10 Things You Should Know About People

February 10, 2006 by

Kem Meyer, a sometimes guest blogger here and communications director at Granger Community Church in South Bend, Ind., recently shared a list of lessons she’d learned about how to better communicate. In the process she learned a lesson herself in how not to communicate such a list.

10 Things You Should Know About People If You Want Them To Hear What You’re Saying

1. People don’t care about the church database.

2. People aren’t motivated by your need. They’re motivated by theirs.

3. People don’t care about their next step until they know they’re valued where they are now.

4. People don’t know who you are, no matter how long you’ve been around the church.

5. People multi-task and can’t remember squat.

6. People are turned off by lack of preparation.

7. People relate when you talk about them or people like them.

8. People feel left out and frustrated when you use insider’s language.

9. People aren’t impressed with your theological vocabulary and holy dialect.

10. People love stories not lectures.

[and the bonus item…]

11. People shut down when your message sounds like a scolding.

Post By:

Kevin D. Hendricks


When Kevin isn't busy as the editor of Church Marketing Sucks, he runs his own writing and editing company, Monkey Outta Nowhere. Kevin has been blogging since 1998, runs the hyperlocal site West St. Paul Reader, and has published several books, including 137 Books in One Year: How to Fall in Love With Reading, The Stephanies and all of our church communication books.
Read more posts by | Want to write for us?

2 Responses to “10 Things You Should Know About People”

  • Chasing the Wind
    February 11, 2006

    10 Things You Should Know

    This is great entry by Kim Meyer : 10 Things You Should Know About People … if you want them to hear what you’re saying. [Via]…


     | Permalink
  • Michael Box
    February 13, 2006

    Great list. I especially relate to numbers 2 and 3. When will the Church realize that people want to be needed and cared for?


     | Permalink

POST CATEGORIES:
Think Ahead