A healthy church brand can be created in a time frame that builds momentum. In this episode, Michael talks about his 6-month church branding process and breaks it down into 3 executable rounds. He talks about the items that need to be accomplished in each round in order to have a successful internal and external launch. Whether a church has been around or is just started, a good branding process is a powerful tool a church can leverage to create a strong culture.
• 3 typical reasons for a church rebrand: new pastor, new building, change in vision
• There are 3 rounds in a healthy church rebrand process: internal, external, and evaluate
• The church logo is designed in the first steps so the vision can be defined visually
• The logo and new brand should be designed to appeal to the people you are trying to reach
• A brand guide document should accompany the logo to define design elements for the church
• The church should be introduced to the new brand in month 2 after the logo has been designed
• Stories about the vision at work should be used to help people understand the need for change
• Other collateral materials should be updated with the new brand elements
• The second round is where you announce the new church brand to the community
• Community service events are great ways to get the new brand into the community
• A mailer that invites people to an event at the church is a good option
• Facebook and other social media should be used to tell the story of the new church brand
• An event or sermon series should be in place in month 5 so you have something to invite the community to attend
• Round 3 is about evaluating the church rebrand process and decide what elements need to continue
• Also evaluate what elements need to remain from the old brand and what needs to not continue
• Continue to tell stories to show the new brand as being effective