1. Know what you are advertising and to whom. Evangelizing persons unaffiliated with the church is a different target than the matter of publicizing service times and liturgical offerings. Determine target audience; note that women often choose churches for a family. Also, to reach the age group of Generation X persons who are unaffiliated with any church, a major national “back-to-school” advertising buy is planned for mid-August through early September 2005.

2. Visit the websites of the Episcopal Media Center and Episcopal Advertising Collaborative. Review resources, and phone Episcopal Media Center, 800.229.3788, for a free, customized consultation.

3. Seek to maximize exposure by coordinating local ad buys with national buys scheduled by the Episcopal Church’s Office of Communication in New York. Identify the target local broadcast and cable channels on which you wish to advertise your congregation, and begin the process of customizing national ads for local use. The Episcopal Media Center can provide broadcast-format tapes at reasonable cost.

4. Work with the Episcopal Media Center and local representatives to achieve maximum impressions within your budget. The price for cable and network advertising varies greatly from market to market, yet some cable advertising options are surprisingly affordable.

5. Be sure to secure a record of when and where broadcast spots were aired under your contract. It is often possible that free time has been included to increase overall impressions. Obtain affidavits as proof of performance, and use to enhance funding.

Tips for advertising in Newspapers
1. Again, know what you are advertising and to whom. Evangelizing persons unaffiliated with the church is a different target than publicizing service times and liturgical offerings. Consider audience; aim for target demographic selected. Sample print ads are available on-line at www.episcopalchurch.org/adcollaborative, or the website of Church Ad Project.

2. Build a budget that permits regular weekly ads, some placed in news or sports sections to reach newcomers, and others to list service times in the newspaper’s weekly religion section.

3. Thematic group ads are available for use across the Episcopal Church for placement at Thanksgiving, Christmastide, Holy Week and Easter. These ads allow individual congregations, regional clusters, or diocesan communities to list individual services at affordable group rates. Visit the websites of the Episcopal Media Center and the Episcopal Advertising Collaborative to review resources, then phone Episcopal Media Center, 800.229.3788, for a free, customized consultation.

Tips for advertising in Spanish-language media (and in other languages)

1. To reach Latinos effectively, choose ads that are culturally competent and not literal translations of text originally written in English. Some idioms or themes may not carry the same meaning in both languages. Again, determine audience, noting that women often choose churches for their families.

2. Broadcast and print ads are available for use across the Episcopal Church. Visit the websites of the Episcopal Media Center and the Episcopal Advertising Collaborative to review resources, then phone the Episcopal Media Center, 800.229.3788, for consultation.

Tips for welcoming visitors and incorporating newcomers

1. Consult and apply Groundwork publication “Welcoming the Visitor: A Guide for Congregations.”

2. Design publicity to refer visitors and seekers to the website ComeandGrow.org; emphasize the theme “The Episcopal Church welcomes you: Come and Grow.”

Overall marketing considerations… from the Episcopal Media Center

1. Strategy: Identify parallel language of theology and marketing, and then develop strategy. Become comfortable with the language of communication.

2. Consistency of Message: Align with internal and external communication. Conduct audit of effectiveness in both areas.

3. Simplicity: In all things, keep it simple. Watch to avoid jargon and code language.

4. Use Experts: Most congregations have untapped talent. If not in the parish, look in the community. Cultivate experts in ad and PR agencies, media buying organizations, etc.

5. Allocate Funds: Give communication its own line item

6. Experiment in a Variety of Media: Determine what works best in your community.

7. Keep at it: Never just “do it for Lent.”

8. Technology: It’s the last question to ask, but too often it’s where we start.

9. Teach Anglicanism: Do it over and over, and especially when you have a critical mass of people present.

10. Get the Rector/Vicar Involved.