Have you ever heard the saying “Junk In, Junk Out”? If this saying applies to anything, it applies to data and databases.
Output from congregational databases can include membership numbers, small group members, contacts and mailing lists, financial reports, and people outside your church whom you have touched in some way. How you collect and store your data will have a direct impact on the information you draw from your database.
“Ok, Google . . . How do I effectively engage volunteers in social media ministry?”
1.3 million results.
“Hmm. Ok, Google . . . Can I please talk to a real person that has already been down this road?”
If you’re diving into a new role in church communications, you’re already well-versed in the power of Google. But you may have also noticed that Google doesn’t always get context right. It also doesn’t provide validated concepts—you don’t know what information is coming from gurus or real-world practitioners.
If you’re reading this, I probably don’t have to tell you that communication is vital, especially for your church staff and ministry teams.
That’s why you’re here—you care about your message and how you share it. One of the greatest influences on how a congregation’s message is shared comes from how the church staff or ministry team communicates with one another.
If I don’t write down that I have to do something, I will immediately forget it. No joke. Whether it’s homework assignments, work duties, or personal chores, if it doesn’t get written down, it doesn’t get done.
I have, as some people call it, an unhealthy obsession with Microsoft Excel. I get excited about anything that allows me to be more efficient. With Excel, I keep finding new and better ways to do just that.
While much of Excel revolves around numbers (all right, most of Excel revolves around numbers), there are some pretty fantastic formulas and functions that allow you to quickly manipulate text. So even if you are more focused on Bible studies and mail merges than income statements, Excel can help you.
Sending out announcements, updates, and newsletters via email can be nothing short of frustrating with typical email host (Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo!, etc.). It’s difficult to quickly send information to large groups of people because these hosts aren’t built to do that; sites like Gmail place restrictions on how many people can be sent an email at one time and don’t allow a lot of customization as far as design goes.
While it is possible to successfully utilize these email platforms, other options for mass emailing exist. Read on to discover helpful sites and programs that make mass emailing easy:
Let’s be real—creating newsletters is a pain. Especially if you’re creating your document in Microsoft Word, where formatting can be a real issue.
Whether you make newsletters for print or email, it’s a struggle to keep your announcements down to a page or two. But if your newsletters are much longer than that, readers lose interest and resort to skimming or throwing away the paper completely. Here are some tips to keep your newsletters short and informative:
When your church is without a pastor, it can feel like you're on a boat without a captain—sailing aimlessly and without direction.
The church office might be the place where the pastor is missed the most. Questions about bills, membership, and bulletins have no answer, forcing staff like the church secretary or office administrator to take on even more responsibility than usual. So how can your church office survive without a pastor—whether it’s for a month or a year?
Okay, can I be honest? I hate reading newsletters. Whether it’s from my favorite retail store or campus ministry, newsletters are the bane of my existence.
Slight exaggeration . . . but you get my point.
Most of the time, newsletters are wordy, and many of the announcements don’t apply to me. So how can your church newsletter break the mold and keep your members from absent-minded skimming?
I know, I know. Infomercials. But he was a good salesman. Everyone knew him and what he sold. His style worked great on TV, but I would have been frightened to buy OxiClean in real life with him screaming at me.
Good thing most in-person sales reps aren’t like Billy Mays!
When you buy church management software, you’ll most likely work with a sales rep who guides you through buying and training. Church management software is complicated, and it’s a big decision that can set your church back hundreds of dollars.
But first, you need to make sure the software will work for your church! When you find the right solution, it can help make managing finances and members effortless. To ensure you’re completely happy with your new software, ask your sales rep these questions before you decide to buy!
