1  The Goal Factor. Success begins with changing the way we measure it. All too often, without knowing it, we plan for something we don't really want.  We plan for a crowd, we get empty chairs the next week.  We plan to reach the Unchurched, we get the recycled.  We plan to transform people, we get yawns.  We plan to transform our community, but we see little impact.  First, it's important to be firmly committed to our real goals, the outcomes you really want.  Write them down, put them on the mirror, etc. (you know the routine).  Next (imagine this), you actually measure in the short term (daily-weekly-monthly, personally and with staff) the incremental movement toward or away from these real goals.  Now, what was that again that you really wanted this Easter?

2  The Friend Factor. Nothing replaces friendship as a primary goal. While you're setting goals, don't get too clinical.  What the Kingdom is all about is friends.... finding friends, being a friend, leading friends to be friends of God. Jesus measured success by turning servants into friends, and creating a few enemies along the way (how are you doing?). So if you want to infuse the friend-factor into every ministry and outreach...plan for it and measure it.  Measure community impact, measure discipleship, but measure it mostly in terms of friends. At its simplest, the goal of marketing is to develop conversations which create friends.  Even business is waking up to this fact with Customer Relationship Management (or CRM)...but the Church should know it by heart. We've created a little planning tool for evaluating, setting up, and especially measuring your real goals. It incorporates many of these factors. We've simply labeled it A7 RMC (for the Relationship-Managed Church), tracking seven key steps in the friend-empowering process. It's just a start, but it does sort of get to the heart of what most pastors really want, but seldom measure.

3  The Relevancy Factor.  "I am the Unchurched...why should I give you the time of day?" Sounds harsh, but we should frame these words and put them on our desk. It would help keep us out of the kind of church-centric myopia that dulls the cutting edges of most of our communication.  Effective media targets the needs felt, especially spiritual needs (see Dream factor below) in a tasteful, sensitive way. For the Unchurched (or anyone) there are no other needs. An overemphasis on programs and features or 'us-us-us' will attract few 'them-them-them's.' On a more immediate focus, use this Relevancy factor to evaluate your plans and approach for Easter...and especially the creative content of your promotions.  

4  The Dream Factor.  Effective Christian communicators ALWAYS tap into aspirations, knowing they represent our core, universal, spiritual drives.  God wired us that way, planting in each of us unique dreams that call us to destiny. The language of dreams (purpose, identity, passion, heart) defines the most relevant, responsive message you can ever use to build lasting relationships with the unchurched.  Jesus wants to come into their heart, so that's precisely where He wants to send you. The Holy Spirit has already been there for a long time (nurturing, planting, calling) so you might want to work together. Combine the Friend Goal with the Dream Goal and you have the basis of what we call a 'Community of Dreams,' which is a pretty good definition of a church, a community of friends nurturing and releasing God's dreams into their transforming place in the world.

5   The Media Factor. We live in a media-driven world.  We prefer it, we even love it.  Given the choice we'd all rather lurk in our favorite media, and we'll be highly cautious and hesitant of any new relationship you'd like to suggest.  Putting the how-to-get-response question aside for a moment, the only way to reach people today (other than the holy grail of Word-of-Mouth, a challenge covered in Factor # 8 below), and certainly to reach them in any significant number, is through media.  Which media is best?  Every recent survey shows people prefer to receive new information for choices via direct mail, the Internet, and permission-given email.  The latter two require a means to get an introduction. In all our years of church marketing we've found just two ways to consistently get a high number of quality introductions, and a third that has enormous potential but is not quite ready for prime time.  More on that later.

6   The Unexpected Factor. The prevailing mindset of people in a time-precious society like ours is to ignore all those things that can be safely ignored.  Breakthrough communicators give them good reasons they can't.  Doing the unexpected is one way (sometimes referred to in marketing as WOW, the Big Idea, or simply Remarkable).  Let's face it, if people are not responding in great numbers to your predictability (if you are comfortably off their radar), why continue doing what they would expect?  Was there any person in Jesus' day that really expected Him to do what he did...at any point?   WWJD?...answer: the unexpected.  He even surprised his mom ...are you?

7   The Awareness Factor.  You can't reach people who are not aware of you. This can't be over-emphasized, because it is so powerful and we always miss it.  A good thing to do at least once a month is to take a walk a few blocks from your church and ask people you meet for directions to your church...what do they say?  In all the plans we make to assimilate and disciple people we have to remember the starting point of that process is awareness. And 'Remarkable Awareness,' which is the subject of a recent Mindstorm, can positively impact every other ministry area of your church. More on this here >

8   The Viral Factor. Word-of-mouth (WOM) is the holy grail of church marketing. Problem is, no one's yet figured out how to make more of it...or have they? There are ways to nurture it ...#6 and #7 above are two of the best. Another is to give people tools to help them spread the word (what Seth Godin calls sneezing). Much of this is emerging and in need of pioneers. Good viral campaigns are built on a synergism of elements and are very fresh and specific to each situation (if you'd like to talk about it, give me a call or email).

9   The Experience Factor. OK, now think about the event you are inviting people to. Would you enjoy the experience you plan to give them? Now, come on be real. Remember, we're taking Mr. Unchurched away from his morning coffee and Sunday paper.  Three things to keep strongly in the mix (much more important than entertainment) is Honor (humility, respect, courtesy), Community, and Affirmation (not publicly but casually and personally). Unchurched people are looking for them, they need to experience them in a way that only the church can provide, they are exceedingly more important than "lights and sound," and will be, long after the day of your event.  On the need for community and affirmation, intentionally plan to deliver the experience of these the day of, and shortly after your event.  More on this, including a 'CARE Touch Points' list to help your greeting team stay focused, here >

10  The Harvest Factor. Don't forget the all-important factor of follow-through (not follow-up).  I've visited churches, got my hand shook by the pastor when I left, sometimes got a perfunctory call from a half-motivated volunteer, or a form letter from the pastor.  Now what's wrong with this picture? Let's say I was the unchurched person you seek.  I made a considerable investment of time and emotional energy, resisting my tendency to suspect new relationships, got the family all dressed up, walked into a strange environment...all in the search for (as discussed above) respect, community, affirmation, and friendship, and all I get is a handshake and a form letter?  This may be follow up, but it's not follow-through.  But don't people just want to be left alone?  If you think that, why did you try to reach them in the first place? Done right, as 'withreach' (see #16 below), people want, love, even yearn for a quality, meaningful, relational follow-through.

11  The Time Factor. Take the long view. The goal is not attendance--it's a long-term relationship, not membership--it's community and partnership.  And, it's not just conversion--it's authentic and complete transformation.  So plan each initiative toward the long term goal of community transformation. Protect your most important asset: your community image and reputation.  Don't sacrifice it for short-term gain.  Think like an investor, compounding your impact, knowing that if you build right, it will grow exponentially in due time.  And even beyond that, keep your eye on the legacy vision: what real difference can you make for your grandchildren and theirs. You may ask, what does this have to do with Easter just around the corner?  Maybe a lot. With key changes, your very next initiative, (even Easter as it a celebration of new beginnings) can be the beginning of a remarkable community image and impact.

12  The Development Factor. Build and refine to achieve greater effectiveness and excellence.  Don't waste the learning potential derived from each effort.  Evaluate everything, what can be learned, how can we do it better next time?  A reverse positioning approach of this is used for planning. What strategic steps, taken now will put you in the best position to act down the road?  Working backwards from your real goals, the developmental question for planning is always this: What needs to be in place for your big goal to happen, and prior to that positioning what needs to be in place for it to happen? (and so forth)

13   The Numbers Factor. Simply put, you cannot expect numeric results without initiating the corresponding scale those results require. In other words, don't expect a visitor from distributing 50 doorhangers or mailing 500 "impact" cards. Closely related to the exposure scale is the need for continuity and repetition which are essential to build community image and reach people at precisely the time they are open or seeking. Also, because budget is always a concern, it's good to plan for the absolute lowest unit costs, achieved through frequency and the economies of scale, allowing you to reach more people. For more on the Numbers Factor see the Law of Large Numbers in the recent Mindstorm article, 12 Mistakes of Christmas Outreach.

14   The Synergy Factor. There's a wonderful compounding effect or synergy created with the right combination of different media and people-based strategies. Think of it this way: the right 1 can = 3, the right 1 + 1 can = 10, the right 1 + 1 + 1 can =100. Complementary and/or sequential media (like direct mail + Web + phone + neighborhood) can be extremely effective.  Also, factor in the developmental impact here too.  There's a natural synergism that comes from compounding community awareness and developing image that helps every other area of ministry, including the culture and self-identity of your own membership.

15   The Trust Factor. Our strings are clearly showing. Suspicion of our agenda has to be overcome. This is a blind spot that plagues most people in even casual conversation, but it's a severe and longstanding problem for churches, especially common among growth-oriented, "type-A churches."  We need to relax and make friends with the unchurched, after all he's your neighbor. Then we need to discover our unique voice (both personal voice and media voice). An approach that's warm, engaging, and endearing, begins by laying aside our impatience for attendance, swift conversions, and memberships. It may require that we fully develop a sincere appreciation (even wonder) for people as the treasures they are, along with a genuine desire for deep friendship and the nurturing and release of their God-given dreams. This ties in strongly with the Relevancy, Dream, and Friend factors above, factors that form the basis of the Withreach factor that follows.
 
16   The Withreach Factor. I'll never be able to cover this huge factor in this brief space, but I sincerely believe we would do well to so distance ourselves from the typical practices and mindsets of outreach. For that reason, and to enrich and discipline our creative thinking, we have found it productive to use a new word.  For a quick comparison see the Outreach / Withreach chart. For an in-depth look at this cityreaching-paradigm watch your inbox for a special upcoming Mindstorm or check our web site later next week.

17   The Community Factor. Wouldn't you like to have a place where everyone knew your name (and you knew theirs)?  Does God have a purpose for neighborhoods? The neighborhood just may be the last mission field. It's certainly something we all have in common -- we all live in a neighborhood -- but who are the people in our neighborhood, really?  Community transformation will never happen without a withreach plan for our neighborhoods, sensitive to the way people live (especially our own members), and the desire for authentic, lasting relationships. Done right and over time, it can and should be tied into every other ministry of the church, especially media (though, to do so means some ministries and media may need some withreach adjustment). To read a discussion about one withreach neighborhood strategy that is up and running and having profound impact, go here >

18   The Body Factor. We need to begin to get a vision of the whole Body of Christ reaching the whole city through the release of God's 'dreamers' into every sphere of life... where their dream can be matched with the need they are called to meet. Start small, but begin somewhere.  For example, you could host a child evangelism summit and invite a few other churches to dream with you in how you could work together to empower children in your community, beginning this summer.  Working together you can do the research better, an analysis of best practices, and brainstorm a wider mix of breakthrough ideas.  Share your ideas with us and we'll link you with churches doing something similar.

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Cityreach Partnerships for Community of Dreams

In the spirit of the Community of Dreams vision we are forming long-term strategic partnerships in 500 cities using a Total Community Solutions planning framework.  We prefer to establish this closer relationship with just one church in each city (or city part) but support each Partner in their desire to network and partner with other churches for greater impact.  

Once the relationship is established, we essentially throw all development, planning, creative content, ongoing coaching, and the resources of our national partners into the mix.  For your part, all we ask is an agreement on some basic values and vision (see 21Q), a start-up annual budget for a moderate level of media-based and volunteer-based strategies, and a high enthusiasm and desire to really work as a partner for a focused, sustained plan to reach your city.  

The program is all about relationships, to form a national team with the goal to collaborate and innovate together to produce effective, holistic cityreaching plans, that once implemented and perfected will emerge as transformational withreach models that will inform an exciting future for all of us.

If you think you might be interested teaming up with us please call or write (info below) to see if your city is open.  If a partnership is already established in your area we will certainly do all we can to facilitate local collaboration.

National Partners:

Breakthrough Media  (licensed community media and city partnerships)
Neighborhood Connections (non-licensed neighborhood strategies)
Withreach and Community of Dreams Forums  (moderated forums)



If you would like more information or would like to talk over strategies please find my complete contact information below.

Have a great Easter!


C. Michael Johnson
President


Breakthrough Media

For The Glory Of God
And His Glory Purposed In You


20001 Glebe Lane
Charles City, VA 23030

www.Breakthroughchurch.com
Email: mike@breakthroughchurch.com

800-595-4327  My Assistant (Donna)

804-829-6426  My Direct Line (coaching)
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