When a church completes a branding or rebranding process, applying the new brand consistently across all critical areas ensures it resonates with the congregation and then the community. It’s just great stewardship. Here’s a list of 10 areas you need to address:
1. Overall church content and tone
Messaging: Ensure all written and spoken communication (each sermon) reflects the new brand voice, thread and tone. Your new brand voice is DNA-level, therefore incorporate it so it feels natural.
RELATED: For more tips from church communication expert Mark MacDonald, click here.
Mission and vision alignment: Reiterate your church’s mission and vision with the new branding thread in mind. The three should unite into a cohesive message.
2. Church digital presence (online impressions)
Website: Update the logo, colors, fonts and thread messaging to reflect your new brand. Ensure the content aligns with this new brand voice (consider doing keyword research; see below).
Social Media: Update profile pictures, banners/cover images, and post templates consistent with the new branding.
Email Templates: Use branded headers, footers and formatting (colors/fonts) for all communications.
3. Church keywords for SEO
Keyword research: use keyword research tools to use the words your audience might be searching for to discover your brand. Probably not as spiritual as you think!
Web content: Update your website by using solid SEO direction for incorporating the keywords throughout your website (e.g., focus words for every page, headlines using keywords, first paragraph, etc.)
4. Church signage (physical impressions)
Exterior Signs: Replace outdoor signage to reflect the new church logo, colors, thread and name (if applicable). Use the new brand on parking signs to guide and create a cohesive arrival experience.
Interior Signs: Update the building’s directional signs, room labels and welcome center displays. Don’t overuse your brand internally, but have it align with your brand fences.
5. Church printed materials
Bulletins and Flyers: Refresh all print communications with the new branding. It may be a good time to assess if you should convert these to digital communication to save money.
Connection Cards: Update design and messaging to align with the new thread and look.
Letterhead and Envelopes: Ensure office documents reflect your updated look.
6. Volunteer and staff materials
Volunteer Shirts: Design tees or shirts with the new logo and colors for easy identification on Sundays.
Name Tags: Create branded name tags for volunteers and staff (if shirts aren’t used).
Email Signatures: Standardize email signatures for your ministry team to reflect your new branding.
7. Gathering spaces and comm tools
Lobby decor: Incorporate your brand fences in your lobby artwork or displays. Perhaps a tasteful feature wall with your thread, vision, or mission would emphasize what you want everyone to be known for.
Welcome center: Update this space with branded signage, table throws, and guest materials.
Stage design: Tastefully incorporate the new colors and logo subtly into backdrops and decor.
Kid’s ministry: Update room signage and decorations to match the overall church brand. Resist the urge to “make it look more kid-like”. Consistency to the main church brand is more professional.
Presentation slides: Refresh worship slides, announcements and sermon graphics. Use your brand fonts, colors and design style regularly so your congregation recognizes and trusts your materials.
8. Church Swag
Swag items: Create branded mugs, stickers, pens, bags and/or other items for giveaways or purchases.
Devotional materials or journals: Offer branded materials for use in services or small groups.
9. Community Outreach Materials
Direct mailers and flyers: Update materials used for outreach to reflect the new brand identity. Rely heavily on digital outreach but try other approaches to test their success too.
Event signage: Use branded banners and materials for community events. This will tie into your church’s exterior for recognition when the community drives by.
10. Ongoing Training and Reinforcement
Volunteer training: Teach volunteers how to represent the new brand in each of their roles. Get feedback from them on how it’s being accepted with possible improvements.
Team meetings: Equip your team to use branding materials and maintain consistency. If you have a comms director, this is a great opportunity for a greater discussion about your communication strategy.
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.
