Friday, July 26, 2013
Sometimes, We Should Drop The Metaphors
Caryn Rivadeneira @ Think Christian writes "How churches and grocery stores should be alike" She sorta has a point:
Too often metaphors become our guidance instead of an illustration. I certainly think that is true in the application of marketing to churches these days. The market metaphor only works so far.
In some businesses, it is marketing that drives product development. What is the public looking for? - Go figure out how to make it. The church's product has not changed in centuries. That is a bog difference we often ignore. The church is unique in history. Perhaps we should embrace its uniqueness.
church marketing unique
In many ways, I believe every trip to the local grocery store is what every trip to local church should be. Folks from all walks of life, from all backgrounds, carrying all sorts of stress and burdens with them, coming to a place based on a deeply primal need: to seek the sustenance of grace, the Bread of Life, and to meet a creative need to make our worship interesting.But sometimes I cannot help but think that we should just drop the metaphors and learn to deal with things on their own terms. I can think of far more ways that churches and groceries stores are not alike than they are alike. Number one being one goes to the store to consume, one goes to church to BE consumed. (Think about it.)
Too often metaphors become our guidance instead of an illustration. I certainly think that is true in the application of marketing to churches these days. The market metaphor only works so far.
In some businesses, it is marketing that drives product development. What is the public looking for? - Go figure out how to make it. The church's product has not changed in centuries. That is a bog difference we often ignore. The church is unique in history. Perhaps we should embrace its uniqueness.
church marketing unique
