Is your brand consistent?

I flew on a couple of different airlines recently that I wonder how long they will stay in business.  They may survive because there are only so many options to chose from and people haven’t stopped flying but this isn’t the type of luxury or scenario for churches.   Let me explain.

One of the airlines promises to take care of the customer first and a couple of ways to do this to have a product they are proud of and having employees who like to come to work everyday.  Now I will say that I didn’t have a horrible experience on this airline, it’s just that what I am reading about them and what I saw don’t really match up.  The airplanes and their terminals seemed old and outdated.  The workers didn’t seem to appear like they loved what they are doing or enjoying their time on the clock.  The baggage guys loading the plane haphazardly and inconsiderately threw people’s luggage around like it was trash.  This airline didn’t appear proud to me and as Simon Cowell might say, it was “just all-right.”

If you are going to make a promise you have to follow through with it.  How does this apply to churches?

If you are going to write about how your worship is exciting, that you have the friendliest greeters in town, that you are a casual and comfortable church, or that you preach ALL the Gospel then you have to make sure that you follow up on those promises!  If you advertise a casual dressed church then don’t have the staff wearing suits.  It won’t jibe.  Here’s a true example.  I helped a church plant set up once that offered and promoted a safe, clean environment for children – but when I went to unload the children’s equipment it was filthy and disgusting looking!  No offense but if I brought my child to a place where it looked like there was crusty snot on the toys I would be out of there!

Churches aren’t perfect and they will mess things up.  That’s OK!  But if you are going to promote, communicate, market, or brand your church as one thing and then give another, you will begin to lose people and there are way more churches for people to choose from than there are airlines.

Make sure your promise is consistent.