This is the last week for Tracie Mile’s “Marketing Your Ministry”.  Thank you so much Tracie for your investment in the growth of God’s Kingdom and in each one of us!

It’s also the last chance to leave a comment to be registered to win the complete curriculum in a printed booklet form.  If you’re in a holiday rush today, “I’m in!” definitely counts as a comment. 

In addition to all the un-condensed information, Tracie has graciously added several planning forms that make this book a priceless tool.   I’ll leave the contest open until Thursday, December 16 at 4:00 pm.  After that, I’ll randomly pick a winner, and the book will be in the mail on Friday.  Make sure you’re included for a chance to win this valuable information.

I wish each of you a very merry Christmas!  Our blog posts will resume January 4^th.

Here’s Tracie!

Drum roll please……..The time has come to focus on how you can invest in yourself, and begin growing your talents!

Ministry Marketing Ideas

1. Create a website or blog. 

2. If you have a blog, upload audio clips or free MP3 downloads of your best talks.

3.Create a speaker packet to send out to people who request information about you. A speaker packet should include your bio sheet or brochure, a personal letter to the person who requested the information, and a CD of one of your talks.

4.  Develop a branding email footer on your automatic email signature that advertises your ministry and/or website/blog. 

5.  Make sure everyone you know is aware of your ministry! Send letters or emails to all of your friends, family, coworkers, etc., letting them know how excited you are about this new leap of faith.

6.  Send out mass mailers to churches.

7.  Contact local MOPS groups (Mothers of Preschoolers) and ask for an opportunity to speak at one of their monthly meetings (www.mops.org, select ‘Groups’, then ‘Find a group’).

8.Create an email distribution lists (on your own, or purchase one). Send our regular communications, devotions, ministry updates, special news, etc. 

9.  If you have a blog or website, offer free information, freebies, or newsletters on your website.

10.  Ask friends, acquaintances, event coordinators, and event attendees for endorsements/testimonials of your ministry about your speaking, writing, audio recordings, or videos. 

11.Research charitable organizations that may need monthly or quarterly speakers. Make personal phone calls or send them a personal letter with your bio or brochure. Follow up accordingly.

12.  Research speaker’s bureaus that can bring awareness to your ministry (for example, Christian Speakers 4 You, womenspeakers.com, or local/regional bureaus in your area).

13.  Develop a Facebook page, or Group page, and consistently market links to your blog posts, marketing specials, ministry information, etc.   

14.  Develop a Twitter account, post several times a week with updates, links, personal highlights, etc

15.  Have a professional video made, either of an entire speaking message, or of a few clips of a message to send out in your speaker packet or have posted for viewing on your blog

16.  Seek out interviews from local media/tv/newsprint /radio stations- try to coordinate contact with current events going on (Pro-life week, National Prayer Day/Week, national/regional/local/events). If you are an expert in a certain area, try to link your marketing campaign with something going on in the news.

17.  Check into becoming a sponsor for local events. 

18.  Inquire with large event venues about the possibility of including an insert  or some of your marketing materials in the bags that are given to event attendees.  Women of Faith for example, will allow sponsors to pay a certain amount (based on volume of materials you want distributed).

19.  Research opportunities to have your website link or button posted on local high traffic websites, church websites, blogs of friends and family, etc.

20.  If you are a speaker and a writer, contact magazines for article submissions which will draw people to your website or blog.

21.  Offer a coupon for booking you in local dollar savings mailers, coupon books, or a friend’s blog.

22.  Advertise in school, club, or organization publications as allowed.

23.  Get involved in the blogging community, which means visit lots of other blogs and leave comments.

24.  Distribute business cards/flyers/postcards at local libraries, laundromats, nurseries, gyms, grocery stores, salons, coffeehouses, etc. (with owner permission)

25.  If you have a published book, or a self published book, contact bookstores to see if you can offer a thirty to sixty minute teaching on the book, and do a book signing afterwards. 

26.  Offer to host a free conference call on your blog, about a specific subject that you are an expert on or that you feel called to speak about, and then encourage people to visit your blog or website afterwards. 

27.  If you’re city or town has a ‘welcome-wagon’ type service, ask to put your brochures or postcards in the baskets or bags that are given to newcomers in your area.

28.  Contact Denominational association offices to inquire about local or regional events where leaders from many different churches will be present. 

29.  Once you speak at an event, ask the event coordinators for names and contact numbers (if possible) of other leaders they may know in other churches. Contact them to introduce yourself and inquire about any upcoming events.

Well, friends, I pray that this marketing series has been helpful for you, and that if nothing else, it has given you some good ideas, and a little inspiration to focus on investing in yourself and trusting God! 

Let’s end the series by looking at Psalm 40:8, “ I take joy in doing your will, my God, for your instructions are written on my heart.” (NLT)

This verse sums up why we are all in ministry – because we love God with everything we have, we trust that He has called us to a specific purpose of speaking, and our desire is to tuck his instructions away in our hearts so that we can live a life that glorifies in Him, not just in speaking, but in living out His Word in our everyday lives.

Pray about the next steps that God is calling you to make, and remember that old cliché that says “Do your best, pray that it’s blessed, and let God to the rest.”

Oh my goodness!  Tracie Miles has some amazing insights for us today, and I can’t wait to share them with you.

Before we start, though, I’d love to reflect on gifts for a moment.  This Christmas season is the time that we celebrate The Most Excellent Gift.  Jesus, our Savior, is the matchless gift.  His birth, life and death are the place in time that God’s justice intersected with His mercy and love.  If you believe in Jesus and have made Him your Lord, I know that you rejoice with me!

As speakers, we have been given the gift of sharing this good news.  Would you consider asking for the gift of excellence in your speaking this Christmas?  Most of us have all of the sweaters we need, so how about putting something on your Christmas wish list that strengthens your speaking—a book like Communicating for a Change or even a handmade gift certificate and a promise for one our Next Step Speaker Services? Let’s give our excellence for The Most Excellent One.

Now, here’s Tracie…

Below are the last three steps that I would encourage you to devote your time, effort and prayer to. As I’ve already mentioned, all of these things are an investment in more ways than one, but each one is a solid step in the right direction.

Talking about money and fees is probably the least favorite subject of all speakers, but unfortunately it really cannot be avoided!   Let’s tackle these money issues, and the topic of marketing materials, so we can move on to the fun stuff next week!

Step 4:  Determine Your Budget

• Determine your personal budget for marketing.  Decide what you can afford to spend, and set a budget.  Do not consider marketing options that will fall outside of your budget or cause a hardship on you, your marriage, or your family. 
• Although investing does require some risks, I believe that God calls us to be good stewards of the blessings that He has given us, and that He would not condone us taking huge financial risks, unless we have prayed fervently about it and feel that God has confirmed that move

Step 5:  Determine Your Fees

• Consider what fees you will charge, if any. Check out other speaker’s websites and strive towards setting up a fee schedule according to the standard market fees for speakers in your category and at your level of expertise and experience. Set a specific fee schedule that you can share in writing or in conversation when asked.
• If you have no speaking experience yet, you may want to consider speaking for free at local churches, MOPS groups, charity meetings, etc. to gain experience.
• It is normal to feel a twinge of guilt or hesitation when requesting a fee or honorarium. However, speakers spend an enormous amount of time, energy, sweat and tears in preparing for events, developing strong messages, and trying to live out our faith in our everyday lives.  Everyone deserves to be compensated for their hard work, and speakers are no different. Consider also, that if God has paved the way for you to speak, then that could be His way of helping your family financially as well.

Step 6:  Develop Quality Marketing Materials

• Create a professional looking bio sheet or brochure or both, and a professional business card.  Visit the speaker page at Proverbs 31.org and check out some of the bios that our speakers have. You can also research other Christian speaker websites to get ideas for your own bio.

Now – take a deeeeeeeeeeeeep breath my friends!  After a week of thinking about laying the foundation of your ministry, it may all seem a little overwhelming. You may even be wondering, “What have I gotten myself into?  I can’t do all this!”

So, I want to encourage you to take things slowly!   Just focus on one thing at a time, and put one foot in front of the other, all the while, following God’s leading and continuing a close walk with Him.

Don’t forget to leave a comment to be registered for a contest to win a printed, complete copy of Tracie’s “Marketing Your Message”.  As an added treat, Tracie is beefing up her curriculum with even more information and some helpful forms.