EP294 - Barbara Carneiro & Focusing Digital Communications for Church

The Church Digital Podcast

In this conversation, Jeff Reed and Barbara Carneiro discuss their personal experiences and challenges related to church communications. They talk about the importance of defining and understanding your audience, and how to humanize the concept of an audience by thinking about who is sitting at your table. They also discuss the tension between who you want your church to be and who you are actually reaching, and the need to focus on the connections you have rather than trying to change and recruit new ones. The conversation explores the tension between who we want to become and who we are currently reaching. It discusses the importance of being intentional in our connections and focusing on a specific audience. The concept of being viral within a small setting is highlighted, emphasizing the power of being clear in our messaging and targeting a specific group. The cost of letting go and the faith required to trust that God will bring the right people to us is also discussed. In this conversation, Jeff Reed and Barbara Carneiro discuss the importance of clarity and language in ministry and digital communication. They emphasize the need for individuals and organizations to have a clear vision and message that can be easily understood and shared. They also discuss the challenges and opportunities of fundraising in ministry and the importance of storytelling in casting vision. The conversation concludes with a discussion on the Church Digital's upcoming learning community on church communications. QUOTES "Who's sitting at your table?" "There has to be a table somewhere for that person because God is that good." "The more I can humanize that vision, the easier it will be for me to speak to them." "We can connect with people from different places than just our age" "Accelerating the path towards somebody" "We're trying to find them and they're praying to find us" "I want to be the person that reveals the heartbeat of the people around me." "It's interesting because you're recognizing that different platforms have different target audiences." "If you're not the best at what you do, then you need to find what you're the best at and go do that." TAKEAWAYS Define and understand your audience by thinking about who is sitting at your table Humanize the concept of an audience by focusing on the people you are actually reaching Recognize the tension between who you want your church to be and who you are currently reaching Focus on the connections you have and build relationships with them Be intentional in our connections and focus on a specific audience Being viral within a small setting can be more effective than trying to reach everyone The cost of letting go is worth the payoff of narrowing our focus Trust that God will bring the right people to us when we are clear in our messaging and targeting Control where we show up, how we show up, and how frequently we show up Clarity and language are essential in ministry and digital communication. Having a clear vision and message that is easily understood and shared is crucial. Fundraising in ministry requires casting vision and attaching a story to it. Creating a portable movement allows for growth and expansion beyond oneself. Niche focus and targeted communications are key to success in the digital space. The Church Digital is hosting a learning community on church communications.