Church branding is often misunderstood, especially by those who think it’s part of some corporate marketing scheme.
In reality, church branding is about creating a message aligning with the mission of your church. For the gospel.
Here are seven little-known secrets about church branding (shhhhhh):
RELATED: Check out more tips and suggestions from church media expert Mark MacDonald here.
1. Branding is not part of an evil marketing agenda. Branding isn’t about tricking people into coming to church. Instead, it’s about message clarity. Every church is known for something, whether intentional or not.
Effective church branding helps people quickly understand who you are, how you’re different, and how you meet their spiritual needs. It’s about presenting Christ’s message in a way that resonates.
2. If you do nothing, you still have a brand. Many churches assume if they don’t actively brand themselves, they won’t have one.
Wrong!
Your church is already known for something — but it may be the wrong thing! Sadly, the perception of a church is what the church is against.
By not discovering your brand, you risk being known for things that don’t reflect your true mission.
3. Church branding is not just your logo. A big misconception is that branding is just a logo or a controlled color palette. While logos usually are part of it, they aren’t the whole picture.
Your brand is what people think and say about your church when you’re not in the room.
The message you communicate and how you make people feel — that’s branding. You want your church to be known for something far more significant than just a logo. Your brand should be recognizable without a logo.
4. There’s a right and wrong way to brand your church. Churches need to be intentional with branding, but there’s a fine line between being authentic and trying to be something you’re not. The right way to brand your church is to lean into who you genuinely are, not what’s trendy. The wrong way? Trying to copy another church’s branding.
Your church has a unique story — be true to it.
5. Your messaging is more important than your design. Design catches the eye, but it’s your messaging that resonates deeper.
Consistent communication of your branding thread — what you’re known for— through sermons, social media, print and outreach defines who you are. So, discover a brand thread that weaves through all communication to make your message relevant and needed.
6. Effective church branding is really biblical evangelism. At its core, church branding is about spreading the gospel. It’s about showing people the hope of Jesus Christ in a way that engages. When your church is known for something that’s needed in your community, it gets the unchurched attention. Then, in that moment of connection, the church can connect your temporal thread with the Scarlet Thread of the Gospel.
Therefore, branding isn’t about looking good; it’s about fulfilling the Great Commission by communicating the gospel to a world that’s stopped listening.
7. Don’t hire a logo designer when you need a branding strategist. Too many churches think they just need a logo refresh when what they really need is a comprehensive branding strategy based on reliable research. A logo designer will give you a nice symbol, but a branding strategist will help you research your audience to determine how to communicate your unique message across every touchpoint (website, sermons, social, etc.).
A good strategist helps your church be known for something meaningful that aligns with your mission and shares the gospel with their community.
EDITOR’S NOTE — Mark MacDonald is a communication pastor, speaker, consultant, bestselling author and church branding strategist for BeKnownforSomething.com, empowering thousands of pastors and churches to become known for something relevant (a communication thread) throughout their ministries, on their church websites and social media. His church branding book, “Be Known for Something,” is available at BeKnownBook.com.
