Over the past several months, we've been working on being more strategic and intentional in our communication. Let me walk you through some of the changes, why we made them, and where you can expect to find that information you've been looking for...

 

Strategy and Planning (Fleeing disorganization and old information)
We used to fly by the seat of our pants. If a bulletin announcement submission came in before noon on Wednesday, it made it in, no matter what it was about it seemed. And we squeezed and scrambled to make it happen in a whirlwind of emergency response. Fliers were placed indescriminately at the Welcome Center (recently renamed Event Center) and were left there sometimes for years without being updated. Posters and fliers blanketed walls and bulletin boards, competing with each other for attention and getting ignored amidst the noise of their paper neighbors.

But no more...

We now have a master promotion calendar. It has all the main things - the big rocks - charted out months in advance. If it is important to do, it's important enough to plan to do and important enough to plan to promote. What we've found is it is a balancing act just to keep the big rocks in front of everyone, much less the little rocks that we need to work with.

With all the info we need to get out, there are several vehicles we use to carry that information to you, to our guests, and to the community.

Bulletin
A year ago, our bulletin had four more pages in it than it does now. Besides cutting our cost in half to publish the bulletin, we simplified and clarified what the main things are--the "BIG ROCKS" that you may recall Jim talking about in his sermon a few months back. The info in the bulletin is aimed at guests or events that realistically affect a large number of you.

Posters & Brochures
Only a small handful of things can be effectively communicated at one time. We used to have over 80 brochures or fliers at the Welcome Center and the inventory on these brochures seldom, if ever, dropped. What this told us was that we spent a lot of time and energy and money making all those brochures but virtually no one was reading them. So we stopped. Most of the information that was out there is now packed into the Information About SPCC booklet located at the Guest Services desk in the lobby.

With posters, we found that there was simply too much random information plastered in various places around the lobby of the auditorium. Now we only promote one or two events with posters at a time. It isn't about the number of things we communicate at one time as much as it is about the timing of what we communicate.

Event Center
We used to set up tables in the lobby for sign-ups for events like retreats, or dessert theatre, etc. We were doing this so often that rather than having a temporary location, we converted the Welcome Center into an Event Center. If there is something to sign up for, this is the place to do it.

Guest Services
This is just for guests. It's right out in the open where they can find it. It's got just the info they need and none of what they don't.

Newsletter - NEW UNFRENCH NAME
Formerly known as a french name that no one knew much about, our newsletter is simply called (MYSTERY NAME) We want to help keep people "in the loop" about what is happening. And there is too much going on to put it in any other single place. The newsletter will keep the important stuff up front so you, as a general attender at Smokey Point Community Church, can know what you NEED to know. As you turn the pages, there may be information that is important to YOU specifically, but the stuff that we want to keep in front of everyone goes on the prominent places in the newsletter.

Web Page
You're here. You see what there is. Explore around. This is our window to the community. So this is primarily the main things that we believe the community is most interested in knowing about us or that we believe is most important for the community to know about us. But there are layers here and tons of information for those who want it.

Announcements during Weekend Services
We only have a few moments to spend highlighting what is in the bulletin each week. If we mention it during the services, it is really important for everyone to know about. But it is not all that there is that is important. So pick up the bulletin and read it. Visit the web-page regularly. Pick up the Newsletter and read it. There is really no other way that you are going to learn about the exciting opportunities there are at Smokey Point Community Church.