Self-Service Trends and Your Ministry or Christian Business - Ministry & Business Marketing, Media and Strategy Blog

Ask yourself a simple question: how easy is it for folks to find basic organizational info--be it on your website, in print materials, or otherwise--without talking to somebody? If you're like most ministries and organizations, your information is locked up like the gold stored in Fort Knox.

Contrast most ministries' and businesses' info stinginess with a very interesting survey I stumbled upon today. Though the poll was commissioned by NCR--a company that sells self-service business tools, the results mirror other self-service adoption trends. The survey reports the following:

"More than three out of four (77 percent) of the 633 U.S. and Canadian consumers polled said they are more likely to do business with organizations that offer self-service, and 92 percent value combining mobile devices – like mobile phones or PDAs – with the Internet and self-service kiosks or ATMs to improve their overall service experience."

Of course, ministries usually want folks to talk to them, hence their reluctance to supply information without personal interaction. But contact should be voluntary and willing, not mandatory and annoying.

Though consumer trends should not influence our theology or even a good portion of our evangelism and discipleship, we should "make the most of every opportunity" by recognizing patterns of interaction and shift our ministry & Christian business strategy accordingly. In fact, making our ministries more self-service friendly is in keeping with the Spirit's word through the Paul to become "all things to all men."

Now think about your ministry website. Are service times or upcoming events listed prominently? If you have a podcast, is it linked near the top of your homepage? Is there an intro letter from your pastor/ministry leader and basic doctrinal statement? If not, add these soon.

On the Christian business side, put on your customer hat for a moment. Your website should be like a first date: getting to know each other and you putting your best foot forward. You shouldn't demand that potential clients go on a few more dates, i.e., talk to a pushy salesperson, before they hear what makes you unique, what others think about you, and the cost of basic services.

The survey cited above also revealed that most folks do like personal assistance when making more complex decisions, such as buying insurance or choosing a mortgage. This bodes well for ministries and Christian businesses that are friendly through their website and multimedia. Folks interested in deeper communication will usually seek it out. Be sure that you're genial from the start and Christ-like when the Spirit draws folks to speak with you.

One last thing...If your ministry is seeker-driven rather than seeker-friendly, you're not being biblical. In fact, "Jews ask for signs and Greeks search for wisdom; but we preach Christ crucified, to Jews a stumbling block and to Gentiles foolishness, but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God," (I Cor. 1:22-24).

If you're preaching the truth that is in Jesus, you will offend most of your hearers. Indeed, sinners do not come to Christ out of their own goodness, their "getting it," or our salesmanship, but through the Spirit's drawing. Stop worrying about not being offensive and start limiting the offense to the Spirit-breathed Gospel itself.

We are to "become all things to all men" and to proclaim Christ boldly and as we ought to speak. This "ought to" includes making it easy for folks to get to know us and, Lord-willing, get to know our great God and Savior Jesus Christ.

Think about it. . .

More on Biblical Networking and Partnerships - Ministry & Business Marketing, Media and Strategy Blog

As a follow-up to my recent posts on biblical ministry networking, I strongly encourage you to read Together for What? -- Pastor Mark Dever's great article on biblically-sound ministry partnerships. I pray that you Christian business owners will consider Dever's words with an additional eye to the sort of corporate cooperation to engage in or avoid.

Check out this excerpt...

"Compromise is bad. Cooperation is good. But how do you tell the difference? What are the primary doctrinal positions for which we need to contend, and what are the secondary doctrinal positions about which we can disagree with charity and love?

I’d like to consider how we can encourage each other to hold the truth with humility by setting out six questions:

1. Do we follow commands to purify or to unite?
2. What are some common fights Christians have?
3. What’s the specific purpose for cooperating?
4. What must Christians agree upon? (Essentials)
5. What may Christians disagree about? (Non-essentials)
6. How can Christians disagree well?"

Later today or tomorrow I'll post on telling your ministry or Christian business story through blogging, including re-purposing content buried in the nether world of your website. This week I'll also offer a primer on using Google Adwords to expand your reach. . .