How Not to Launch Live Streaming - Ministry and Business Marketing & Media Blog

Major League Baseball recently announced that they're launching live, locally-available online streaming of baseball games, with the net proceeds to be split between the League, teams and local media interests including cable TV providers. Check out this quick article on the move.

This effort has been years in the works and as the article relates, MLB brass still aren't sure exactly how things will pan out, particularly in regard to fan interest. If I may be so bold, I predict that their current modus operandi will either be a colossal failure or will not net nearly the viewership (read cash) that could be realized through a better game plan.

Chief among their mistakes is the requirement with all of their streaming agreements, that users be existing subscribers to the local cable company or otherwise with broadcast TV rights.

Yo estoy no stupido.

I get that cablers and others are wanton to smash anything that threatens their lucrative broadcast audience. Still, MLB must realize that the existing subscriber requirement will utterly hamstring their online audience building. Perhaps a better way would be to cut the broadcasters in on the action.

Regardless of your industry, MLB's missteps should offer a useful object lesson for your online broadcasting. Namely, don't erect self-defeating barriers to audience growth be they cumbersome registration, unsustainable fees or lack of content mobility (read virality).

Decide beforehand what will be allowed to spread unfettered and to which content you want to attach audience capture efforts and even revenue generation. Otherwise, your home run cut will be a swing and a miss.

Bonus Features that Sell - Ministry and Business Marketing, Media and Strategy Blog

Start your day off with this insightful article from the Hollywood Reporter. I know, I know, you don't make films and you're not in the entertainment biz. Don't let that stop you from considering the article in light of your ministry or binistry (business that's your God-given ministry).

You ministry leaders should think about how you package your sermons/conferences online. If you have video capabilities, try adding a special pop-up interview as the main speaker takes the stage, which will introduce the sermon or talk at-hand. This intro can be given by an Associate Pastor or other ministry leader, and could cover the content of the talk, offer a funny related story, or even be a teaser for folks to stay tuned after the sermon.

Your goal is not to "package" Christ in such a way to make Him palatable to the "wicked and perverse generation among whom you shine as children of light." The world, devoid of the effectual drawing of the Holy Spirit, will never want what you have. In fact, Jesus Christ declared that the world hates the light and will not come near it, lest their deeds be exposed. (John 3:20)

However, you can add cool and informative "special features" that the Spirit might work through to help you become "all things to all men, that by all means (you) might win some."

You business owners and corporate leaders should think about ways to make your content pop, especially through your website--one of the lead-generating/sales producing engines which you can modify slightly, without great expense and fanfare.

A great example of using "bonus website content" is Aprimo marketing software's wide variety of client case studies which reinforce their sales message. This content amounts to more than giving your pitch in a different way or the usual "I used them, you should too" testimonials. These case studies offer a real "nook and cranny" view of how Aprimo might help large businesses and non-profits increase their marketing impact.

Other web-based possibilities include audio or video interviews with clients, which put flesh to case studies and testimonials. In fact, if you want to reach out beyond your website (the answer is "yes"), then you should make multimedia interviews available in widgets for your re-sellers to add to their own websites and blogs. And be sure to reference these new resources in your print, email, and radio/TV advertising.

Adding special features which help you cut through the clutter is not as hard as you think. Take a cue from the above article about DVD/Video on Demand bonus content that actually sells. You just might stick out, to the glory of God.

Marketing Strategies for Any Budget - Ministry and Business Marketing, Media and Strategy Blog

In case you missed it, check out this survey from Media Week's 2007 Media Plan Award Winners. If you're short on time, skip to the coverage of SanDisk's brilliant anti-Ipod campaign which won for "Best Plan Under $1 Million," or check out McDonald's uber smart Seattle campaign which won for "Best Use of Nontraditional Media."

Great ministry and business buzz spreading doesn't have to cost a lot of money. In fact, you shouldn't think about what you'd do if money were no object. Rather, take a cue from SanDisk and prayerfully consider how to break through the clutter, to the glory of God.

I also strongly encourage you, to beat an old drum, to use viral widgets to spread your media and message far and wide. With the new, free SproutBuilder, you can build slideshows, music players and more without hiring a Flash programmer. Check out my recent post on Sprout and widgets here.

And you need to research and prayerfully consider Bluetooth broadcasting. It's hot for good reason in Europe and doesn't have to be a pain to consumers.

In fact, why don't you pastors and ministry leaders create simple graphics/promo stuff, load low-cost Bluetooth broadcasting software onto the smart phones of your students, and send them out to concerts & coffee shops? Call it guerilla ministry!

Why don't you store owners set up a low-cost Bluetooth receiver and send coupons to passers-by and customers? Check out Powerade's use of Bluetooth marketing here, complete with scanners that read barcodes right off of mobiles. Again, Bluetooth marketing doesn't have to be annoying and invasive; solid consumer response to past such campaigns shows that a significant percentage of customers actually appreciate this targeted marketing.

Feedback?

Ministry and Business Marketing News - Ministry and Business Marketing, Media and Strategy Blog

A couple of quick items for your Happy Monday...

Media Execs See Multiplatform in Their Future
Ignore the headline of the linked article and skip down to the part about future sources of revenue growth. If you want to maximize your effectiveness, you have to think about messaging across your website, TV, radio, blogs, and more. That may seem like a lot of planning, but it's easier than you think.

Your church can show a video in Sunday services, which is then made available on your website (if you own the copyright). Your website can publish great articles and further offer them in shareable widgets to be placed on blogs, Facebook profiles, and more.

That's My King!
Click on the video below to enjoy this classic short film on Jesus. If you don't know Jesus, drop me a line through the "Contact Lucky Rock" button to the left of this blog. I'll be glad to tell you all about Him.

Christian Prison Guard Drives Gay Son to Mass Murder - Ministry and Business Marketing, Media and Strategy Blog

No, that's not a headline from today's New York Times. But it was a major plot point from last night's episode of one my favorite TV shows: Criminal Minds.

You've no doubt heard of this epidemic of bigoted Christian parents pushing their homosexual children to become serial killers. What's that? You haven't so much as read a single story or seen a lone sociological study about this pandemic of hate-filled parenting? Then why would the writers for a hit show put forth such an outlandish story line?

Group think.

Group think is the boneheaded thoughts and actions that result from a group of people working as one, with no outside influence. Left unchecked, group think allows us to commit intellectual suicide and it can cause massive problems for your ministry or business.

Unfortunately for the Criminal Minds writing staff, what is accepted reality in the entertainment community, is known to be a laughable farce by most folks living beyond the gates of Studio City.

Don't suffer the same fate.

Ask reliable people you don't know about their perceptions of your ministry or business. And use your website to generate real feedback. Yes, you'll have to sift through a mountain of garbage comments. But the resulting insights will help you overcome the group think typical of nearly every ministry and business.

Another proven method of fighting off group think is maintaining relationships with the low men and women on the totem pole within your organization.

Are you a ministry leader or business executive? Why aren't you meeting regularly with those on the front lines of your work? Scary as it may be for your fragile ego, your underlings may have thought of better ways of doing things and may have spotted significant organizational failures. But you'd never know it, because you're too busy asking your fellow execs how to get things done. After all, the cream rises to the top. Right?

Of course, at its core, the unbiblical and fundamentally ridiculous Criminal Minds story line mentioned above, springs from mankind's utterly sinful nature, inherent hatred for the things of God, and desire to prop up all that is wicked, in order to distract from and justify one's own sin. (see Romans 1) But the inane shared worldview of hit TV show writers also teaches us about group think and serves as a warning to all bent on true success in ministry and binistry (business that's your God-given ministry).

Don't let group think kill your effectiveness, innovation, and purpose. Pray about and actively seek opportunities to think originally, for God's glory. And maybe Google search potential plot points before you script hit TV shows.

CSI's Anthony Zuiker and Your Ministry or Business - Ministry and Business Marketing, Media and Strategy Blog

CSI is perhaps the most successful franchise in the history of television, watched by tens of millions around the world. No, most of their shows do not promote a biblical worldview and yes, you should exercise discernment in your television viewing habits. But you can learn a lot from CSI's media planning for your ministry or binistry (business that's your God-given ministry).

Check out the clip below of CSI Executive Producer Anthony Zuiker talking about creating and airing content across multiple platforms including television, web, mobile and more. Especially notice his comments about viewers' immediate response to show content, as evidenced by their web surfing habits. (Warning: the video contains no profanity but does reference inappropriate content.)

Take a cue from Zuiker and think about your ministry or business content, and how to spark audience response across various media. If you air a weekly radio show, push your listeners to log onto your website for a forum discussion immediately following the radio broadcast. Then take it a step further.

Build widgets from your show content, which fans can add to their blogs and online profiles. As an example, check out the PluggedIn movie review widget to the left of this column, which I built in about five minutes this afternoon using SproutBuilder.

Better yet, create shorter webisodes from your audio or video content, which can be consumed and spread virally online. Or unfold a story over a series of ads, which individually convey your sales message, but also fit within a larger narrative, with cues to participate/solve the mystery/share similar stories online.

Don't just utilize a single medium to minister or promote your business. Shape and deliver your message through broadcast, web, and mobile venues. And don't simply hope that folks will talk about your ministry or business online; take a page out of CSI's book. Facilitate and fan the flames of the conversation through better media planning, to the glory of God.

Eye-Tracking and First Impressions - Ministry and Business Marketing, Media and Strategy Blog

Funky cool Matrix time. Enjoy this article on the use of eye-tracking research to help publishers design websites and magazine covers. In a nutshell, they want to know what we look at first and how long our eyeballs stay put on particular ads and articles. Of course, the implications for media design (web, print and otherwise) could be huge.

Even if you're not planning on hiring eye-trackers and installing retinal scans at every entrance, you should apply the concept of eyeball tracking to your ministry or binistry (business that's your God-given ministry). Don't just think in terms of first impressions. Think about the message sent by the images on your website, your logo, your print materials and even your office space.

As I mentioned in my recent article on website quick tips, your online home should be eyeball-friendly with beautiful pictures that tell your story and easily navigable site design. Don't clutter your website with everything you're doing. Let your visitors know what's important through bigger pics, central placement of key stories, and attractive headline fonts that point the way.

As biblical ministries, you should also prominently feature at least a link to your doctrinal statement and values, as well as core programs. Unless you don't know what you believe, what you're about, and why people should care.

For businesses, first impressions on your website are equally mission-critical. Where are retinas tracking on your home page? If you build homes, are pristine pics of available models displayed front-and-center? If you sell insurance, do you prominently feature photos and testimonials from the folks you've helped rebuild after the storm?

The same rule of first impressions applies to your physical building and staff/volunteers. No, you don't have to spend all the money in the world to build the most opulent church or headquarters. Interested folks usually aren't hunting for perfection, but a welcoming environment to seek out what they need.

And no, for you ministries, you shouldn't go overboard with eye-tracking into "seeker sensitive" or Brian MacLaren "remove anything that offends/let's just have a conversation" crap. If God's knocks on the door of our hearts, we naturally run out the back. (see Romans 3 and Ephesians 2) Hence, your seeker sensitivities will prove worthless, in and of themselves. But in the context of God's move on our behalf, attention to impressions is valid, helpful and biblical. (see 1 Cor. 9:22)

One last thing...The authors of a brilliant new book called Made to Stick, discuss the curse of knowledge. That is, we often struggle to recall life before we knew what we now take for granted. Non-believers and non-clients don't know you and don't know what you're about. It's up to you, led by the Holy Spirit, to point their eyeballs to what matters. And yes, the Holy Spirit leads Christ-following people to the right ideas in both ministry and binistry.

Think about those retinas and act accordingly. I'll be watching Minority Report.

The Price of Arrogance...Learn from Wachovia

Unless you live under a rock, you've no doubt heard of the mortgage crisis now battering the U.S. economy. Hundreds of billions of dollars have been lost with billions more to come. But what's this have to do with your ministry or binistry? Patience, friend, patience.

Check out this article about Wachovia Bank's mounting losses. Especially notice the arrogance of their CEO not long ago, supremely confident as he was that Wachovia not only wouldn't be hammered by credit losses, but actually would profit from any changes in credit markets.

About pride, Scripture couldn't be clearer. Arrogance is the mortal enemy of your walk with Christ and true success. In fact, "pride comes before a fall," and "whoever trusts in himself is a fool."

I'm sure that in 2007 things we're cruising along nicely at Wachovia. Pride and good, old-fashioned stupidity blinded them to their risk exposure and rolled out the red carpet for the world of hurt they won't soon escape.

Ministry and business to the glory of God works the same way. The slow creep of prideful blindness to spiritual weakness and organizational ineffectiveness, suddenly manifests in a dam break of apathy and irrelevance.

Where are you at? Are you trusting in yourself or are you clinging to Christ? Remember, "past success is no indicator of future performance." You must take up your cross daily. You must yield yourself, your circumstances, and your organization to our God, Who is an all consuming fire. He must purify you and purge pride.

In his first letter to the Corinthians, Paul confronted his readers' welcoming prideful adversaries to the Gospel. Paul's response: "But I will come to you soon, if the Lord wills, and I
shall find out, not the words of those who arrogant but their power." (I Cor. 4:19). Indeed, the Spirit works the same way in our lives. He is not concerned with our words, but with the power of our deeds, a power which "is from God and not from us." (2 Cor. 4:7)

As the Spirit commanded through Paul, "Guard against self-deception, each of you. If someone among you thinks he is wise in this age, let him become foolish so that he can become wise...So then no more boasting about mere mortals! For everything belongs to you...and you belong to Christ, and Christ belongs to God." (1 Cor. 3:18-23)

Heed Biblical teaching and learn from Wachovia's mistakes. "Humble yourself, therefore, under the mighty hand of God that He may lift you up in due time." (1 Peter 5:6) Your personal, familial, ministry, and binistry success hang in the balance.

Apple, Steve Jobs and Your Ministry or Binistry - Ministry & Business Marketing, Media and Strategy Blog

From the "in case you missed it" category, check out this great Fortune magazine article on Steve Jobs, Apple, and innovation. Notice that Apple concentrates resources on a few smart but risky projects, rather than dilute precious energy and cash across a horde of "safe" products.

For Jesus' disciples and the Apostle Paul, the core was preaching the word--including evangelism and discipleship, prayer and loving service (see Acts 6, 2 Timothy 4:1-2, James 2:14-18). Check out the Steve Jobs article and ask yourself what is the core of your ministry or binistry (business that's your God-given ministry). Determine if you're focused or diluted and get it right, for the glory of God and "the work of service."

Blue Tooth Proximity Marketing Case Studies...Learn from Coke's Powerade

In our unending quest to help your ministries and binistries be principled and practical, check out this great Blue Tooth marketing case study featuring Powerade's smart outreach at a South Africa cycling event. Whether you're a church offering evangelistic info or service times, or a business offering real estate listing or fast food coupons, BlueTooth proximity marketing is relatively easy to deploy and is showing great promise.

Enjoy the Powerade case study and read more about getting started with Blue Tooth here. If you'd like consulting help with your BlueTooth efforts, contact us here.

God's Work In Spite of You - Ministry & Business Marketing, Media and Strategy Blog

Last weekend I trekked back to the Rocky Mountains of the Western U.S. for green chile in Albuquerque and paintball in the Colorado highlands. In the midst of this testosterone-filled trip, I chatted with a longtime friend and business owner about the ups and downs of operating a company in a manner worthy of Christ and the long and winding road of the entrepreneur. Among his many fascinating answers, my friend confessed that God often blessed his business in spite of him.

Fast forward to my plane ride home...

Awash in the semi-depression that has typified my current journey from ministry & business consultant to working full-time for a single organization, I assumed an aisle seat on my favorite discount airline. Another passenger soon parked in the window seat on my row and we headed up, up and away.

With about an hour left on our near-cross country flight, I awoke from a much-needed nap and spotted the reading material of my window seat friend. A bible? Come on, Lord! First, I want simply to do what pleases you and I can't find a job doing that. And now you don't even seat me next to somebody who's lost, who will spend eternity separated from you unless they repent and turn to Christ. What do I have to say to yet another fellow Christian? Arghhhh!

Or so I thought...

Twenty minutes into our effortless conversation, Mr. Window Seat mentioned that he had previously journeyed to China on a mission trip. I then asked the $64,000 question (the title of a 1960s American game show for you non-Yanks). With whom did Mr. Window Seat go on that mission trip? His answer: the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

Insert tension-cutting knife here...

Just as my business owner friend confessed that God often blessed his company in spite of him, so the Spirit was now presenting me with an opportunity to share the truth of Christ with someone lost from Him, in spite of my childish bellyaching not three hours before. Soon Mr. Window Seat and I were engaged in a full-throttle debate over who exactly Jesus Christ was and is, whether Joseph Smith was a true prophet, and potential authors of new revelation.

Thankfully, the Holy Spirit stayed true to His promises, brought pertinent Scriptures to mind and gave me the boldness to proclaim His eternal truth. FYI, you can see a few Scriptural answers to erroneous Mormon beliefs at the end of this post.

My friend's business pursuits and my airborne gospel encounter should encourage you who are believers in Jesus Christ. Indeed, God will often accomplish His good pleasure in spite of you.

Of course, God's loving work in the face of our shortcomings should not push us to "sin all the more that grace may abound." Rather, we should take every opportunity to thank God for His provision--first of His Son for our sins and then for the work we enjoy and our daily bread. And we should seek our Sovereign God for opportunities to work with Him as co-laborers (like Paul and Apollos in 1 Corinthians 3), rather than as the bratty children of our loving heavenly Father.

If today has not been a good one for you and/or you know full well the feeling of God blessing your work in spite of you, take a few moments to thank Him for His grace through Christ and on your ministry or binistry. Then pursue Him in His word, in prayer and in fellowship with other co-laborers in Christ, to the end that you will become tool in His hand, not an obstacle to His will.

And try not to open your mouth and insert both feet...


Contrary to Mormonism:

• Jesus Christ is not separate from God in His essence (see John 10:30, 17:21);
  
• Jesus Christ is God (see John 8:58, Colossians 2:9, Titus 2:13);
  
• Joseph Smith's teachings completely contradict Scripture and he was a false prophet of the worst kind (see Galatians 1:9 on the eternal destination of such as Joseph Smith);
  
• God has never changed (James 1:17); and Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever (see Hebrews 13:8);
  
• Eternal life does not entail us becoming gods over our own planets (see John 17:3);
  
• Only Jesus Christ Himself, His direct disciples, and their direct disciples could pen Spirit-inspired, new revelation (see Ephesians 2:20); and the Holy Spirit is God (see 2 Corinthians 3:16-18).
• The Council of Nicea in 325 AD simply confirmed the doctrine of the Trinity, rather than established it. Click here to learn more about it.
  

Car Repairs and Suffering in Ministry and Binistry - Ministry & Business Marketing, Media and Strategy Blog

Have I mentioned how much I hate working on cars? Let me remind you.

I own a beautiful, 4-door, hunk of Detroit steel that takes good care of me most of the time. But regular maintenance is necessary, hence I set out to change the spark plugs and wires this past week.

What for most of you would've taken about as much time to spell your own name, required several days for yours truly. I replaced the first few plugs without much fanfare. Then came "the three."

My good friends in Detroit decided the best place for the distributor was directly above the spark plugs, which themselves were already wedged on the backside of the engine. Add to that my replacing the spark plug wires in the wrong order, and I quickly owned a car that ran better before I tuned it up! After finally consulting a repair guide, I fixed my dumb mistakes and my horseless carriage now runs great. Along the way, I received many small cuts on my hands, wrenched my back, and was in a generally foul mood until order was restored.

Why bring up my misadventure in auto repair? First, because it's funny. And, more importantly, because my vehicular dissonance (which I believe is a real medical condition), sparked in me a search of Scriptures about finding God's will and suffering for Christ.

No, I don't think not being able to fix my car is suffering for Christ. But it does illustrate how sometimes we set out to accomplish a perfectly simple task--tuning up a car or honestly seeking God's will for our ministry or binistry--and we find ourselves in a prolonged world of hurt. But just as the right auto manual helped me sort things out, so God's word will help you make sense of your ministry or binistry.

Though we'd often rather skip the suffering passages in favor of Jeremiah 29:11-13 and others, God's word is blunt about suffering: if you're a true Christ-follower, you will suffer for Him. And this suffering sometimes occurs when and, in fact, because you're genuinely seeking Him.

Hear the encouragement of the Spirit through Peter: "Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you; but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing, so that also at the revelation of His glory you may rejoice with exultation." (1 Peter 4:11-13)

Surprise! Christ suffered for God's sake. Surprise! We will suffer in the same way and we are commanded to "keep on rejoicing in it." But this is not blind, dumb optimism. This is not simply keeping a sunny disposition. This is rejoicing in hope.

We are to keep on rejoicing to the degree that we share the sufferings of Christ, so that when Christ returns we may rejoice with exultation. On this Pastor John Piper declares, "Our joy now through suffering is the means of attaining our joy then, a thousand-fold in glory."

As an independent ministry and binistry consultant in the midst of a prolonged search for the right ministry to join full-time, I identify with all of you wondering just what the heck God wants to do in you and through you. I understand hemorrhaging savings like it's going out style. And I especially empathize with genuinely seeking God's will in the midst of suffering for Christ by putting everything on the line for the sake of figuring out what He wants you to accomplish.

But there is hope for us. In fact, the Spirit-led author of Hebrews says, "For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things, and through whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to perfect the author of their salvation through sufferings." (Heb. 2:10) See what God worked through Christ's pain: "because of the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, so that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone." (Heb. 2:9) If God wrought Christ's substitutionary atonement for us through Jesus' sufferings, how much more will he produce as we suffer in Christ?

Take heart in hardship, not because you're "pulling yourself up by your bootstraps," but because you know the outcome of suffering in Christ: joyous exulting at our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ's return! This the hope of all who know and follow Jesus Christ. If you do not know Him, I encourage you to read the book of John in the New Testament. You can download a free audio New Testament in nearly 300 languages here. Then contact me through the "Contact Lucky Rock" button to the left of this post.

Learn from my auto follies and do not suffer without hope. Read God's manual for your ministry and binistry and suffer for Christ, not as though some strange thing were happening to you, but constantly rejoicing with a view to big-time rejoicing at His soon appearing. And maybe find a good mechanic...

Innovation that Inspires - Ministry & Business Marketing, Media and Strategy Blog

As the rains flood down like a dam break here in sunny Florida, I'd like to brighten your day with what is a decidedly sweet merging of technology and ministry.

Faith Comes by Hearing, the world's largest audio Bible distributor, this week launched a new product especially for soldiers serving round the globe. The Military BibleStick is a "portable, digital audio player, which comes pre-loaded with an Audio Drama New Testament. With a matte black finish, matte black ear buds and a red-light-only operation, the Military BibleStick has an intentional low-key design to reduce visibility and to be used in low-light situations. This Audio Bible, which is about the size of a pack of chewing gum, has five buttons and requires only a single, triple-A battery."

By God's grace, FCBH actually personally developed the technology to enable soldiers to listen to New Testament on the battle field. What's more, built into each Military BibleStick is a means for soldiers to request audio Bibles for their spouses and children.

Soldiers are already reporting great results such as this story from one non-commissioned officer, “People loved the dramatized version...After a few months of deployment, you run out of DVDs to watch and CDs to listen to, so they began to want to listen to the Audio Bible on the BibleSticks. We had one guy who claimed to be an atheist, and after about two months, he asked for the BibleStick next.”

The challenge of reaching troops in combat with the living word of the living God was a daunting one. But the Spirit showed Himself strong and worked through FCBH to eternally impact potentially millions of U.S. troops and their families. (Give to & join this project here.)

God's innovative work through FCBH should inspire you. If you're a Christian professional, pray about how to use your skills and techno know-how to further God's kingdom. He has sovereignly gifted you and positioned you and the Spirit wants you to thrive in your given task.

Catch what the Spirit spoke through Paul to the Corinthians: "As the Lord has assigned to each one, as God has called each, in this manner let him walk." Though the immediate context of the passage refers to marriage and slavery (no marriage and slavery are not the same thing), Paul's Spirit-inspired words exhort believers to thrive in whatever situations they found themselves when God saved them, including their non-sinful business pursuits.

Take this call of duty seriously. Don't just think in general terms about being available. Pray that God will lead you to specific opportunities with specific ministries to further use your skills for God's glory. You might even want to call up or email your favorite ministries, to see if they're interested in utilizing you. That's exactly how I started volunteering with FCBH.

For you vocational ministry leaders, pray about your ministry needs and how God might meet them through superior technology and strategy. Stop, think and pray about how you might overcome your biggest ministry obstacles through better tech and planning, such as God did through Faith Comes by Hearing. Pray also that the Spirit will lead the right Christian professionals to team with you. Warning: you may actually have to pay them a fair wage for their help! Don't have the money? Pray that God will provide the funds for the ministry He desires to accomplish. (He does own "the cattle on a thousand hills.")

Be inspired. Be prayerful. Team with other believers to forward think for Christ. And let me know your results.

Ministry and Business Widgets, Again - Ministry & Business Marketing, Media and Strategy Blog

Last week I blogged about the brilliant viral marketing behind the upcoming Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. They've used simple "widgets" to spread the previews of the film across the web and reach millions of potential movie goers. I also told you how you can use Sprout to build such widgets to make your ministry or binistry (business that's your ministry) go viral.

Amazon.com deploys widgets in an equally wise, but different way. Kindly notice the Amazon widget on this page, through which you can buy great evangelistic and business books and thereby support this blog ministry. The genius of Amazon's widgets is that they're completely customizable. Slideshows big and small, audio, video and countless combinations thereof are available to Amazon re-sellers. Follow their example with your own viral media.

Create a free SproutBuilder account and build three different widgets. Vary them in size and content and then make them available through your website. As I've said before, the big advantage of Sprout is that changes to your main widget are automatically posted to all versions of the widget deployed across the internet.

Do you own a construction company? Create a few slideshow widgets featuring your various standard home models and building projects, with links for more info. These could then be placed on the websites of your regular lending partners.

Do you operate an audio ministry, a la the tremendous Faith Comes by Hearing? Create a widget like the one on the left side of this blog, complete with mp3 links, basic "about us" info, and more. This media could easily be added to the websites and blogs of supporting churches and other ministry friends.

The Amazon.com widget lesson is simple: allow folks to decide which widget they want to use to promote and partner with your ministry or binistry. The old days of providing a simple static link to your website are going bye, bye fast. Making a handful of widgets available, will allow you to offer true value-added content to your ministry or binistry network.

Happy widgeting...