Parish Parish CommunicationsCommunications

Getting Your Message Getting Your Message

Out Out Amidst the NoiseAmidst the Noise

The Fragmented FaithfulThe Fragmented Faithful

Every person is different. Some respond to audio cues. Others to visual cues. Certain age groups prefer written

materials they can hold. Others prefer electronic media they can keep and re-read and share. Others prefer personal

contact, such as suggestions from friends.

What is Our Goal?What is Our Goal?

What will the fruit of good communications at our parish be? e.g. Fully engaged Catholics through:

Liturgy, Prayer, Sacrament, Education, Opportunities to Minister

We will achieve our goals through evangelization and invitation to get involved through Events, Programs, Education

What Are Our Tools?What Are Our Tools?Priest’s homilies/Adult Witness TalksSlideshows/VideosSigns/FlyersBulletins Website Facebook/Twitter E-NewslettersMailingsBrochures

Everything we do should encourage Everything we do should encourage people to attend, come back, tell their people to attend, come back, tell their

friends and get involved friends and get involved

Good communication: Good communication: InvitesInvites

InformsInformsIncludesIncludesInstructsInstructsInspiresInspires

Effect of ToolsEffect of Tools

There are three primary goals for communication in a parish.

One is to successfully communicate internally with staff, key ministry heads, etc. all who shape the mission, experience, goals, calendars, events that define a parish community.

Communications GoalsCommunications Goals

The second is communicating The second is communicating internally internally with those in ministry with those in ministry

who perform the tasks that define who perform the tasks that define our parish community.our parish community.

The third is communicating The third is communicating externally with peopleexternally with people

outside the parish – those who may outside the parish – those who may be interested in finding a church or be interested in finding a church or

who may be searching for an who may be searching for an encounter with Jesus.encounter with Jesus.

Communications PlanCommunications PlanOnce you have goals, make a plan:

1. Communicate in a spirit of openness, mutual respect and collaboration in the Franciscan spirit

2. Encourage active engagement, greater participation and enthusiasm among the community by promotion and awareness of parish activities and faith opportunities

3. Utilize various communication vehicles to create a “surround” of information that reaches out to differing audiences; accounting for their communication preferences

5. Identify key messages the pastoral team wishes to communicate. Identify the key audiences in our parish demographics for this communication and tailor the communication accordingly.

6. Provide a central source for communications to present a unified message that reflects who we are at MSLRP: Catholic, Franciscan and Multicultural. Ensure that communications are properly managed to avoid over communication.

7. Communicate with clear calls to action and compelling messages such as WIIFM (what’s in it for me?)

Communications PlanCommunications Plan

Focus on specific Focus on specific challenges such as: challenges such as:

How do people find our How do people find our parish? parish?

How do people find our How do people find our school or RE program?school or RE program?

What does our website, facebook page, What does our website, facebook page, newsletter or bulletin say to the folks who newsletter or bulletin say to the folks who

are attending but haven’t joined yet? are attending but haven’t joined yet?

How well do we evangelize How well do we evangelize those who aren’t Catholics yet? those who aren’t Catholics yet?

Surprisingly many websites and Surprisingly many websites and bulletins lack an interest in external bulletins lack an interest in external communication -- helping people find communication -- helping people find and understand what a parish is about. and understand what a parish is about. This tendency is what marketing people This tendency is what marketing people often call “in-grown eyeballs” – an often call “in-grown eyeballs” – an insularity of thought that seems to insularity of thought that seems to subliminally keep people out.subliminally keep people out.

Do our communications show all Do our communications show all parts of our parish and all cultures parts of our parish and all cultures

as active? Vibrant? Vital? as active? Vibrant? Vital? Needed? Engaged? Needed? Engaged?

What tools do we use that show an What tools do we use that show an engaged parish?engaged parish?

Today’s communication is fast. Short. Think Today’s communication is fast. Short. Think Twitter and Facebook and Youtube. Twitter and Facebook and Youtube.

Big pictures and short emotional quotes and Big pictures and short emotional quotes and personal stories they can relate to. personal stories they can relate to.

How effective is our parish in telling the How effective is our parish in telling the personal story? The “aha” moments? personal story? The “aha” moments?

Like Jesus, stick to the basics. Start Like Jesus, stick to the basics. Start with less information, not more.with less information, not more.

Use pictures Use pictures and bullet and bullet points or points or personal personal

quotes to tell quotes to tell the story.the story.

Watch the Watch the Fonts Fonts and and

Clip Art.Clip Art.

No, clip art.No, clip art.

Pictures arePictures are

Best.Best.

Be careful how Be careful how you use multiple you use multiple fonts, underline, fonts, underline, bold, bold, italics, ALL italics, ALL CAPS, text size CAPS, text size

andandcolor. color.

PARTICULARLPARTICULARLY avoiD USING Y avoiD USING

THEM together! THEM together!

Taking Great Parish Photos Taking Great Parish Photos

Tell the story of the event that is being captured. Tell the story of the event that is being captured.

Use natural light and the “Rule of Thirds”Use natural light and the “Rule of Thirds”

Interesting angles make for interesting photos Interesting angles make for interesting photos

Show people being active in the parish Show people being active in the parish (Remember, children are always photogenic) (Remember, children are always photogenic)

It’s all in the details: candles, prayer books, It’s all in the details: candles, prayer books, flowers, everything helps to tell the storyflowers, everything helps to tell the story

Avoid using Avoid using clip art clip art

whenever whenever possible if a possible if a

picture is picture is available.available.

Pictures say a Pictures say a thousand thousand

words.words.

Keep it up Keep it up to date. If to date. If it’s March, it’s March,

don’t be don’t be wishing wishing

your your webguests webguests a Merry a Merry

Christmas.Christmas.

““I think everyone should learn about God I think everyone should learn about God before we actually meet him.” before we actually meet him.”

Use quotes to bring Use quotes to bring your community alive.your community alive.

Food drives. Mass. Community. Food drives. Mass. Community. Stewardship. Discipleship. Stewardship. Discipleship.

Show, don’t tell.Show, don’t tell.

The education webpage or education The education webpage or education articles in your bulletin may articles in your bulletin may

be the most important.be the most important.

Invite pastors, Invite pastors, teachers, teachers,

department heads department heads and staffers to and staffers to blog. Even the blog. Even the

Pope supports it!Pope supports it!It will be the most It will be the most popular area on popular area on your website. your website.

Tell your Parish Tell your Parish story with story with

enthusiasm. Help enthusiasm. Help people who are people who are seeking God toseeking God to

understand how understand how your parish can your parish can

help them to help them to encounter the encounter the

living God.living God.

Parishioners shouldn’t have to Parishioners shouldn’t have to search to figure out who is in charge search to figure out who is in charge

and how to get involved.and how to get involved.

LANGUAGELANGUAGE

Most of your readers Most of your readers average a sixth grade average a sixth grade

education. education.

Don’t talk down, but Don’t talk down, but watch the $15.00 watch the $15.00 words on a page.words on a page.

LANGUAGELANGUAGE

Avoid: Jargon, use of &’s Avoid: Jargon, use of &’s and !!!!and !!!!

Staff: Create a parish Staff: Create a parish stylebook. Choose rules of stylebook. Choose rules of grammar and punctuation grammar and punctuation and use them throughout and use them throughout

your publications.your publications.

You’re invited to our student You’re invited to our student

Science Fair and Art ShowScience Fair and Art Show Next WednesdayNext Wednesday

Serra Center, from Serra Center, from 6pm6pm

See Betty for details. See Betty for details.

Or call the parish office.Or call the parish office.

Say Thank YouSay Thank You

Great event? Good fundraiser? Great event? Good fundraiser? Beautiful liturgy? A well placed Beautiful liturgy? A well placed thank you highlights extra effort, thank you highlights extra effort,

encourages others to offer their gifts encourages others to offer their gifts -- and conveys zeal and commitment -- and conveys zeal and commitment

to regulars and visitors. to regulars and visitors.

ReflectionsReflections

Include at least one article that Include at least one article that teaches or likely, re-teaches teaches or likely, re-teaches

an important aspect of an important aspect of Catholic doctrine or brings Catholic doctrine or brings to life some aspect of the to life some aspect of the

Liturgy or provides a Liturgy or provides a pastor’s reflection. pastor’s reflection.

Name the Staff!Name the Staff!

Feature a different staff member, with their Feature a different staff member, with their picture and contact information, in every picture and contact information, in every bulletin or newsletter.bulletin or newsletter.

(Yes this takes begging, time, planning, and (Yes this takes begging, time, planning, and work. But the payoff is worth it!)work. But the payoff is worth it!)

Track “Real Estate”Track “Real Estate”Same month after Same month after

month?month?

In some newsletters a In some newsletters a significant amount of significant amount of “real estate” is taken up by ongoing program “real estate” is taken up by ongoing program information that never changes (Bible Study at information that never changes (Bible Study at 8am and 4pm) jokes, clip art etc. Move 8am and 4pm) jokes, clip art etc. Move sections around. Develop 6 layouts and rotate sections around. Develop 6 layouts and rotate them each week. Force folks to read and look.them each week. Force folks to read and look.