Creating and using a church identity, also known as "branding", is a sign that a church is "serious" about public relations. Branding is not just for businesses. Churches reap benefits from applying the same principles that help business with their "identity".
Branding both answers the question, "Who are we?" (by use of a meaningful logo), and provides a consistent look that people begin to associate with your specific local church.
Church identity is not just producing and using a new logo. It includes the whole consistent "look" of your church products, both printed and electronic. Fonts used, font sizes, colors, even shapes of products can all be a part of a consistent identity.
Below are some typical church products in the two basic categories and can benefit from a consistent branding.
Print media
- Stationery
- Intra-office memos and note paper
- Newsletters
- Worship bulletins (where used)
- In-pew materials
- Brochures
- Post cards
- Pamphlets and leaflets
- Flyers & posters
- Door hangers
- Print ads
- Ad-type banners
- Business cards
- Give-away products (mugs, for example)
Electronic media
- Emails from church staff
- Emailed news, notes, or similar publications where the email itself is the publication
- Web sites of all types -- including blogs
- Videos
- Projected materials (for services, classes, or meetings)
- Online ads
- Online business locators (such as Google, which lets you associate a photo with your church's map location and with your business information)
To make good use of funds people give to further God's work on earth, look for free online resources. One example is a free class on identity by Hewlett Packard. You have to sign up, but it's free.
A few online identity resources toget you started...
A couple image searches you can use for logo inspiration...
