A million dollar advertising blitz may work for the corporate giants, but that’s usually a joke in the church. Rather than trying to spend more, churches should be smarter. Jay Conrad Levinson, author of the Guerrilla Marketing series, offers 93 Guerrilla Marketing Tips in a free 48-page PDF.
The ideas are geared for small- and medium-size businesses, but many could work for the church as well.
Tip #12 features a landscape business in Washington that bands together with its competition to promote landscaping in general, rather than fighting to promote one specific company over another. Sounds like a potential strategy for churches (and something we’ve discussed before).
Tip #24 features a flower shop that made up for its poor location by decorating parks and cafes with simple arrangements on sunny days when people would be out. The shop left a card in each arrangement and people took notice. Tip #43 recommends a blood drive as a way to gain attention, business, and help a worthy cause. While our primary motivation for community service shouldn’t be marketing, it is an effective way to make your congregation more visible in the community.