Accidentally Sending the Wrong Message
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Last year, my wife started selling old-fashioned lye soaps and shampoos made from goats milk. To distribute and label them, she had to make some decisions about packaging.
Clear plastic shrink wrap is easy and practical. It turns each bar of soap into a self-contained unit that wont get damaged or worn, shows the entire bar, and makes shipping so much easier.
Makes perfect sense, right?
After selling countless bars and getting a lot of customer feedback, she realized that her packaging was actually working against her.
People were buying her soap because they wanted a more home-grown, organic, less commercialized experience.
She was using packaging that was plastic, shiny, and sterile. It was communicating the opposite of her brand!
When she made the switch to brown craft paper, she immediately saw a positive response from our customers. “It looks so eco-friendly!” “I love that I can smell it in the store!”
Is there anything you’re doing that’s unintentionally sending the wrong message?
Speaking With A Brand Tone of Voice
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On the East Acres Homestead, we have two livestock guardian dogs, Caesar and Augustus (Gus).
Caesar and Gus are amazing at their jobs. They do things we haven’t trained them to do like warn our goats about coyotes or chase hawks away from the chickens.
That said, Caesar and Gus are still young. Sometimes one of them will get excited and do something against the rules, like chase a chicken (it’s usually Gus 🙄).
So we have to yell at them.
With just our voices, we’re able to influence their behavior from a distance.
Keep in mind that we’ve spent almost no time training them. Yet they stop and sit instantly when we take a stern tone of voice.
Here’s the thing: Tone of voice can communicate a lot of information and influence behavior.
You probably aren’t yelling at people with a stern voice, but have you thought about what your tone actually is when it comes to your church communications?
If you don’t know what your brand’s tone of voice should be, you’re probably not using it effectively.
The Fastest Way to a Meaningful Church Brand: Understanding the “Why”
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People attend your church for a reason.
Don’t be afraid to ask your congregation what that reason is.
I grew up in the church, but it wasn’t until adulthood that I realized how significant the local church is in God’s plan for his kingdom.
Christ meets the spiritual needs of his Church generally, but he also meets our individual needs through individual, unique, local churches with unique identities.
Maybe you’re the only reformed church within driving distance. Maybe you’re the most hospitable church with young families.
Whatever the reason is, there’s a need that your church uniquely meets for your members.
Identify that, and you have the foundation for a galvanizing brand.
The Hidden Costs of a Cheap Logo
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As the ways to communicate online and with technology expands, so does the number of places your logo and colors need to be kept up to date.
Your logo has to be replicated across every platform on dozens if not hundreds of profile pictures and thumbnails.
And you’re probably using more online services than you think.
In fact, the only thing holding some churches back from rebranding is the simple logistical costs of transitioning.
That’s why it’s more important than ever to have a timeless visual brand.
For every additional year your branding stays relevant, you’re saving ministry dollars on the costs of a rebrand.
Conversely, a DIY or cheap logo that’s fresh but doesn’t stand the test of time is costing you money in the long run.
