Creatively Advertise Your Ministry – Without Breaking the Bank

Yesterday, my family and I enjoyed a long-standing tradition – getting together for the Super Bowl. Yes, the guys are interested in the game – and we ladies were, too, last year when our Baltimore Ravens were playing.  But fellowship, great food, 2 birthdays (my dad & my sister’s birthdays always fall around Super Bowl weekend), and funny commercials are the REAL reasons we enjoy our annual Super Bowl party.

Speaking of commercials..The Washington Post reported that a 30-second advertisement cost approximately $4 million this year.  With over 100 million viewers expected to tune in to the game, corporate sponsors are able to reach a plethora of potential consumers.  Might be a good investment then, right?

Most of us in kidmin would never have a $4 million budget, let alone $4 million for a 30-second advertisement but there are some ways to creatively ‘advertise’ your ministry without breaking the bank.  Here are a few suggestions:

• Word of mouth is always a winner.  People will tell their friends about the wonderful things happening in your ministry. (Sadly, the opposite is also true.)
• A great church/ministry website is also a winner.  More and more of our families find us via the internet nowadays, so having a top-notch website is a great investment.  Our ministry will be updating our website in the coming weeks and I am very excited about that!
• Bulletin ads are an effective tool in getting the word out about your ministry.  There have been debates on whether or not to use church bulletins to recruit volunteers but bulletins can be a great way to give a brief snapshot of what’s happening in your ministry.
• Reach the masses by having upfront announcements, videos, and skits presented to your entire congregation at weekend services.  Having a ministry staffer or key volunteer do this is awesome.  Having your Senior Pastor do this is also awesome.
• E-newsletters are another great (and oftentimes free) route to choose.  I use Mail Chimp to send weekly updates to our ministry parents.  The information hits their inbox and is always available at their fingertips.
• Social media, like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, are also free tools that are very effective in getting the word out.  Many members of our congregation use social media so getting information to them in this way is extremely effective.
• Getting the word out via text alerts is something that many ministries use.  I currently do not use this type of advertisements but those that do have shared how awesome it is to send a mass text to parents, students, and/or volunteers.
• Quality colorful, eye-catching posters and banners are great ‘oldies but goodies’.  Pair them up with a creatively decorated table, printed materials, a smiling volunteer and food is also a winner.  Read here about how our ministry pulled this off this past summer.
• Other great options include diaper bag tags, buttons, ink pens, hats, backpacks, water bottles, t-shirts – anything that can be printed with your ministry’s logo.  Many times these items help strike up great conversations outside of your church walls.

How have you creatively advertised your ministry on a budget?  I’m always looking for ideas, so please share yours by leaving a comment below!