Marketing & Media

POTTER’S HOUSE FAMILY CHURCH

MARKETING AND MEDIA DEPARTMENT

BACKGROUND
The church leadership (pastoral team) through the visionary leadership of Bishop Ntombela established this department in October 2012 with the purpose of placing the Potters House Family Church and its activities at the reach of all people around the globe and thus creating a strong national and global spiritual brand and using it to minister to different spectrum of people around the globe.

VISION

In line with the Potter’s House Family Church vision of serving in the greater commission, the Marketing and Media Department seeks to be a department (within Potter’s House Family Church) that will serve as a vehicle where every other church functional department and cell group can make an impact, working together towards expanding the Kingdom of God by utilizing modern marketing strategies, information technology and other communication networks.

MISSION STATEMENT

To assist, support and develop marketing strategies where every member inside and outside the congregation will be served excellently by this department with the purpose of creating the Potters House Family Church brand.

Our objective as Potter’s House Family Church Marketing and Media Department is to utilize all the marketing tools at our disposal to effectively communicate the message of the church to inform and inspire. 

 

THE ROLE OF THE MARKETING DEPARTMENT
The Marketing and Media department will act as a guide and assist other departments in developing marketing and advertising campaigns for their events.The marketing function should involve other functional departmnets within the church, and there should be a meeting of the minds whenever discussions are held regarding new ideas arising.

It is very important that the marketing department gets input from many people within the church and for that reason the department is open to ideas to make it effective and proactive. Not only does providing input help the rest of the church understand and support the marketing efforts, it also provides some invaluable insights into what members want and new ideas that may have slipped past the marketing department just as getting everyone involved leads to a more cohesive effort.

Because the goals and guidelines set by the marketing department should, by design, be in line with the vision and mission of the church, the Church Governing Board (CGB) should be involved in and endorse co-operation by all departments in following and implementing the church marketing plan and integrating a consistent message into all communication channels. If this isn't the case, the efforts to market the church will fail.

Reinforcing the idea among our church members that marketing is a team effort is critical. Individuals may have their own goals and priorities, but if they don't also consider the goals and greater need of the church, they may hinder efforts and make the carefully planned marketing efforts fail.

 MARKETING PLAN STRATEGIES

Our effort centres around five strategic areas namely:

 Ø   Imagination: creative use of promotional tools.

Ø  Innovation :     presenting things in a fresh way.
Ø  Integration:     using all identified media means together in an effective way.
Ø  Involvement: coaching lay leaders to communicate.
Ø  Inspiration:      telling the stories of God at work in people’s lives.

MARKETING STRATEGIES

1.      Audio Broadcast Media
v  The department will use the audio broadcast media space as one of the strategies to market the church and the church events.
v  The audio broadcast media institution based locally and nationally shall be explored.
v  Radio stations such as Newcastle Community Radio (NCR), Ukhozi FM etc. shall be utilized to market church events.
2.       Visual Broadcast Media
v  Visual broadcast media will have also to be explored as a marketing strategy.
v  National and international visual broadcast media space shall be explored.
v  Institutions such as One Gospel, SABC, God Never Fails (GNF) Media, TBN etc. shall be explored.
3.      Website
v  Creating an interesting and continuously monitoring of an active church website.
v  The church website shall be used as the main marketing platform to communicate the church events and build a strong and solid brand image for the church.
v  The web-developer has been identified and assigned to explore the most effective and economic ways of developing a church website.
 4.      Billboards
v  Advertising and promoting all church activities on an monitored electronic billboards.
v  The church billboard situated at the main branch has been identified as suitable for conversion into electric billboard.
v  Usage of private electronic billboard shall be explored when necessary such as the ones at Newcastle High School and Amajuba FET in Newcastle.
5.      Social Media
·         Social media is becoming the most utilized vehicle for marketing in the current dispensation and as a church this department shall also tap in into the social media space to communicate the church message and events.
·         The mainstream social media platforms i.e. facebook and twitter shall be utilized during the initial stages and other social media avenues shall be explored in the long-term.
·         The department already has an official to be responsible for all social media correspondence.
6.      Print Media
·         The department is looking at developing and publishing a church magazine or newsletter to communicate the church events on a quarterly basis with the first edition earmarked to be published after the Easters.
·         The department is also looking at refining the visitors cards issued to visitors during the Sunday services.
·         The pamphlets or brochures with church personalized message will be developed and be issued to the visitors to take home.
·         Posters for church department’s major events shall be created and posted at the church building to create the hype for the events.
·         The Editor-In-Chief, who also serves as the department’s Secretary shall be responsible for the print media.

SHORT-TERM TARGETS

ü  Magazine/Newsletter

The department is earmarking publishing the church magazine or newsletter on a quarterly basis with the first edition to be published before the end of April 2013.

The first edition will be published using the department’s funds and will be used to source the funds from the potential sponsors who may wish to use the newsletter for advertising their brands or products.

 ü  Social Media

An active facebook page and twitter account should be running by the end of March to market the events and communicate the church message.

 ü  Website

By the end of April the feasibility study on the website should have been concluded and an effective and economic methodology to develop the church website should have been concluded.

 ü  Visitors cards and pamphlets

The refining of the visitors cards and pamphlets should be completed by the end of April and ready for distribution.

 ü  Media department

To transform our media section of our department into a professional and effective machinery to be utilized for revenue generation for the department.

 

MEDIUM TO LONG-TERM GOALS

 v  Website

The website to be active and in line with the modern websites covering all the needs of the church such as video streaming, podcasts and other interactive electronic services a vibrant website has to offer.

 v  Audio-visual broadcast media

It is the department’s view that our church is now in a position where it requires having a slot in one of both the mainstream audio and visual broadcast platforms.

The department will explore economically viable ways of securing the slots with both audio and visual broadcast media.

 FUNDRAISING STRATEGIES

£     In the short-term the funds to run the department will be from the committee members’ own contributions.
£     A monthly contribution from each committee member has been agreed upon.
£     The department is looking at other ideas to generate revenue in order to make the department self-sustainable.
£     The department has a responsible official who’ll be running the financial matters of the department.

STRATEGIC PARTNERS (within the church)

Ø  Church Governing Board
Giving guidance and direction to the department.
Ø  Praise and Worship Team
As the face of the church during the services, it is an important partner and is represented in the committee.
Ø  Sound Department
Critical for the sharing of infrastructure and ideas. Also represented in the committee.
Ø  Caring Ministry
As the first point of contact (ushers), it plays a role of the face of the church and an important partner. It is represented in the committee.

INFRASTRUCTURE AND EQUIPMENT TO BE UTILISED
ü  Digital cameras
ü  Digital video-cameras
ü  Projectors
ü  Projector screens
ü  Personal Computer, Laptops and
ü  Other related equipment

COMMITTEE STRUCTURE

1.    Chairperson                                        :  Mr Sazi Shange

2.    Secretary / Editor-In-Chief                 :  Mr Lucky Sithole
3.    Treasurer / Co-Editor                         :  Mr Mxolisi Mazibuko
4.    IT Team-Leader                                  : Mr Themba Kubheka
5.    Web Developer                                  :  Mr Franse Hleza
6.    Web Developer                                  : Ms Nelisiwe Sithole
7.    Social Media Technician                     :  Mr Sphamandla Ndlovu
8.    Internal Marketing coordinator        : Ms Nomusa Zwane
9.    Music Coordinator                              :  Mr Simphiwe Nsele
10. Sound Technician                                :  Mr Mduduzi Dlamini
11. Audio Visual Technician                     :  Mr Nqaba Khumalo
12. Broadcast Media                                :  Ms Nkosing’phile Zwane

CODE OF CONDUCT GOVERNING THE POTTER’S HOUSE FAMILY CHURCH MARKETING AND MEDIA DEPARTMENT

The code of conduct set out below will serve as a guideline to be followed by all members of the committee or department in carrying out mandated departmental duties.
It is crucial for this department to have a code of conduct for it’s members so as not to send conflicting messages to the world.
This code of conduct should assist in ensuring that messages sent through any marketing medium is the message endorsed by the Potters House Family Church not the contrary.
All members of the committee or department are expected to strictly adhere to the departmental code of conduct.
Failure to adhere to this code of conduct shall result in the disciplinary action taken against the offender.
The code of conduct is as follows:

1. All messages to be conveyed through any marketing or media medium must reflect the character and standpoint of the Potters House Family Church.
2. Members of the committee are to execute the task given to them by the committee with Excellency and dedication.
3.  All social media messages (facebook and twitter) are to be verified by the chairperson of the committee before publishing. This also includes any photographic material to be published.
4. The chairperson will from time to time consult the board or the pastoral team on any content or material that may be deemed to require such consultation by him or the committee,
5. Members of the committee are expected to forward contributions to the committee secretary who’ll in turn consult the chairperson on any content or material to be published.
6. Committee members can also contact the chairperson directly for verification of any content to be published, especially on social media.
7. The official Potter’s House Family Church facebook page and twitter account shall be the ones approved by this committee.
8. No parallel social media content bearing the name of Potters House Family Church shall be allowed except if approved by this department or the church leadership. 
9. Messages to be broadcast on audio and visual broadcast media shall be approved by the committee or chairperson of the department.
10. Members of the committee are expected to reflect Christian-like lifestyle and Potters House Family Church character and traditions whenever they engage on their marketing and media work. 
11. All marketing and media work being undertaken are to assist the Potter’s House Family Church vision-bearer to accomplish the vision God has placed on him to the glory of God.