Promoting NEXT
We’re only 142 days out from NEXT so it’s time to make some noise! I’m sure more ideas for buzz-creation will be rolling out from the blog in coming weeks. For now, here are some orthodox, and a few not-so-orthodox, ways to stir things up.
The Church Promo Booth
A staple in Paul Medler’s Promo 101 course, the Church Promo Booth is where everything must start. It can be quite effective in getting the word out and creating buzz. Basic needs: 2 or 3 people who would be able to pass out information, answer questions, and be excited about Next. A table. Next promo packs. Tape. Some kind of backing board with Next stuff on it. Sign up list. A pen. Permission from your pastor.
From there, create an email distribution list, a facebook group, and send out regular updates of who’s signed up so far, inform them of deadlines, flight costs, link the latest webzine articles/blogs, link some previous conference sermons or videos from corporate worship at Next, etc. Make it fun.
Get Your T-Shirts!
T-shirts are always a great way to get the word out about the conference, especially if you do some giveaways. Give them away at the end of singles or college ministry meetings. Keep it in front of people so they don’t forget and lose interest.
Connect With Other Local Churches
Contact other churches and see if they’re interested in going, passing along the word, or joining your group to attend Next.
Make A Music Video
Create some theme related to your church’s trek to Baltimore. Choreograph a line dance? (Be careful not to hurt yourself.) Make a music video. Actually, a few years back we did this. We made a theme, t-shirts (“follow Brad”), rewrote the words to Stayin’ Alive, overdubbed vocals, invited the church to a local park, and made a music video. The hardest part was getting everyone to walk, in tempo, to the song.
Cardboard Standee
Make a “let’s go meet Paul Medler” lifesize cardboard standee with Paul’s picture. Super-impose a backpack on him. Staple thumbnail pics of everybody who registers to Paul’s backpack.
Leverage the Power-Suffix: “-O-Rama”
Like it’s predecessor “vaganza”, this suffix repays huge dividends in promotions. If you don’t know how to create a cool name for some promotions-idea just add “orama” and change the font. This alone will likely double your church attendance.
Admittedly the ideas began to spiral downward there at the end. Hopefully more and better ones will be forthcoming. Go make that Booth-o-rama!
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Hahaha…I like the life-size Paul!
Let’s face it, a lifesize standee of me will be too small for most people to even notice, and those that see it will be frightened off. Bad idea.
Bahaha…I definitely think that the “let’s go meet Paul Medler” lifesize cardboard standee with Paul’s picture would do the trick! We should have one of these at NEXT. Then Paul you could place it in different areas and maybe have a little more peace if people go to the standee for their questions. Or we could just play a Paul version of “where is waldo”.
Yes, I like the way your mind works, Christina. And maybe the __th (insert Paul Medler’s age) person to register on site could get a picture with the Paul standee and the real Paul, and take the signed standee home.