Church Marketing: Not Just Another Oxymoron

We hear oxymora all the time. “Act naturally.” “Jumbo shrimp.” “Clearly misunderstood.” “Deafening silence.” But what about “church marketing”? To many, those two words couldn’t be more opposite, but many forget to ask what marketing really is. Quite simply, it’s the mix of product, place, promotion and price, four words that are foreign to the church culture.

Product – “We’re not selling anything.”

Place – “The Church is everywhere – we don’t have to worry about place. Also, our building has been in this location for 20 years, and we’re not going anywhere.”

Promotion – “We’re about authenticity and relationship, not promotion.”

Price – “C’mon! Church is free!”

Marketing is a term typically reserved for the business world – as is public relations. The fact of the matter is that every person and every entity regardless of employment, education, location, position, or age participates in some level of marketing and public relations every day of their lives – even churches and church members.

Breaking down those four components of the marketing mix, it doesn’t take long to realize that each element not only correlates to the life and growth of a church but also is a direct influence.