‘https://www.farmersweekly.co.nz/people/calling-central-districts-top-young-shepherds/
Target Market Defined
What is your church’s target audience?
The brands that are growing the fastest in the world all have this in common: they have a target audience that serves as their guide to build their brand around. These brands are able to see tremendous growth as they focus on the right community of people.
Too many churches don’t take the time to take aim before they take action with their marketing efforts and this creates waste with their resources. Don’t let this happen to you.
Get focused.
A target community allows church leaders to be effective as they build their brand because they are able to focus on those people they are good at reaching.
Let me first say this: As a church, you should welcome anyone that is breathing, because that is what God’s love compels us to do.
The point I’m making is simply that you need to have a strategic target in your approach to marketing and advertising because focus allows you to be most effective in attracting people. I like to say that confusion is the enemy of your vision.
Each church is equipped to reach certain types of people based on the leadership that is in place, the location it is in, the type of ministry it offers and the resources it has. The more clarity a church has on it’s primary people group the more effective it will be in reaching people as the brand is built around this community.
https://churchbrandguide.com/how-to-define-your-churchs-target-audience
I want to let you in on a little secret: you have a target audience, whether you know it or not. Everything your church does or says is going to appeal to one group more than another. It just is. People don’t all enjoy the same kind of theology, music, decor, or preaching style. Some people like communion to come in little plastic cups. Others prefer intinction.
The choices you make are excluding people who would prefer something else. If they don’t like drums in the worship service, and your church uses drums in some fashion, you’re excluding them. If they don’t like drums but stay anyway, of course you’ll welcome them. It’s not like you’re putting a sign on the front door that says, “If you don’t like drums, go away!” But some of the choices you make will potentially turn some people off — and that’s okay.
One thing stagnant churches haven’t realized yet is that by not choosing who they intend to appeal to, the choice is being made for them. Everything from the interior design to the music is being chosen by different people using their own preferences as criteria. What you often end up with is a strange quilt of elements that might not necessarily appeal to anyone.
Your Church Is NOT For Everyone
Wait, isn’t the Church for everyone? No, the Gospel is.
This is the number one mistake we see churches making. They assume that because the Gospel is for all people, their church is too. When in reality every Church is called to a specific group of people, like Paul was called to the Gentiles and Peter to the Jews. So your local church is called reach and minister to a certain, defined, group of people.
https://www.digitalchurchtoolkit.com/blog/how-churches-define-their-target-audience
JESUS LOVES EVERYONE, SO DON’T WE WANT TO TARGET EVERYONE WITH OUR MARKETING?
Every single person in your city, within a fifty-mile radius… that’s your target audience. Right? If that is your mindset, you have an uphill battle in front of you. Don’t get me wrong, you certainly want to see every man, woman, and child come to know Jesus through your church. As Christians, we love everyone! But here is the crazy truth: to reach more people, focus on fewer people. Your church is going to make a much deeper impact on your community if you tailor the entire experience to a specific demographic. It seems counterintuitive, I know.
While reaching the whole world with the gospel is the mission of the Christian faith, life-giving churches recognize that the world is made up of many different audiences. Since different groups of people have quite different cultures, needs, and methods of communication, a church that intentionally tries to reach a specific group with the message of Christ, will normally be much more effective than one that tries to reach everyone with a general attempt. Every church should have a sign that says, “Everyone Welcome,” but a deliberate strategy must be in place or they will only see accidental growth.
https://www.churchgrowthnetwork.com/freebies2/2020/6/5/v45avm7cmccyhlkyeub2hlbmw7svyc
As Christians, we want to reach and include everyone. This is our ultimate goal as disciples. However, from a specific ministry standpoint, this approach ends up reducing the relevancy of the message and spreads efforts too thin for significant impact. Afterall, a standard marketing rule of thumb states:
If you try to reach everyone all the time, you’ll end up
REACHING NO ONE.
Each person, ministry, and local church is uniquely equipped and positioned to reach different types of people. Therefore, it is vital to understand who your audience is before you create content, write a single social media post, or spend any money on social advertisements. This section will help you learn how to effectively shape your messages and content to match your audience’s needs and reach them effectively, no matter their age, gender, ethnicity, location, or situation.
There’s a marketing axiom that says if you try and market to everyone, you market to no one.
It works that way in the church too. When a church tries to reach “everyone,” it effectively reaches no one. That doesn’t mean everyone isn’t welcome … if everyone isn’t welcome, you’re not running a church, you’re a private member’s club.
But just because everyone’s welcome, it doesn’t mean you should (or even can) accommodate everyone.
Target Audience
Defining a target audience is a marketing concept where you describe a person who is the ideal customer for a product. It helps to shape branding decisions such as colors and fonts so the designs hit the mark.
A church can use a target audience to provide clarity in the experience it provides online and in person. It creates alignment which builds trust so people decide to be part of your church.
https://churchbrandguide.com/how-a-church-defines-its-target-audience-to-reach-more-people
Quick Comment on the Need for a Target Market
Different groups of people have different felt needs. American firms started to cater to these groups with truly “differentiated products” in the 1960’s, 1970’s and 1980’s. American religious denominations have increasingly offered creeds, worship and experiences to meet diverse needs. By the 1990’s individual congregations began to refine their offerings and messages to match the needs of their congregations. Today, American consumers are spoiled. They expect to be served.
On the universal customer needs dimensions of QSFVIP, “I want it all and I want it now”. Quality: relevant, meaningful and entertaining sermons, worship and program experience. Speed: 45 minutes, on-line, recorded. Flexibility: multiple times and delivery channels. ”Call me”. Value: programs and message directly touch me where I live. No pledge commitment. Ala carte funding of programs. Information: no transaction costs. 6 ways to give. No pledge commitment. Personal: monitor my needs and follow-up.
In a world of such expectations, congregations cannot easily meet the expectations of everyone that visits or becomes a member. They must welcome everyone, but they are unable to serve everyone.
The marketing folks emphasize that effective organizations refine their services so that they clearly meet the needs of a target audience. This allows the marketing machine to do its magic.
Benefits of Defining a Target Market
Much more effective marketing to attract new members and retain existing members.
A consistently defined and executed set of programs, brand image and messages is more effective.
The process of defining a target market forces staff, volunteers and elders to more deeply consider the priority needs of the congregation and community.
A clear target market helps to identify, define and prioritize local mission investments.
Congregations struggle with resource allocation decisions. A clearly defined target market helps to prioritize worship, outreach, youth, children, adult, local mission and global mission efforts.
Prioritization within ministry areas is easier to do.
Able to evaluate and justify investments in marketing and outreach.
Helps to focus all programs to deliver specific benefits to meet the perceived needs of the target market communities.
A target market is needed to do effective marketing. It can also help to shape worship, facilities, programs, outreach, events, music and mission activities to better serve the congregation and the community.
Safeguards When Defining a Target Market
But wait, there is good news. Even though you focus on one demographic, that doesn’t mean you will only reach that one person type. Other demographics will also be served by and attracted to your church. I am constantly amazed by how many people don’t fit into our cultural norms. I see people that don’t fit certain stereotypes—wearing brands, attending events, or watching shows that I would have never guessed that they would like. You don’t have to worry that your church will end up only serving a specific type of person, or that everyone else will feel out of place. This is just about making your marketing specific. You will still have a well-rounded congregation, and people will still feel like they belong, even if they are outside of your defined target audience. Don’t be all things to all people, but find who you truly are and go all in with that.
Targeting a specific demographic as a strategy for church growth is problematic. It can create needless obstacles for any church wanting to have an open door. If you say you are interested in ministering to any and all people, shaping your ministry to fit just one group is contradictory.
People who are not the aim of your reach efforts will feel left out or overlooked. For instance, if you decide that your congregation will be a “family church,” focusing on children’s ministry, marriage sermon series, and small groups for couples, then singles will feel unwanted. Creating a youthful vibe that only interests millennials will make older people feel unneeded or unwanted. In targeting one group, you’ve eliminated any space for other groups.
This is one of the worst unintended consequences of the church growth movement. Many have written solid critiques of the movement and have much to say about other consequences. The most grievous is the contextualization of the gospel. And focusing on one demographic to the exclusion of others can lead down that same slippery slope.
When you direct your ministries toward one group, you run the risk of forcing every message into a one-size-fits-all box. You base every decision on that one demographic you’re trying to reach. You adapt your sermon applications to fit a perceived felt need, rather than letting the Word of God speak for itself and leaving space for application to every life situation.
There is a difference between reflecting your immediate community and targeting a specific demographic. Ultimately, your congregation will likely start to resemble the makeup of the surrounding neighborhoods. If they are homogenous, then your church will probably be the same.
Church marketing won’t work unless:
We focus less on what we say and more on how we act.
We realize that louder isn’t better.
We look at it as relationship-building and stop viewing it as information-sharing.
We talk less about how great we are (“organization-focused”) and instead deliver a message and ministry that leads to life change (“people-focused”).
We realize we can’t force what we think people need until they know they need it.
We reduce the number of competing messages we are trying to communicate.
We know who we are trying to reach and we’ve acknowledged we can’t reach everyone.
We deliver on what we promise.
‘https://theunstuckgroup.com/church-marketing-tactics/
https://www.christianstudylibrary.org/article/target-audience
Target Market Dimensions and Examples
Here are some mindset examples of people a church can focus on:
- A church may focus on people who love music and they build an experience that is excellent around a worship experience. The church then attracts musicians and those who love to worship by coming to a corporate gathering.
- Another church may focus on people who are doers and love to make things happen. They build an experience around outreach to the local community and equipping people to make an impact with their lives. They might have an emphasis on missions work around the globe so the people are able to do the most good with their resources.
- Yet another church may focus on people that are business professionals. Their experience may be in line with teaching principles and having opportunities to build projects that make a large impact.
Here are a few more mindsets that a church may target:
- Young parents who are in need of a guide to help them do it right
- Those who desire to make a difference with their lives
- Young adults who are seeking a place to belong with others who are like-minded
https://churchbrandguide.com/how-to-define-your-churchs-target-audience/
When churches begin going down this road, they’ll often decide that their church demographic is something like “young families.” This is a good place to start, but isn’t quite as dialed in as you would like. If you can be even more specific and say, “young families with infants” or “families with elementary-aged kids,” it’s much easier to understand how things could change to be more welcoming for them.
Some churches have had great success focusing on groups like unchurched men, musicians, cowboys, military families, etc.
Here are a few examples of a well-defined target audience:
– Young couples with children under ten years old
– Men between the ages of twenty-one and thirty who have a worldly past
– Established professionals in their forties
– Local college-aged students
When it comes to outreach and evangelism, most churches have a “target market”- an ideal audience for their services and ministry programs. Frequently, that tends to be young families, and the key decision maker for church attendance is often the mom/wife. Understanding how women communicate and make decisions regarding church visits can help you create a website designed to appeal to them. If you know women in their 30s are your target audience, don’t design a website that appeals to men in their 50s.
‘https://exponential.org/evangelism-capacity-starts-online/
Millennials, broadly speaking
Nearby Elementary School parents.
Local 20-35 year old apartment renters
Nearest neighborhood residents (within 2 miles)
Nearby residents (within 3 miles)
Nearby residents, homes built since 2000 (within 3 miles)
New city homeowners
Office corridor employees
Senior citizen center members
Adult children of church members
Local government and schools’ employees
Local hospital/medical employees
Parents of preschool enrollees.
Former members of the church.
People attending a “civility” meeting.
Parents of on-site and off-site youth sports participants
Parents of cub scouts
Local retail and restaurant employees
Young Republicans and Young Democrats
Determine Your Target Audience
The first step in reaching your audience is to develop a clear picture of who you are talking to. Begin with surface-level demographic information. Use the criteria below and fill in the information for your ministry’s target audience.
Surface-Level Demographic Information:
- Location
- Age
- Gender
- Ethnicity/Language
- Interests
Deep Level Characteristics:
- Needs
- Core Values
- Shared Experiences
- Motivations
- Additional Insights
hese cultures are potentially endless in variety, but can include:
- Platform
- Age groups or generations
- Gender
- Language(s)
- People groups: race, ethnic, immigrant v. first generation, etc.
- Current location: city/suburbs/country
- In school vs. out of school
- Lived in a specific geolocation their whole life vs. transplant
- Faith groups, life-long Adventists vs. converts vs. former Adventists/Christians
- Professional groups vs. homemakers vs. working mothers
- College educated vs. blue-collar workers
- Offline social clubs vs. online identities and groups
- Poverty vs. middle-class vs. wealthy
To be honest, most churches today have opted to try and target a shrinking audience … adults who have some history in the church. Lapsed church-goers. The Dones. But almost every church is trying to target all of them all at the same time.
The graduated-from-college but not-yet-married group
Transitioning into the real world is hard enough for young people, so make it easy for them to get plugged in at your church. There is a lot of pressure for this group to land a good job, get their own place and possibly even find a spouse. This group needs support, so be there for them.
Married couples that, for one reason or another, do not have children
Getting married is one of the most exciting times in someone’s life. But afterward, where exactly do married couples without children fit in at church? There seems to be an abundance of ministries for families, but the church lacks in ministering to couples of all ages who don’t (or maybe can’t) have children. Don’t neglect this group.
30- to 40-year-old singles
I think from this short list, this could be the most neglected group. Maybe these people have never married, or maybe they’re divorced. Regardless, they are generally more mature in their faith (and life in general) than younger singles. And because of this, the last thing they want to do is join a small group of 20-year-old singles whom they can’t relate to at all. Men and women who fit into this group can be such an asset to a church. Hmm … and isn’t there a single guy in the New Testament who modern-day churches frequently study? Yeah, his name is Paul. Don’t ignore this group; they could be the “Pauls” of your church.
Process to Determine Target Market
Still trying to figure out who will find your church’s “target audience” is? Start by asking the questions below:
- Who do we appeal to right now? Why?
- Who do the other churches in our city appeal to?
- Is there an underserved demographic in our community? Who are they?
- What does our community look like?
- What is the average income in our community?
- What is the average educational level in our community?
- What kinds of jobs are represented in our community? White collar? Blue collar? Artists? Medical professionals? Young entrepreneurs?
- What kind of lifestyles are represented in our community? Outdoorsy? Runners? Sports fans?
- What kind of worship experiences aren’t represented in our community?
- What are our strengths?
5 STEPS TO FIND YOUR TARGET AUDIENCE
Discovering your church’s target audience can seem daunting. Still, with a few simple steps, you can clearly define and communicate with the people most likely to engage with your church digitally.
- Consider the typical characteristics of the people that attend physical services.
- Look at outside influences like location and demographics to determine who could be interested in your message.
- Research their motivations, their relationship status, and any other vital details.
- Then, create a persona for each segment of your target audience—a living representation of your ideal members.
- Finally, create marketing strategies that make use of these personas and help to keep churches on-mission in spreading their message.
Start with the Existing Congregation
3. Define your audience
For most churches, the most important audience to market to is going to be your existing congregation. That’s because word of mouth is a powerful tool when marketing your church. unSeminary reports, “The fastest-growing churches in the country consistently encourage their people to invite friends and family to be a part of their church. It really is that simple.”
Think of it this way: when your friend recommends something to you, how likely are you to take their advice over the advice of someone you may not know as well? Most of us tend to trust the recommendations of people we love and enjoy spending time with.
For most churches, the primary target market is actually their current congregation. Though it may seem a bit backward, word-of-mouth advertising for churches is one of the most effective. Think about it: Most of us tend to believe the advice of those we cherish and value our time with.
https://www.playlister.app/blog/church-marketing-strategies-to-help-grow-your-church
Define Your Audience: Current vs Aspirational
When defining who makes up your church, it’s good to start by differentiating between who is your current audience and who is your aspirational audience. Your current audience is those who your services and events are actually attracting, so it’s a good idea to focus your efforts on people from this demographic. Have a look around your church, you may even have data already. What type of areas do these people live in? What’s their average age? Are they mostly families?
Your Aspirational audience is those your church want to be attending. Is your Church is is called to a specific community or neighbourhood, what are the demographics of the people?
https://www.digitalchurchtoolkit.com/blog/how-churches-define-their-target-audience
LOOK AT WHO IS ALREADY ATTENDING YOUR CHURCH
Take a good hard look at your church and ask, “What kinds of people already attend here?” It helped me to understand people and churches immensely when I discovered the homogeneous principle. “A ‘homogeneous unit’ is simply a group of people who consider each other to be ‘our kind of people.’ They have many areas of mutual interest. They share the same culture. They socialize freely. When they are together they are comfortable and they all feel at home.” 2 People are attracted to those who are like themselves. This does not mean that you are not going to minister to those who don’t fit your desired target audience.
https://www.ministrymagazine.org/archive/1995/12/targeting-your-audience
Focus on “Felt Needs” and Culture, Not Just Demographics
DETERMINE THE FELT NEEDS
Paul did this in his ministry. His preaching met the needs of people. Listen to him: “Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible.
“To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. … To the weak I be came weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings” (1 Cor. 9:19-23, NIV).
We can do no less. Unless our preaching and ministry meets the felt needs of people, we cannot succeed.
“This is the only known way to open closed minds. Gearing your message to the felt needs of any audience is the key to unlocking closed filters. In fact, extensive research and documentation confirm that ‘people will not listen to the gospel message and respond unless it speaks to felt needs.'”4
We must do whatever it takes (within the confines of biblical principles) to win the lost around us. If you live in a retirement area, you must have programs for the retired. If you live in a Spanish-speaking community, your services should be in Spanish so those coming will under stand the gospel. If you live in a baby boomer community, your worship service must speak the language and meet the needs of the baby boomers.
Jesus used this approach 2,000 years ago. “Christ’s method alone will give true success in reaching the people. The Saviour mingled with men as one who desired their good. He showed sympathy for them, ministered to their needs, and won their confidence. Then He bade them, ‘Follow Me.'” 5 Every ministry in the church should be examined to see if it is meeting the needs of the people you are trying to reach.
https://www.ministrymagazine.org/archive/1995/12/targeting-your-audience
https://clickmill.co/church-marketing/#9
People no longer fit into neat categories, so we must connect with them on a more profound level, transcending the standard marketing demographics of age, ethnicity, gender, language, location, and interests. If you can dig deeper, your audience will be loyal to your brand because you resonate with them at their core.
The best way to do that is to investigate their needs, experiences, values, and perceptions. Conducting surveys and interviews is one key way to collect more information. Then start asking yourself questions that will help you to get inside the minds of your audience members. What motivates their actions? What makes them who they are? What do they have in common? How can I speak and write in a way that my audience will find relatable? What do they value? What do they actually need?
Examples of needs may include: a spiritually supportive community, affordable education, employment, affordable medical care, safe spaces for their children, mentorship opportunities, a better future, healthier relationships, self-improvement, Christian guidance on real-life issues, food security, or practical life-skills training.
Target Audience Profile or Persona
https://clickmill.co/church-marketing/#10
Scripture Passages
https://churchbrandguide.com/how-to-define-your-churchs-target-audience
https://www.churchgrowthnetwork.com/freebies2/2020/6/5/v45avm7cmccyhlkyeub2hlbmw7svyc
Good News 