Magnifying Your Ministry’s Voice

By Kevin Graham
July 17, 2007

Ministries have the great privilege of championing world-changing and life-saving messages. Chances are good that your ministry’s story is worth hearing. Unfortunately, being “worth hearing” does not necessarily guarantee an audience.

We’ve all heard the stats: people are exposed to three-thousand messages per day.¹ Billboards, emails, podcasts, radio programs (even messages on your morning coffee cup) all vie for a piece of our limited attention. Plain and simple: folks are distracted. Fortunately, “cutting through the clutter” does not necessarily require a bigger budget. What it does require is some hard thinking about how your ministry’s story is packaged and presented to the world. This article will discuss best practices for magnifying your ministry’s voice in an increasingly noisy environment.

Step 1: Build Conviction Internally

The old adage of “think before you speak” says it all. Too often, organizations squander a captive audience because they have not decided ahead of time what it is they’re supposed to be telling them. Before an email is sent, before a newsletter is mailed, and before a receptionist talks to a caller, make sure there is a crystal clear understanding—from the top down—of why you are communicating in the first place. Clear conviction at the core of an organization is a prerequisite for controlling the messages being distributed on the front lines. By way of example, the answer to “Why are we writing a newsletter?” should never be “Because ministries are supposed to write newsletters.”

A few (of the many) questions worth considering as you define your organization’s purpose:

1. What is your organization’s mission/vision? Why do you exist?
2. What are the short and long-term goals of the ministry?
3. What separates you from other ministries? If you went away, what need would go unfulfilled?
4. Who do you serve? What are you dying for them to know about your ministry?

Step 2: Pick Your Voice…and stick to it

These days, there are countless ways that individuals interact with your organization. Every one of these exchanges is an opportunity to reinforce your core purpose. Ensure that all of your communications come from a similar “voice.” Over time, your constituents are more likely to develop a deeper understanding of your work and needs.

No need to reinvent to wheel every time. Remember how hard Step 1 was?…and that was building consensus among the people closest to your organization. The rest of us will need reminders of who you are, why you’re talking to us, and why we should care?

Consider how these “windows” to your organization might better reflect a focused mission to your audience:

• Website content
• Newsletters
• New member welcome/follow-up process
• Website design
• Appeals
• Phone conversation protocol

Step 3: Keep the Conversation Going

Now that you’re getting some attention, keep your audience engaged. The best way to do this is through new content, updated messages, and ongoing conversations.

The consistency we talked about earlier does not mean we have to be a broken record. Instead, think of your communications plan as a wardrobe. Even though a person might have an overall “look,” that does not mean that every shirt is identical. Similarly, different messages at the tactical level can all stem from a singular organization voice…and will go a long way toward keeping your audience engaged.

One of the most challenging places to carry on a conversation is on the web. Many ministries find that changing content/pictures/etc. requires substantial effort. However, since so many existing and new members connect to ministries through the web, your web site is a prime candidate for routine content updates. Fortunately, today’s technology options include editable content management systems that make it easy for non-technical staffers to update sites with your latest news and accomplishments.

For more about our approach to effective communication, contact us.

¹“Data Smog, Surviving the Information Glut.” Author David Shenk
Learn more or purchase on Amazon.com