• Threats

Reading through this section and reflecting on work conducted so far will help you:

• Keep the vision fresh so you can point the Strategy toward it.
• Draw conclusions from previous steps' findings so you can contribute toward and help determine your MARKETING PLAN Strategy.
• Prepare you for the Strategy Retreat by helping you understand:
• What a S.W.O.T. analysis is and how it works toward your Strategy.
• What a Target Audience is and why your church needs to identify its primary target audience.
• What are your Strategic Objectives.
• What Goals are and how your church can define success.
• How to focus Resources so they support the Strategy.
  

How long will it take?
One to two hours (longer if you choose to do further study).

 

Download worksheets Homework 1: Strategy & S.W.O.T
Homework 2: Target Audience
Homework 3: Strategic Objectives
Homework 4: Goals
Homework 5: Resources

Who?
Marketing Plan Team members will participate in a Strategy Retreat.

How long will it take?
Planning: Two to three weeks.

Retreat: Three to four hours.

Why?
During this step, your team will come back together for a Strategy Retreat where you will conduct a S.W.O.T. analysis. This process helps you develop your strategy based on your church's:

• Strengths
• Weaknesses
• Opportunities
• Threats

What will I Accomplish?
From that process, you will determine your MARKETING PLAN’S:

Target Audience:

• Who are the people you will focus your primary marketing toward?

Strategic Objective:

• What is something your church will do to connect with your Target Audience in a way that brings them into a new relationship with your church?

Goals:

What do you want your MARKETING PLAN strategy to accomplish? How will you know if you are successful?

Resources:

• What resources (financial, human, facilities) do you have available? How do you prioritize resources to accomplish your goals.
  
  

Download worksheetAction Step: Strategy Retreat

Additional Reading & Resources:

• Making the Best of a "Situation"
• Who Is My Church's Target Audience and Where Do I Find Them?
• TAG's Transforming Church Resources
•  Purpose Driven Church
•  Less Clutter, Less Noise

Download Step Three

•  Strategy: Choosing The Right Destination Will Make All the Difference
• Church Marketing Plan Worksheet - Complete Document
  • Word Format
  • PDF Format