5 Mistakes Churches/Ministries Make When Working with an Agency
I’ve recently been reading through Branding Faith by Phil Cooke. It’s a great book that makes a lot of valid points about marketing and communication in the church, ministry and nonprofit worlds. Here are some thoughts I’ve pulled from it:
1. Assuming That They Don’t Need the Agency
“Outsourcing” is all the rage in corporate America these days. The big idea is, if it’s not one of your core strengths as a company, church, or organization, let someone who does this professionally do it for you. Mulit-billion dollar companies rely on marketing and advertising agencies for nearly all of their creative needs. It’s the outsiders with “fresh eyes” that can bring a new perspective, and streamline your efficiency. As Andy Stanley says it in his book Next Generation Leader “Upgrade your performance by playing to your strengths and delegating your weaknesses. This one decision will do more to enhance your productivity than anything else you do as a leader.”
2. Not Giving the Agency Access to the Top Person in the Organization
If an agency has been brought in to a church/ministry organization they’re most likely being asked to help identify, clarify, or express the vision and mission of that church/ministry. Typically the vision and mission of a church/ministry are coming from the top down. It’s kind of a no-brainer, but if you’re asking the agency to help spread your message you might want to make sure they’re hearing it from the horse’s mouth.
3. Having “Middle Managers”Criticize the Agency’s Recommendations
This can be a tough one, especially in volunteer churches, but it’s an ugly reality that needs to be faced. Chances are if the church/ministry leadership has brought in an outside agency to solve a certain marketing/communication problem it’s because the in-house “management” team just wasn’t quite up to snuff. One of the biggest ways to limit the creativity and potential success of an agency is constantly micro-manage and meddle with what they are trying to accomplish. Give them some room to breath, and trust that they are here because they want to help you, not hurt your feelings and take your job.
4. Being Afraid the Agency Will Take Over
If you’re working with an agency that’s been around for more than a few years there’s a 99% chance that you’re not their only client. I can’t speak for all designers, but I love what I do, and love the diverse clients and projects I get to work with/on. That being the case, why would I want to take over your entire church/organization? To us at The Plow, there is nothing quite as satisfying as the excitement and sense of ownership our clients have when together we solve the issue we were brought in to take care of. Plus, making pretty pictures on my Mac is way to fun.
5. Only Use the Agency for Short-term Projects
So you mailed out one postcard to 5,000 people and didn’t get the results you want, what’s next? Fire the agency? Traditionally there is a rule in the advertising world of “six to stick.” That is, a person has to see an advertisement or marketing message six times before it ever sticks with them. This is a great way to look at a relationship with an agency. Sure, they can come in do a new logo, fix up the website, make a postcard, etc. But the biggest waves and the most successful outcomes comes from churches/ministry who invest in a relationship with an agency. Get to know them as they get to know you, and together you’ll go big places.
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