Marketing the Faith by Telling Our Stories
My friend Marc Cardaronella has an excellent post over at his blog on the need for better “sales and marketing” in the Church. He writes In my experience, people need to hear the benefits of Catholicism to be attracted to it. And, they need to hear how it worked and is working in our own lives. Most people are attracted to something through other people. You’re not lying when you tell people the great benefits you receive from being Catholic. You’re not trying to mislead people when you describe the peace that comes from faithfully following Church teaching. They may not...
Read MoreThe New Evangelization – Press Release Edition
Last week the mayor of our town committed suicide. Implicated in tax evasion and apparently unable to account for thousands of dollars from an estate he administered years ago, he was found at his home after failing to appear for a court hearing. This post is not about any of that. Following the news our new ordinary, Bishop Thomas John Paprocki, issued a press release expressing his condolences and offering prayers for the mayor and his family. Three days later he issued a press release explaining why, even though the mayor had committed suicide, he was still to be given a Christian...
Read MoreBook Review: Branding Faith
“Marketing” is a bad word in church circles. It implies manipulation, impure intentions and other chicanery. This is not without reason; corporate marketing has become a science, with companies spending millions of dollars to understand the psychological and sociological impact of advertising. Many Christians, understandably, believe it would be unseemly — if not sinful — to employ modern marketing techniques on behalf of the Church. Phil Cooke‘s 2008 book, Branding Faith: Why Some Churches and Nonprofits Impact Culture and Others Don’t, seeks to change...
Read MoreWhat Business Are You In? Part 1
This weekend I listened to an interview with Roy Spence, author of It’s Not What You Sell, It’s What You Stand For. Spence is a marketing and communications expert and was part of the team that came up with the slogan “Don’t Mess with Texas.” The slogan came about when Bob Linear, who was the chairmen of the Texas Highway Commission, asked why they were increasing the budget for litter removal instead of working to reduce litter. Spence’s company pitched the slogan (which, due to its macho tone, was somewhat controversial) to the Highway Commission as part...
Read MoreSharing Your Faith in 3 Easy Steps
Last year I had the opportunity to listen to Fr. Martin Pable, OFM Cap, talk about how Catholics can reach out to their family, friends and others in order to share their faith. His approach, which he calls “relational evangelism,” consists of three parts: Listen with respect to the stories that other people share with you. This could be your cousin who has fallen away from the Church, a co-worker with a broken relationship, or even a stranger in the doctor’s waiting room. By listening you enter into a relationship with the person and demonstrate your concern and...
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