What even is a brand?

In our hyper-consumer cultural moment, brand is a hot topic buzz word, almost to the extent that it's lost its meaning entirely, associated with anything from TikTok famous teenagers to makeup lines, from types of cereal to athletic wear. 

However, the blurred lines and bad taste around the word doesn't mean your church doesn't need one. Before you panic or close out this article, let us walk you through the basics. Maybe you'll find out making one is not as scary as you thought. 

What exactly is a brand? 

Simply put, your brand is the way your organization is perceived by your community, the voice of your organization when you're not speaking, and the feelings your brand assets (the different parts of your brand) evoke. 

Think of brands you particularly enjoy. What makes you return to them time and again? You don't return to them necessarily because you love the product or because they've done a great job marketing (even though they probably do.) You return to them because of the way they make you feel, and that's the brand: 

a cohesive set of specifically designed assets that elicit a particular feeling in the group of people you hope to serve, and defines who you are rather than simply what you do with the purpose of connection between the organization and their target audience. 

I'm a big fan of the grocery store Trader Joe's (and a former crew member), so we'll use them as an example. 

Trader Joe's does next to no advertising. They don't offer promotions, memberships, or discounts. Most of their products are, in fact, the same products you'd buy in a different grocery store, but with their specific label. Sure, their products are cheaper than high end grocery stores, but they're very rarely the cheap est option. 

The thing that makes people across America fiercely loyal to Trader Joe's is their powerful brand that says "You don't need to worry about anything. We take care of you, because here, grocery shopping is fun. " From their handmade signs and decor, to their colorful packaging, to their friendly employees, to their bright red logo and the beachy, local-market-by-the-sea vibe infused into every location in the country, Trader Joe's brand is laid back and happy , and makes their customers feel excited to do something as mundane as grocery shop. Therefore, their customers will talk them up in the marketplace, and often refuse to shop anywhere else. 

So, brand isn't just our name? 

Nope. A brand is not your name, your logo, your colors, your font, your messaging, your programming, or your description on your website. Those are your brand assets. Rather, it's the feeling that all these things evoke when combined with you into one cohesive unit. 

Alright, so why does our church need a brand, 

especially when the words marketing + church tend to feel icky together? 

Remember, a brand is not a description of your services with the intent of making a sale. It's the way you present yourself to the community you seek to serve, and the way that your community perceives you, in order to cultivate relationships. 

No matter the way your church words their mission statement, I'm going to guess that it boils down to becoming more like Jesus and sharing the good news of the kingdom with your neighborhood. In order to do this, as much as you might hate to admit it, you need people to know about you, and, more than that, how you are uniquely positioned to guide them into the answers their hearts are seeking, how you'll treat them, and why they need this good news. 

Your church needs a brand because your community needs the good news of the kingdom. 

However, especially in our digital age, they can't know about it (or how your heart for them) if you spend no time reflecting on who you are and how you're perceived, or crafting an environment that whispers of hospitality, graciousness, or love. If your brand is hidden away, cluttered, unfocused, inauthentic, inconsistent, or nonexistent, it's time to change that. 

So where do you begin? 

At SolidCreative.Media, we like to encourage churches to pause and set up camp. Take an honest look around at where you started, and where you are now. Change the questions you're asking , focusing them on the people you seek to serve (what do they want more than anything?) rather than yourself (how can we make ourselves look more appealing?) Who are you, and what feelings do you want to evoke in people when they come through your door? 

Only from that posture should you take a look at your website , name, logo, design, communication, messaging, and social media engagement. 

If this feels completely overwhelming, this is where SolidCreative.Media comes in. 

We believe what you're doing matters. The world needs to hear about it. 

Our small but mighty team at SolidCreative.Media wants to help your church bravely step into the wilderness of branding and come out of the other side confident, beautiful and empowered to do the work God has called you to do. 

That's why we've created a program called BrandCamp.  

BrandCamp is an intensive that takes just 1-2 days. You'll walk away with not only a new website, but a clarified message and brand, a new strategy for engaging with your specific community, and an entire brand identity package (including new logos and language). We'll start with an in-depth conversation about who you are and your unique passion for your community, and from there, provide you with a world-changing, cohesive brand in a matter of days. 

We know this process can be vulnerable, painful, and honestly, terrifying, and we recognize what a leap of faith it is to consider rebranding your church (or branding for the first time!), so if this sounds like something that would help your church move forward into the next season of growth, we'll start slow. 

The process begins with scheduling a free 15-minute fit call to see if we'd be a good fit to guide you into your next season, and to receive clarity and encouragement for how to move forward. 

Remember, your brand is simply the way your organization is perceived. 

Jesus is in you. Let's help your neighborhood discover that.  

P.S. Want to try updating your website on your own? No problem. We've created a free guide to 10 Things Your Church Website Needs in 2022, so you can work through it at your own pace.