Christian graphic design and Branding for Churches are no longer something you can be without.
April 24, 2023
S.W.O.T. is a marketing tool used to determine where this Christian Internet Marketing strategy is now and how to progress. This is where our Christian graphic design professionals and branding for churches are critical components of your strategy
Back in the mid-90s, being a Faith based marketing agency was easy. There were virtually no rules, and worldwide competition was light. Without lifting a finger, not even a business or marketing plan, I’d throw up a website and rank very high on search engines within two to three weeks. Today, nowhere’s close. This era was way before there was social media marketing for Churches, and to a lesser extent, Christian graphic design either.
“Without a plan, even the most brilliant business can get lost. You must have goals, create milestones, and a strategy to set yourself up for success.” – Yogi Berra
Lawrence Peter “Yogi” Berra was an American professional baseball catcher who later took on the roles of manager and coach. 1925 – 2015
Whatever you think or have heard, thriving Faith based marketing today does not just happen. It take the expertise of Christian graphic designers and church branding professionals to keep you heading in the right direction, There is no such thing as luck; successful business comes from developing a Christian Internet marketing plan coupled with Christian graphic design work and church branding. But, some take this to the opposite extreme and never get themselves out of the business plan phase. This way of thinking is the so-called “paralysis by analysis.” Marketing planning is necessary, but you must recognize when enough is enough and implement your Christian Internet marketing plan. This insight comes with experience.
Somebody once said that parenting is the most challenging job in the world. This person, I guarantee, never tried to start a business plan from scratch. Virtually everybody wants you to be a good parent, but by the same token, almost nobody wants your faith based marketing plan to succeed.
So, what is SWOT, and how can it help your Christian Internet Marketing efforts?
SWOT stands for the four things that all businesses have—
Strengths: What do we do that our customers would award us a four-star or higher rating? — In other words, what are we good at, and what works for us?
Weakness: The opposite of strengths; where is our low point? Where do we need more training? What tools do we need to do the job better? Is our customer service flat where it should be energetic? Does your graphic design look mature?
Marketing tip: Never underestimate your and your employees’ influence when interacting with your clients on ANY level. Your customers are very receptive and can feel whether or not they are happy at work. Or is the staff counting the seconds until they are out of there? Most of the time, your employees’ feelings toward your business will be very similar to those of your customers.
Opportunities: Are there additional product(s) or service(s) related to our core business that we could do well that customers would be interested in? Are marketing trends moving away from some services we now do toward something else? Should we get additional training in these new areas so we’re prepared, or should we stick with what we do best now? I’m not implying that we should chase after every fad, but we need the wisdom to evaluate the difference between fads and new, lasting trends. Your business won’t always remain as it is. We must consider these questions seriously as we update your Christian Internet marketing plan two times a year. Christian graphic design work must be updated periodically to keep it fresh and exciting. i.e., changing with the times
Case in point: A famous camera manufacturer was around forever when I was a young adult. Around the mid-’80s, a new way of doing things was emerging. This new way was called digital photography, which claimed it would replace film cameras and make photography more fun and affordable. This famous camera manufacturer I speak of thought digital was just a fad and held fast to their way of doing things. I suspect people younger than 25 may not have heard of the brand today. They took a gamble and lost. There are many stories like this, and the opposite is true on other occasions.
Threats: Is any new competition moving into our area that could weaken our customer base—or worse? How do we address this? Do we plan to put ourselves on the offensive if specific threats appear? This planning is where your Faith-based marketing team and Christian graphic design team have you covered, always looking forward to spotting new trends and threats.
We at a Rejected Stone would recommend that a S.W.O.T. analysis be performed twice a year—Once at the beginning of the fiscal year and again at about six months. We also recommend that this analysis be put in a conspicuous place on your desk so you are constantly reminded of the goals. Also, please put it where your staff can see it.
This report represents yearly goals for your company or non-profit’s success.
In conclusion
Business is a lot easier if you have no plans. You can’t fail—until you do fail. Knowing where your business is going and progressing toward your goals will pay off. It won’t happen overnight, but it’s essential to have your directions planned at the beginning of every new fiscal year. Church branding updates will keep you on the right course. As you add something to your strength column or remove it from the weaknesses, reward yourself for the victory and the people who help you achieve that victory. It incentivizes you and your team to do even bigger things.
I’m Bob Taylor, and I approved this message by writing it.
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Sincerely,
