There Is Nothing New Under The Sun

Posted on 01. Sep, 2010 by admin in Uncategorized

Some years back I was traveling abroad with a close friend of mine doing some missions work. On this particular trip we were traveling to a country we had never been to before. This was not my first rodeo, but anyone who has traveled outside the United States can attest to the fact that a new customs agent in a new country is nothing but new confusion and new problems. This particular day, my number one goal was to get through the airport retaining as many valuables as possible. Needless to say I was acting a little anxious. My buddy on the other hand was totally calm, he was laughing and joking seemingly oblivious to the stress of the situation. Slightly annoyed and totally intrigued I asked him how he could be so calm. His response was something I had heard many times, but was beyond profound to the situation that day.

“There is nothing new under the sun”.

I wish I could say that I instantly calmed down and peace overtook me, but the truth is that it took me a while to really see the value of this statement. What I did not see that day was that even though, the people and the place was new, the same desires and motivations that I had seen in people of other cultures, including my own, remains a constant. I think about this principle often when the pressures of a “create on demand” situation come up. Nothing that you say or do is new. Of course you know this, so what allows your work to stand apart? Passion. How much you care about your subject is always more important than how unique or innovative your concepts are. People watch presentations, but they follow passion.

Marc Allen David

Popularity: 6% [?]

Content Is Everything

Posted on 30. Aug, 2010 by admin in Internet Marketing, SEO

The cornerstone of any good web strategy is content. Without new, relevant content all the work you put into your web platforms is useless. For most people creating content is an additional task to add into their already busy schedule, but this is not true for pastors. Creating content is what pastors do. Every week pastors spend countless hours preparing for sermons or events only to use that content once or twice and then shelf it with the idea that it will one day be used again.

This alone is enough to make the average blogger cringe. Besides the fact that this awesome content could be exposed to more people, it is just ridiculous to not use this to help create an amazing online presence. If you don’t have enough time to translate your notes into a blog then just post the notes, and allow church members to print out the outlines to use during service. Even a quick video, about your upcoming service would work wonders with your ability to connect to your congregation. Anyone who misses service or is just a casual attendee could still feel connected to what is going on in their local church by just viewing your quick 3 minute weekly video updates . So the next time you are filing away the notes from that 6 week series for next year, remember that with a little effort you could be literally sharing that passion with the world.

Popularity: 9% [?]

Church Marketing Idea

Posted on 28. Aug, 2010 by admin in Internet Marketing

Set up a simple blog and attach it to a domain name like “www.sundaymorningisforsleeping.com”. Create a couple of Youtube or Vimeo videos documenting your church and what you do. Include sample sermons, which can also be done with Youtube. Create door hangers that say: “Don’t come to our church” with your new domain name underneath. Then hang these on every door in your city.

The idea is to create a way for people who might not have the time or desire to come to a Sunday morning service to experience your church on their own time. Don’t forget once they have found you, they need a reason to keep coming back. You can keep this blog as a regular platform or redirect them to whatever platform you prefer. Make sure there is a link to your profile page on your local geo-site (example www.atlantachurches.com).

Marc Allen David

Popularity: 8% [?]

Be Sold On You

Posted on 27. Aug, 2010 by admin in Internet Marketing, Social Media

So if you are like the rest of us out there, you have figured out that you are crazy. That’s right, you are completely insane, at least to some people. You may be thinking to yourself that you are relatively well adjusted, but I am going to have to disagree. You see, whatever it is you hold dear, whatever dream or vision consumes your heart, is totally foreign to most of the world. As a matter of fact most people don’t even understand why you do half the things you do. Believe it or not, this is good news. It means that you have something that others don’t have, something that they can’t see, and the incredible part is that you get to show it to them. To me, this is what makes life worth the ride, sharing your self.

Here is the contradiction: as unique as you are, you are not alone. It’s true, no matter what your passion is, there are people out there who have the same passions, and you need to find them. I said you need to find them. This is so vital to the growth of any organization, that I believe that it is impossible to see real long-term growth without it. Be unapologetic about who you are and what you believe, and then don’t stop talking about it on your website, blog, Facebook, or whatever platform you can find. Embrace your insanity; you won’t regret it.

Marc Allen David

Popularity: 11% [?]

Make Your Passion Visible

Posted on 26. Aug, 2010 by admin in Internet Marketing, SEO, Social Media

Why is it so difficult to get the information you want? No matter what you are looking for, it always seems like a project to get good, solid information that you can trust. For most of our lifetimes, asking friends or simple trial and error, was the only way to find a mechanic, doctor, or just information on why your child is crying all night. Well, about 15 years ago the Internet came along and changed that for good, right? So why is it, that when I jump on Google and type in “tulsa restaurants” I just get 5 or 10 decent options and a lot of garbage I don’t need? I hate to say it, but most of the time that is exactly how it works.

I know this is a blatant set up, but bear with me. The answer is simple, restaurants in Tulsa aren’t using the Internet to give me what I need. My favorite places to eat are nowhere to be found online. A few have websites, and still fewer are even listed on any online directories. The bottom line is this. You are the reason the Internet is not working for you. No matter what your passion is, someone is out there looking for it. If you are a pastor who has a passion for the homeless in Salina, Ks or restoring marriages in Dallas, TX, people need to be able to find you.  The Internet is a platform that is very inexpensive and very effective. People are looking for you everyday, and are very frustrated with the limited options they find, so give them something to find. I talk to people all the time, who feel like it is too difficult to create an online presence, when in reality it is easier and cheaper than any other option they have to market, create, or just let people know that they exist.

So, don’t be like everyone else. Get in the flow, get heard, get seen, and get started.

Marc Allen David

Popularity: 9% [?]

Search Volumes For Your City

Posted on 18. Feb, 2010 by admin in Internet Marketing, Videos

Here is a short video to show you how to find out how many searches are performed each month for information in your city. There are 1000′s of searches performed each month for churches. What is your strategy to reach them? Check out the video.

Popularity: 6% [?]