Life of a youth pastor .

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Marketing, have you lost the touch?

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Marketing

When it comes to marketing, know your audience. The same rule applies in ministry. If you are trying to get gobs of students or kids to sign up for a camp, don’t let them know about it just a few weeks before. If you want to specifically target students you shouldn’t write them an email and expect them to read it. It’s 2014 people, reach people where they are already at, or go the extra mile and make an effort to reach them personally.

I’ve mailed out postcards, created a Facebook page, post regularly on Instagram, email mom and dad, and the list goes on and on. Which one works the best for marketing a program, event, or just getting information out? I don’t know. I do know that the more you balance personally reaching out with social media, emails, newsletters, etc. the more responsive an individual will be to that piece of information.

Unfortunately, I believe we are relying far too much on the computer and the multiple platforms of social media. No longer do we meet the parents face to face, tell them about the awesome camp we would love Johnny or Suzie to sign up for, we expect a fun graphic and a few words hitting their inbox to do the trick. This can lend to a very corporate feeling ministry along with all the other competition you face in getting their attention. This week I’ve asked all my small group leaders to call the phone numbers of the parents on their roster and cast vision for our mission trip sign ups. I know it can only help, I believe in the personal touch…and yes, I’m calling students too!

Before you write another email to parents, leaders, or even reach out to a student via social media for marketing reasons, try one of these things:

  • Snail mail a handwritten letter.
  • Make a phone call.
  • Invite that student/parent/leader to have coffee.

What would you say is the most effective way to market your audience?

Just “like” it.

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instalikes

Why? Tonight a sophomore girl that frequents our youth group had over 150 likes on a photo, yet she goes up to my wife and says, “You liked my photo!” She felt so loved, understood, valued, important… simply because my wife saw a photo and liked it. That student scrolled through a myriad of names to find my wife’s name, then seek her out, to share that she felt loved and noticed.

Bottom line, if the pic is appropriate “like it.” If the photo is appropriate just double tap the screen letting your student or leader know you where there. In a fantastic book,  “Lead Small” it mentions showing up randomly as very important to the student. One of the easiest yet personal ways we can show up randomly for a student is through social media. Follow your students on instagram, facebook, twitter, etc. and when they post that picture of them being goofy at school or bored at home, simply “like” it.

It’s become too easy. To show a student you value them simply takes tapping a screen twice, but it means the world to them. I still vote for taking them out for a Starbucks, movie, or attending a school sporting event, these can produce some more time for conversation. Though these outings can be counted as a glue for connecting with and staying connected to the student world, there is something quite invasive yet extremely valuable to a student in simply saying, “I like it”. To the student it means: I’m rooting for you, great job, cool stuff, that’s fun, way to go, I’m a fan!

GroupMe – A safer way to text & communicate in groups.

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GroupMe_logo_lockup_horizontalI recently had a youth pastor (Marcus Linton) ask me, “I’m looking into getting an app or some sort of program of some sort that would allow me to send out mass/group SMS text messages to my students. Could you help?”

Many student pastors and small group leaders are looking for different ways to communicate with students. I have tried multiple social media methods including facebook, instagram, emails, phone calls, and at the end of the day…drumroll please…the most effective way to reach a student where they are at is through text messaging! 96% of the time a student will check their text message right away.

We live in an era that communication is unfolding at a rapid rate. Though I’m 26 and part of the Y generation where we think anything is possible, and the world is a smaller place due to Internet and communication, I have the hardest time keeping up with the birth rate of technology. There is a new way to communicate every day.

How does this benefit youth ministry? How can we leverage the technology that has been given to us? Well, I have been introduced to GroupMe a few times this past year and believe it is time for us in student ministry to take the dive and try this out. GroupMe is definitely safer than private text messaging, technology can be used for good and bad, especially when it comes to adults communicating with students. There are loopholes with any app, or piece of technology, this one not excused but is much more above reproach than private messaging via text, fb, email, etc. This could be the answer to your problems Marcus, give it a try and let me know if it helps. Here are a few quick facts…

  • It’s FREE! (However, regular text messaging rates apply. Most people have unlimited.)
  • Set up multiple groups (I will be setting up some for my different leader groups) Your small group leaders could set up a GroupMe for their students.
  • Collect money toward an event, project, or purchase – everyone can chip in!
  • MUTE notifications…beware, it will blow up your phone once tons of people start replying. There is a way to MUTE the group so your phone isn’t constantly beeping at you.

Leveraging Social Media! (DIY5.10)

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InstagramLogo

This is in response to a former article I wrote on DIY Student Ministry. This is the fifth of ten areas that I’m covering in this series.

If you know anything about students, you know how much they value social media. It’s where they connect with each other. Whether it be through pictures, text, or video…long gone are the days that the student actually calls a friend to have a phone conversation or shows up on their front door step to play outside on a Saturday. Their turf is digital and it’s glued to their hand. We know in student ministry that we cannot always expect the student especially the unchurched to come to us, our church building. We need to go to them, and meet them on their turf. Showing up at their game or at school for lunch has amazing impact, and that’s physically getting on their turf and into their world – you should do it. The next best thing is to get where they are at through social media. “Follow, Like, Friend”…your students on facebook, twitter, instagram, vine, etc. Paul said, “I became all things to all people…that I might win some for Christ.” For students this means to think like a student and interact with students on their level – through their means of communication.

Leverage Social Media for your ministry:

  • This can pay huge dividends for your ministry when it comes to communication, don’t feel like you have to be the one to own it, give it away to another student or volunteer. Get away from the DIY model.
  • Use facebook as a homepage. Create a cover photo to match each series or to promote upcoming events. Create something to scale using photoshop (851×315)
  • Build your presence on Instagram. I printed a 4’x4′ canvas with the app logo that hangs in our student space. You can’t help but notice it. We have also had Instagram scavenger hunts, this builds your audience because your students are promoting for you amongst their friends! In 5 months we have reached over 200 students and their friends.
  • Find out what other social media is hot for your students, trends tend to come in waves depending on your geography. While twitter might be popular among one crowd, vine might be popular among another.
  • Interesting fact: It seems most of my HS students have or use facebook…almost none of my MS students do. For this reason it’s important to diversify your social media to extend your reach.
  • Posting at least 3 times a week is a good average. One silly picture, one reminder about programs, and one of students hanging out, playing games, band rocking out, etc.

“But what if I see students interacting or communicating in a way that I don’t approve of?” It will happen, more than once. I have bumped into many unsettling, even disturbing facebook posts, instagram photos and even text messages. First and foremost, consider social media an education piece. You will learn more about the student culture through social media than you could through having a conversation with a student. Why? They aren’t afraid to speak their mind on social media. It must be a psychological mishap, but for some reason students either think they can post something and no one cares, or our teen culture has evolved to such an inappropriate level that bad words, lack of clothing and bullying are just the norm of social media.

So should you engage a student in conversation if you see something like this? It depends on the student, and it depends on the content.

For example, let’s pretend I have one student “Suzie” that frequents church and is somewhat engaged with our student ministry – she posts on facebook “Can’t wait for the party after prom!” I have another student that is unchurched, “Jessica” has only visited twice and I haven’t seen her in a while, I follow her on Instagram and it seems that she had quite the party last night according to the picture #partygirl #allnight #wasted. Both show up to church the next morning. To both of these girls I think you could say something. To Suzie, you could ask more of a leading question to find out more about this party and help her better understand what ambiguity on social media can do to your reputation…I have had this conversation with multiple students, I really think they are ignorant sometimes.  To Jessica, do everything except confront her on her behavior. BE CAREFUL HERE…DO NOT RUN HER DOWN OR MAKE HER FEEL GUILTY – THIS DOES NOT PROVIDE THE WELCOMING FACTOR FOR A STUDENT. Tell her that you are so glad to see her and excited that she chose to come to church. As you or other leaders build trust, then consider making a soft approach to the party life by first talking about how much you care for them. I have seen too many students walk away from church because they feel judged – if you are following students on social media and only point out the bad behavior, your chances of seeing them again are slim. Like or comment on the good stuff you see to show your encouragement toward better behavior.

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Get more followers on Instragram – Do a Scavenger Hunt!

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I love scavenger hunts. It’s a thrill to race against time and compete for the prize. The team aspect is downright fun and helps people understand the importance of bringing others into the “picture” for a better outcome. When doing this hunt last night our student ministry upped our followers on Instagram by 600!!! Ok…not quite that much, but we did get 25 new followers 🙂 Before you dismiss that, really consider what this means. Extending your reach through social media by doing something like this can capture the one person that “needs” to see your photos.

instascavengerhuntOur students were the ones posting upwards of 10 photos a piece and tagging our group. Their friends from school, sports teams, work etc. saw these silly pictures, liked them and are now following the posts that I put up weekly informing students of gatherings, summer trip options, Biblical truth, and just funny, silly stuff. After the hunt we had some judges hop online and look at photos…we judged on timestamps, creativity, and those that best followed the directions. I printed off and gave them this picture to the right as an example before giving them the scavenger hunt challenge. Make sure students and those participating in the hunt understand the “MUST HAVES” so that you can leverage the game for the social media win!

MUST HAVES

  1. GEOLOCATION
  2. TEAM PHOTO
  3. @GROUPNAME

WHAT DO I HAVE THEM FIND? Here are a few…

  1. Use your team to build a pyramid.
  2. What time does our group meet on Wednesdays?
  3. Give us your best Chuck Norris pose!

See more ways that I leverage our Instagram account by visiting http://instagram.com/gatewaystudents

Driving students to get their license!

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Roughly 28% of 16 year olds were obtaining their driver’s license in the year of 2010. Thant’s 3 out of every 10 students! The number of students getting their license continues to drop.

I have had countless conversations with students, parents and staff over the past year about how students these days just aren’t eager to get behind the wheel. Why is that? I remember not only learning how to drive on back roads well before getting my permit but rushing to the DMV on my 15th birthday to make it legal. For students today I thought it was a lackadaisical problem. According to research I found in popular mechanics this month it sounds like students are finding contentment in technology rather than the roaring engine or independence behind the wheel. Getting the keys from mom or dad at the age of 16 five to ten years ago meant freedom from home, to go where your friends were.

I suspect that social media bringing friends to our fingertips has underwhelmed the desire for teens to have face to face meetings, hangouts and relationships. While students hide behind the computer or smart phone the roads are slower to grow with young drivers. Our students are becoming less mobile and relying on mom and dad longer for rides. My heart goes out to those students who settle for experiencing life through technology rather than face to face relationships. Getting a student behind the wheel with proper driver’s education can pay huge dividends – helping them get a job, understand responsibility at a higher level, rely less on mom and dad to do for them what they can do for themselves.

Teach them how to drive:

  • Teach them how in a clunker, not in mom or dad’s mercedes.
  • Teach them manual before automatic. It’s something I learned later on, but so grateful I know how. I actually prefer a manual.
  • Show them how to check fluids, change a flat, and change the oil. This will save them big bucks and keep them from being scammed by a mechanic.
  • Parallel parking. Need I say more?
  • My parents set curfew for me the first few years I had my license, not a bad idea.

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