The first step to branding your church or business is not to start creating a logo or creating a marketing plan. The first step is to know who you and who you want to become.

I took a quote from a marketing and branding guru, Seth Godin, and modified it slightly. “You need to think really hard about what your organization really stands for – what really makes you different – compared to other organizations in your area. What do you do differently?” What would cause someone to come to your organization over the next one down the road?”

If you don’t take the time to solidify who you are, you could create an inconsistent message in the community. If you don’t know who you are, how are the people in your community to figure it out? We need to be driving the message about who we are to the community. 

I have read about branding extensively. An article on Elexio, a Church solutions website, stated the following, and I thought it was very fitting. “No matter where you’re located or what you believe, people are going to form an opinion about your church.” “The brand that you establish for your church will affect your reputation in the community, even if you haven’t put any conscious effort into creating one. You want people to hear your name or see your logo and remember you—for the right reasons. A strong branding strategy will go a long way in giving your church that credibility in outreach.” This works exactly the same for businesses.

This quote points out a bunch of good things. 

People are going to form an opinion of your organization. You want to be driving that opinion. Ultimately, your audience will make the opinion, but through your branding, and how you interact, you can help form that opinion. You want to be remembered for the right reason.