Your Church Can Learn From Brand Building

Written by Dustin Britt

“Have you purposefully created an identity that emotionally connects people to the spirit and vision of your church?”

Be Passionate. To clearly build and communicate an identity, you must define a 

vision that ignites energy and passion. People should experience the vision and be able to connect with it. Visitors and members should sense purpose and life versus a church that is “doing it the way it has always been done before.” Capture the spirit of the church’s vision and add life to it and connect it to individuals. Striving to communicate a passionate vision versus a passionless vision is at the core of identity building.

It’s more than a logo. For Nike, the swoosh is their identifiable trademark. But it’s what Nike does with that logo that defines who they are and gives life to their vision. Nike’s TV spots, product line, packaging, magazine ads, Web sites, in-store displays...everything is developing and building the vision, the essence of Nike. In church applications, too many churches are content with having a logo and a few supporting components develop their identity or brand. This approach is shortsighted and fails to develop substance or emotional, passionate connection.

Power in Simplicity. These days people are marketed and targeted by advertising messages in every facet of life. Keep your message simple and concise so the message can be easily recognized and absorbed. There is strength in simplicity. Clarity in simplicity. Focusing on simplicity in your identity distinguishes you from the multitude of overworked, complex messages.

Consistency. Devotion to consistently communicating the same message is fundamental to building identity. The clearly defined message should have common and cohesive themes, images, styles, and tones. Your audience should be able see and experience a seamless message in everything related to your identity. Focus on the consistency of your message to build and strengthen your identity. 

Constancy. Your identity building efforts should be committed to constancy. The emphasis is consistent in message and constant for everyone you communicate with. Building identity does not happen overnight. Identity building does not have a timeline or an endpoint. As long as you have changing needs you will always be developing a relevant identity/brand. Successful identity and branding reflect a non-stop, long-term commitment to instilling your chosen message. 

Differentiation. It is widely known that people see little value in sameness...there is a lot to be said for standing out in a crowd. If you want an identity to connect and grow, it needs to be unique while being relevant. By developing an identity that is innovative and a break from the expected, you have successfully separated yourself from a level of predictability and mediocrity.

Investment. Ask any organization with a well established identity and they’ll tell you the value of that is hard to measure, but none-the-less paramount to their success. Churches will spend millions on buildings, which develop identity, but spend little on the elements beyond bricks and carpet that also develop identity. There must be a deeper understanding and efforts made to strategically define and grow identity. As more investment and commitment are made to identity building the benefits of communication, promotion and marketing become more measurable and more responsive from your audience.

Integration. Successful identity execution is defined by the ability to integrate your message into everything you do. Various communication channels such as print materials, kiosks, Web sites, banners and video should carry a common thread. Not only that, the same message needs to be communicated at the appropriate levels of demographics, or across ministry borders. The core identity you are developing must permeate through every facet of the church. With this objective in mind you are moving towards a saturated identity that will produce the connectivity you’re organization desires.

Founded in 1991, Details Communications' passion is providing strategic identity/branding and communication solutions to innovative churches and para-church organizations. For more information, contact Details at 800-231-3857, online at www.detailscom.com or E-mail lee@detailscom.com.

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