Conversational Marketing - Part 1

I just started reading a book called, "Beyond Buzz," by Lois Kelly. I'm 2 chapters in and I have to tell you, it's got some great content. I want to spend the next several blog-entries to share some of those insights, and how I think they apply to the world of NLC, Church Planting, & hopefully, your world as well. I would love to hear your comments, so feel free to interject as we go here.

She begins the introduction to the book by saying, "New marketing is about conversations - listening, having something new to add, and talking like we mean it instead of hiding behind prepackaged corporate-speak." I'll be honest with you, I think this is the revolution that is happening across the church world at large today. There is a renewal of dialogue and interaction across the Body of Christ. We no longer live in a world that just wants to "come and be talked down to," in our services. Our "prepackaged" approach has lost its freshness, and the people of our culture are looking for something much more authentic.

Listen to this quote... After she gave a speech on this subject, one person appraoched her and made the following statement: "You don't have to tell me (we need to change,) I know. I know. I know. It's not about our company (read church if you want) or our products. It's about what people want to know and talking with them in the ways they want. How we want to do things doesn't matter. We're not in control." How that is true in the church world, like never before. We have to cross the divide from what we think people want, to what they actually are asking for from us. In other words, we must begin to truly speak to where people live on a daily basis. Relevance is huge!

One fianl quote from the introduction of the book... "The goal of marketing is not to assert conclusions but to engage an audience in a dialogue, which leads people to discoveries of their own." That's exactly what Jesus did isn't it? Think about when he talked with the rich young ruler in John 3. He's not cramming it down his throat, He's simply giving him an opportunity to be engaged in authentic dialogue and then respond to the truth He's discovered. What an example for us.

There will be more of this next time,

Just a Conversational Bloggish thought,

Matt