Sunday, August 30, 2009

14 Church Marketing Ideas - Market YOUR Ministry with Excellence




Here are some church marketing ideas:

1. Give away a free booklet or mp3 podcasts on your website

2. Create a specially-themed Blog and start a blogtalk show

3. Design exciting church bulletins with "spiritual nuggets" from you. Make it a keeper and motivational tool to be shared with non-church members.

4. Brand your sermon series with CD covers, banners/postcards thru out the church

5. Start an email newsletter or Ezine. Repurpose the articles in article directories.

6. Create glossy postcards for members to give out to invite people to church

7. Give a community award - Pick a worthy policeman or firefighter from your community and honor them with a nice award. Make it a big deal. Call the media.

8. Attend a church marketing conference & engage in social media.(see http://www.ihop.org/onething/)

9. Invest in a quality graphics/branding (see Ivory Coast Media ) Create a custom Twitter background and myspace page.


10.Order a standard podium cover to match your corporate ID for special meetings in venues like hotels where their name is displayed

11.Canvas the neighborhood of the church with door hangers. Many neighbors are just waiting for a formal invitation to visit your church.

12. Do something different and outside the box - Change up your routine, don?t just do the standard stuff you and every other church does each year. Find a different way to do the same thing from a different perspective.

13. Read one good book on ministry marketing (Did you read the 115 PR Tips booklet)

14. Plan out your marketing efforts - Yes, make a plan! Consult with a marketing consultant to help you lay out a strategy within your budget.

About Pam Perry, PR Coach
Detroit Free Press recently called her "a marketing whiz on an almost immortal mission." Known as the "connector and PR coach," Pam Perry knows how to pull the right people together for the right project at the right time and garner the right publicity. Her public relations and advertising career spans over two decades.

Mastering print, radio and television, Perry has been employed at the Detroit Free Press, WNIC FM and Christian Television Network (CTN). She has even published a 40,000-circulation magazine, Soul Source in the Michigan Chronicle. Perry has provided PR counsel to clients like McDonald's while at Hermanoff and Associates agency and provided fund development and public relations for Joy of Jesus, Inc. and The Salvation Army.

Visit Our Website

If you need more guidance, please feel free to call us at 248.426-2300 or email me directly at pamperry (at) ministrymarketingsolutions.com



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Friday, August 28, 2009

Free ONLINE Authors & Writers CONFERENCE - Day 7 Topic: Book Promotion


SORMAG's Blog
The award winning online magazine for readers and writers of multi-cultural literature.


SORMAG Online Conference: DAY SEVEN - August 29, 2009

PROMOTION

Welcome to the final day of the conference. This day is dedicated to promotion.

Promotion is an important part of a writer's life. Stop by and share what type of promotions work for you.

ONLINE:(Go to - http://sormag.blogspot.com)





Panel: Meet the Publicist - Pam Perry (PR Coach) and Dana Pittman


Discussion: Promotion
- LaConnie Taylor-Jones, Tinisha Johnson, Abiola Abrams, Cydney Rax, Deborah Copeland, Tiffany Amber Stockton, LaShaunda Hoffman


Discussion: Marketing on a budget:
LaShaunda Hoffman, Debra Owsley


Workshop: Branding Yourself
- Tanya Bates


Workshop: Blogging - Lyn Cote



Don't forget the only way to win prizes is if you leave comments.


Lurkers come out and mingle. :)

ALSO See www.PamPerryPRCoach.com too and join www.ChocolatePagesNetwork.com!

Monday, August 17, 2009

NOW THAT I'VE PUBLISHED MY BOOK....NOW WHAT?




Author Michelle McKinney Hammond told American Christian Writers/Detroit years ago that "writing the book is only five percent of the work...selling and promoting the book is the other 95 percent."

The real work begins after the book comes out. There are tons of books and websites to help you get started. One book, "1001 Ways to market Your Book" by John Kramer is one of the best. Go to amazon.com or any local book store.
If you need your own PR Coach, contact www.prbootcamponline.eventbrite.com or I can refer you to PR colleague.


Here's a few tips to get you started:

>The first thing is get the American Christian Writer tapes on "Promoting Your Book." Go to www.ACWriters.com (or call 1-800-21-WRITE). Tapes are $5.

=> Have an attractive book cover designed...SEE www.faithlogos.com
=>Arrange for good distribution into bookstores- wholesaler or distributor
=>Hold author book signings at unusual places as well as book stores
=>Send press kits to local papers along with the book
=>Get interviews on religious radio stations and cable talk shows
=>Write articles in newspapers, magazines and on the internet – Get the Sally Stuart Christian Writers Market Guide to know where to send query to: get it at www.e-junkie.com/pamperry to get the current edition
=>Become a speaker (Get training and join professional speakers' groups)
=>Set up a website & BLOG and do back links (Join social media sites too!)
=> Send out review copies (budget 5-10% of first printing for giveaways)
=>Print Tshirts and other apparel with cover of book on it...do giveaways on radio
=>Call-in to radio talk shows. Go to National Religious Broadcasters or ICRS (formerly CBA) conventions and meet major broadcast producers like Focus on the Family, 700 Club, Life Today, Daystar

So, get to work.


See www.PamPerryPRCoach.com too and join www.ChocolatePagesNetwork.com!

Thursday, August 13, 2009

Five Reasons to Be Your Own Book Publicist


GET OUT THERE! You CAN do this yourself without a full time publicist...you just need someone to tell you all the "secrets." Go & get the "Get Out There Kit" www.e-junkie.com/pamperry and get the kit and BONUS ebook!



A new book idea is percolating in my mind. The idea progressed to chapter titles. Before I started writing, though, I contacted a national book agent about market trends. He had been my agent years ago and was familiar with my work. To save time, I contacted him by email, and he replied immediately.

"Nothing is moving right now," he said. "Publishers aren't accepting any new manuscripts." Hmmm, that was not good news for my book idea. However, this news was a wake-up call for personal publicity. My publisher was marketing my book in its catalog and on the Internet. Sales were going well, but I thought I could increase them even more.

I thought of five reasons to become my own publicist. These reasons may work for you.

1. You save money. Book marketing budgets are shrinking in these tough economic times. That is not necessarily bad news. Several years ago I hired a professional marketing firm to publicize my book. The results were so-so and I did not think I received my money's worth. There are many free ways to publicize your book, starting with national organizations and Internet websites. When you publicize your book you are saving the publisher's money, a fact that will be remembered.

2. You know the book. Your editor may know your book very well, but you know it best. You know every word choice, every linking phrase, every paragraph, every punctuation mark. Since nobody knows the book better than you, you are the ideal publicist. You know why your book stands out from the rest. Better yet, your passion for the book will shine through.

3. You know the target market. Chances are, you would not have written the book if you did not know your target market. A skinny target market does not necessarily mean skinny sales. In fact, focusing on your target market could increase sales by a significant percentage. Every sale counts in today's market.

4. You have contacts. Word of mouth is the best book publicity. Do you belong to a service club? A church? A hobby group? A sports group? A neighborhood association? People in these groups are more apt to be interested in your book because they know you. So talk about your book and offer to speak for free.

5. You can customize publicity. "One size" publicity does not work with all books. When you publicize your own book you can create publicity to fit a group or event. You may write a brief biography to hand out at a talk, for example, or create mini posters about your book and its features. Customized publicity is powerful publicity, the kind would-be buyers remember.

There you have it -- my five reasons for becoming my own publicist. You may think of more reasons and, if you do, I hope you will act on them. If you are like me, these reasons will lead to writing a marketing plan. Be creative. Come up with as many "out-of-the-box" ideas as you can and act upon them.

Copyright 2009 by Harriet Hodgson

http://www.harriethodgson.com

Harriet Hodgson has been an independent journalist for 30 years. She is a member of the American Society of Journalists and Authors, the Association of Health Care Journalists, and the Association for Death Education and Counseling. Her 24th book, "Smiling Through Your Tears: Anticipating Grief," written with Lois Krahn, MD, is available from Amazon.


See www.PamPerryPRCoach.com too and join www.ChocolatePagesNetwork.com!

Monday, August 10, 2009

E-Books – Profit-Pulling Powerhouses: Free Teleseminar with Pam Perry & Ralph Claxton



Hey, if you're an author - you got something to say. Are you selling your books like you'd like to? If not, trying doing an Ebook - and turn your content in cash - continually while you sleep! It's easy. Me and Ralph Claxton will show you how! Go to EbooktoEriches.com Get some Synergy Energy going!

Here's a sample of some the info you'll get on the teleseminar:

E-Books are part of the new frontier of cyberspace. They are an entirely new medium for sharing marketing information, ideas, techniques, and expert knowledge. Each day the number of people accessing the Internet grows, causing the exposure of your E-Book to increase incrementally. It's obvious why electronic self-publishing has become so popular so quickly.

The publishing industry, I hope, does not intend to forever banish the printed word to the dustbin of history. Books in print have their own special qualities and merits, and the world would be diminished by their disappearance.

Having said that, let's look at what makes E-Books so important and so unique.

• E-Books have certain abilities and qualities that other mediums do not possess. For example, E-Books are fairly easy to produce, and their production cost is inexpensive. Just think about it: you don't need a publisher, an agent, a printing press, offset film, ink, paper, or even a distributor. You just need a great concept, the ability to write it or to hire a writer, and the right software.

Additionally, E-Books are easily and rapidly distributed online. They are also easily updated; they do not require a second print run. All you need is to go into your original creation and modify the text or graphics. Because of this flexibility, E-Books can change and grow as fast as you can type.

E-Books are also immediately obtainable. You don't have to go to a bookstore or search through endless titles at an online bookstore. All you have to do is download it from a website, and presto! It's on your computer, ready to be read.

E-Books are interactive. This is one of the most unique and specific qualities that E-Books offer. You can add surveys that need to be filled out, order forms for customers to purchase your products or goods, sound and video that draw your reader into the virtual world of your E-Book, even direct links to relevant sites that will expand your E-Book outward. The potential is virtually limitless.

E-Books have a particular kind of permanence that other mediums do not possess. Television shows and radio shows air once, and then may rerun a few times. E-Books remain on your computer for as long as your choose, and they can be read and reread whenever you choose to. They can even be printed out and stored on the shelves of your traditional home library.

• Another wonderful quality is that E-Books have no barriers in terms of publishing. You don't need to go through the endless process of submitting your manuscript over and over again, and then once you land an agent, having the agent submit your manuscript over and over again.

Nor do you have to shell out thousands of dollars for printing a self-published book. All E-Books require is a writer and appropriate software.


We will help you figure out your market, write your book, post it on your website, and with the right business savvy, your audience will come to you.


Finally, you have creative control over your E-Book. You don’t have to compromise with an editor or the publishing trends of the time. You don't have to haggle with a designer or wait for copyedited galleys to arrive by snail mail. You are in complete control of the design and the text.

We will reveal the secrets to how to produce a successful selling Ebook.

The time to take action is NOW!! Click here and register for the FREE teleseminar. Even if you can't make the teleseminar, get the updates. Good stuff! www.Ebook2Eriches.com




Email Marketing $19/Month!




Check out my Youtube Video. I'm excited. It's your season!



See www.PamPerryPRCoach.com too and join www.ChocolatePagesNetwork.com! Rev. Run will be my guest this week on the Chocolate Pages show.

Thursday, August 06, 2009

3 things you should ALWAYS do if you want to get great publicity

monique caradine
This is an article from a PR colleague of mine. She is an awesome media coach. If you need media training or need a "spokesperson" for some camera work, Monique Caradine is the one. She's out of Chicago and taking over the town with her publicity power tips - because she knows media. She's been in the radio industry there and does a regular TV show.

Here's what Monique said about getting GREAT publicity:

As a TV and Radio host for the past decade I have always taken great pride in being hands on with my shows. Whether it's reading press releases, personally answering pitch calls or booking guests, I like to be closely involved in every aspect of my show! That's one reason why I'm so passionate about helping leaders like you learn how to interact with the media. I happen to know first hand what techniques can help you build valuable media relationships which can lead to great publicity and what mistakes can put you on the media's "DO NOT CALL" list!!!!

So if you understand the value of getting media exposure and you see yourself as an expert with a valuable message, here are 3 things you should ALWAYS do to foster get great publicity.

1.) Have a strong opinion.

People who are "luke warm" on issues are seen as useless in today's media. This is one thing that frustrates me about politicians! Too many people are afraid to take a position on issues for fear of being deemed "politically incorrect." My advice? Take a stand! Refuse to play it safe! When you engage the media on a topic--especially if you're an expert--don't be afraid to state your position and stick to it! This technique helps you quickly become a highly sought after expert guest.

2.) Show your personality.

As your publicity efforts begin to pay off and you find yourself on TV and radio, remember to always "keep it real." Never go on the air with a fake or manufactured persona just because you think you have to "act professional" for the cameras! Sure you should present yourself professionally but always bring the real YOU to every interview opportunity. I love it when my guests do this! You give yourself a huge advantage when you show your true personality because your host, the viewers and the listeners connect with you and most importantly, they remember what you have to say!

3.) Keep an open-mind.

I recently invited a physician to be a guest on my show to talk about an issue that I know she is passionate and knowledgeable about. Unable to reach her by phone, I contacted her via email. I like to keep my emails short so I didn't go into specifics about the exact topic I wanted her to discuss in hopes that she would call back wanting to learn more. Instead, the physician replied to the email and flatly turned down the chance to get free publicity for herself and her struggling practice.

The doctor was obviously unclear about how she would have added to the show, but she didn't even call to get clarity on the topic or offer other ideas for topics that could have created publicity opportunities for her! What a loss! The bottom line is: keep an open-mind. If a reporter contacts you and you don't think you can add to the discussion, think twice. Don't be afraid to say "I may not be the best expert to discuss 'abc' but I can offer some great insight on 'xyz...' Remember, producers, bookers and hosts, are always on the look out for great topics and guests. Don't be so closed-minded that you miss your opportunity to not only become a resource but to build a mutually beneficial relationship with them as well!


Monique Caradine is an award-winning TV/Radio personality turned entrepreneur. As president of Momentum Media Group, she helps women business owners harness the power of media to move their businesses forward.

Based in South Suburban Chicago, Momentum Media Group specializes in Media Training and Publicity Coaching & Consulting. Monique's clients have appeared on local and national news networks, magazines, newspapers and radio stations.


Need help writing and distributing your press releases? Lisa Manyon is an award-winning and experienced copywriter. Connect with her at http://momentumcopy.com

Create a fabulous, branded, professional, easy to access and professional online press kit with Press Kit 24/7. They get you noticed! http://momentumpresskits.com

WE are trying to help you get PR you deserve!
www.ebook2eriches.com

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