ATLANTA -- Effective church advertising avoids church rhetoric and focuses on a ministry's strengths, according to a North American Mission Board (NAMB) church advertising specialist.
Non-Christians are more attracted to an appeal to the need for stronger families or connecting with God than an ad touting "sound biblical teaching," NAMB's Vince Garrett said, according to the Baptist Press.
Garrett's tips came during a workshop conference at NAMB's May 20-24 regional conference for pastors, missionaries and other NAMB partners. Garrett suggested churches:
- Develop specific ad campaigns to run for shorter time periods;
- Avoid using words such as "fellowship" or "saved," since they might not be understood by those who are unchurched;
- Focus on what the church is doing well rather than what the church wants to do in the future;
- Highlight benefits about relationships and Bible knowledge a family will receive rather than a particular program, such as Sunday school;
- Reinforce the same message through multiple exposures in a variety of media or advertising outlets.
More information on church advertising is available through the NAMB's Church Advertising Resources Web site, according to the Baptist Press.
