Have you been in a church marketing funk lately? Do you need an extra dose of inspiration?
Here is a list of books, speakers, magazines and online tools that have encouraged me these past months. Take a few minutes to browse this list of recommendations and click on the links to discover more about these varied resources.
- Seth Godin is THE go-to guy for anything marketing these days.
Read Seth’s daily blog. It’s free. It’s quick and easy to read. It’s impactful.
Buy his books:
Tribes — I have the audiobook. It’s very good and helps you understand how people interact in the marketplace.
The Icarus Deception — Bought the audiobook. Kind of a Seth manifesto. Interesting book. Long but worth the read.
Purple Cow — I own this but I’ve not read it yet. I hear it’s tremendous and a must-have for any marketing professional.
- Dave Ramsey has made millions of dollars by packaging, marketing and selling common financial sense.
Download his free podcasts on iTunes, listen to (or watch) his daily radio show. He helps you see everything through the lens of biblical and financial stewardship.
Buy these books:
- I am a huge fan of the Willow Creek Association’s Global Leadership Summit.
Almost any resources you can get your hands on from past Summits, including books written by the speakers, as well as DVDs of past speakers, will help your ministry.
Speakers include:
Liz Wiseman spoke at the Summit this past August and I am very excited to read her book Multipliers. It’s a helpful resource to help you determine your management style and understand the style of others. Are you a multiplier or a diminisher?
I just ordered Bob Goff‘s book, Love Does, and I imagine it’ll influence many blogs to come. This guy spoke at the last Summit and he was very inspiring. This guy has quite a “just do it” approach to sharing the love of Christ.
- Magazines I’ve been reading:
Entrepreneur — Great magazine. I recently purchased a three-year subscription for $18. That’s 36 issues for only $18! It’s like 50 cents each.
Family Handyman — I love this magazine. It’s has nothing to do with church marketing and everything to do with home improvement — making tough projects seem pretty simple for guys like me. They also have a free website that allows you find and catalog helpful tips and articles.
- Online tools and apps:
Buffer — This online tool and app allows me to stockpile Tweets and Facebook posts and it sends them out at designated times throughout the week. It’s been very helpful, especially when I have a busy week.
Marketingprofs.com — A very good online marketing resource. I signed up for free to receive daily emails loaded with tips and articles — many that can apply to church marketing. They have a PRO option, but it costs money. I’m thinking about it — but it’ll take a few more consulting jobs to get there.
- Professional organizations
I imagine many of you belong to religious organizations of some sort — county Baptist association, pastors’ groups, etc. For your church marketing needs, I encourage you to be involved in a local communications/PR/marketing organization called Public Relations Society of America.
I am the president-elect of the Central Texas chapter of PRSA and we offer monthly luncheons with speakers for about $20 per month. If you join the national organization, you have access to free webinars, great articles, networking resources, etc. If you can’t afford the national dues, I encourage you to at least attend the local chapter meetings when possible. You’ll connect with area professionals and glean some great information that you can apply to your church.
Well, I think this is a good start. Enjoy! And feel free to share your experiences or any additional recommendations you might have.
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