Seven Essentials for Promoting Adult Discipleship
Written by Mic Morrow
Most of us are bombarded with hundreds of commercials and promotional announcements each day. Everyone wants to get the word out about their product, event or service. In the midst of this information overload, how can we get people to listen to and recognize the importance of personal discipleship?
Publicity is the process of getting the word to people about what is available and what is happening in an adult Discipleship Training group. People can be reached individually or in groups.
The key then is not so much whether to promote, but how and when.
Here are seven key ingredients of effective publicity.
- Preparation - Know what needs to be done, said and communicated. Know the purpose of the announcement. Know the appeal of what is being promoted. Know the materials and techniques of making your announcement appealing. Know your audience.
- Brevity - Express your message in its most simple form. The objective of an announcement is to make a positive impression in the minds of the greatest possible number of prospects, conveying the greatest amount of important information. But remember that quality and quantity are not the same thing. Compress your message. Digest your ideas into the tightest, most concise statement possible.
- Persuasion - Announcements are made to persuade. Persuasion is the alteration of an opinion or an emotional attitude in a desired direction. Use tools that will make your audience want to respond positively to your message.
- Clarity - No replacement has been found for clarity. Be clear about what you want the audience to know and do. Don't cloud what you are announcing by getting too cute, wordy or gimmicky. If what you have to say is really worth saying, don’t hide it behind bizarre phraseology or glib wording.
- Speed - People are busy. Most adults want you to tell them your message and then move on to something else. Your announcement must be read or heard and understood quickly.
- Believability - Whatever you write, do or say must be measured against the probability of its not being heard or accepted by the reader or listener. This must be considered apart from the truth of a statement. An announcement promise can be true; but if your audience finds it difficult to believe, then the value of the announcement or promotional item will be lost.
- Validity - Do some research in advance to determine if what you are announcing is valid and accurate. Make sure the study lives up to the promotion. If not, take steps to improve the study as early as possible. Make sure your material is timely, accurate, and attractive, with a focus on the target group.