Church Marketing Sucks

Joining a church communications Facebook Group can be a great way to learn new things, get practical tips and tools from church comms experts, network (and commiserate) with fellow ministry leaders, and be on the cutting edge of the latest trends in technology.

It can also be overwhelming. In order not to get swallowed by the posts, comments, and sometimes unsolicited advice, here are a few tips to help you make the most of your Facebook Groups.

1. Know Your Why: Simon Sinek’s famous phase is famous because it really works. Make sure you know why you are joining a group. Is it just to get free stuff? To meet other communicators? To receive feedback and advice? It’s important to know this before joining any group.
2. Join The ‘Right’ Groups: Once you know why you want to join groups (and it’s OK to have different purposes for different groups) read the pinned post or the ‘about’ section of each group you plan to join. Who runs it? What is their focus? Will that group meet your needs?
3. Introduce Yourself: After joining a group, be sure to introduce yourself. Make sure you tell what your role is, your experience, and what you hope to get out of the group and/or what you plan to contribute.
4. Be a Part of the Conversation: Start reading recent posts and responding, even if it’s just with a ‘like,’ to every post you can. It doesn’t have to be a complicated comment, just a simple, “I’ll be praying for you.” or “Thanks for sharing this great idea.”
5. Post Something: Once you have “met” a few people in the group, post something. Ask a question, share an idea, post a GIF, just something to get the conversation started.
6. Consider the Source: If you have decided to ask for the opinions of people in the group, that is great! That’s what groups are for, in part. That said, remember to manage your expectations. Some church communicators in groups are from large churches, they may have a degree in marketing or graphic design. If you ask for advice or critique, be prepared for such.
7. Be Specific: This one ties into the last tip. Be clear about what you need. If you want to share a graphic that you are proud of as a means of celebration for your achievement of learning something new, that is also a great idea. It just might encourage someone else. That said, it is important to tell your fellow group members why you are posting: “I just learned how to use Canva and created this graphic all by myself! Not asking for critique, just celebrating!” Other times you might need to vent about a work issue but you don’t necessarily want advice. Be sure to let people know! That will help you get the feedback you need.
8. Be the Group Member You Want to Have: Be encouraging, give constructive feedback, engage with other people’s posts, be as active as you can. The more of a presence you have in the group, the more you will get out of it. You will learn new things, make new friends (yes, real friendships can happen in Facebook Groups), you might even get some free stuff! Remember to be yourself and be honest, open, and willing to engage with other members.

I hope these eight tips help you to find community and become a better church communicator this year.

What Group Should I Join?

We’ve covered how to get the most out of Facebook Group, but what group should you actually join? There are a lot of them out there—and some can feel overwhelmingly large. We keep a running list of online groups on our local meetups page (that’s another good way to connect with fellow communicators). We also offer our own members-only Facebook group for Courageous Storytellers—join Courageous Storytellers to get access.