3 things to know before a church rebrand
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Church rebrand—it's all the rage. And it's a great trend. In fact, if you haven't branded or rebranded in the last 5 years, you should budget for it in the next year.
Why? Because an effective rebrand will help you:
- Evangelize better (it'll reconnect you to your community)
- Increase membership (your members will improve word-of-mouth promotion)
- Strengthen participation (members will have more ownership of ministries)
But before you jump into the rebrand process, understand these 3 things:
It'll cost more than you expect.Rebranding is about change or improving. It's about understanding your audience as best as you can, discovering (and controlling) perception, and establishing visual brand fences so people recognize you. It's about becoming a solution to their needs. And every time they see your brand, they're reminded of your relevancy and benefit. That means you (probably) need an outside consultant to maneuver you through the complexity. Then you need a professional to create a logo and graphic standard for your brand; plus updating everything from signage to website to business cards will be needed. Your brand will need to be relaunched on social media, online, in print, and in-person. This takes a lot of coordination, skill, and money, but it's well worth it.
It'll take strong leadership. Without a solid leader, a rebrand will waste money and be a waste of time. Most churches are very top-down so the senior leadership (especially the senior pastor) must be on board and in control of messaging and team motivation. Rebranding will require control to achieve the best results. This takes strong willpower! And the brand must be led through all ministries, including the preaching ministry. Leadership inconsistencies will break down the benefits and create chaos.
It shouldn't be done quickly. By now, you're thinking, "so why do this?" I'll reiterate that every successful organization (whether for-profit or non-profit) brands and/or rebrands continuously in order to connect properly to their community and followers. A brand becomes the glue between your people and your message. But understanding your audience (internal and external), discovering your brand thread, implementing a visual brand, incorporating a branded communication strategy, and even improving ministry products to support your rebrand will take time.
How long? 6-9 months to go from start to launch (if it's supported and prioritized properly). Then consistent use of the rebrand requires 3-5 years to establish it in a community.
Again, this process is worth it. I'd encourage you to understand these three things and let them influence and inform your process. The goal should be to create a controlled brand that connects more people to Jesus Christ. A rebrand doesn't change the gospel message, instead it compels people to receive the message of hope in a way they'll feel like they're understood and loved. Great evangelism!
 | 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. Learn More » |
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