Subscribe here to listen via my Podcast.

Congregational leaders, this is another digital strategy session to support you as we work to slow the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus. For many of you, that means moving your ministry online.

In this session, we’re talking small group ministry.

Specifically, why I want you to prioritize moving your small group ministry program online — I recommend using ZOOM video for group meetings.

If you don’t have an existing small group ministry program, that’s okay! You can simply focus on launching a digital small group ministry now.

Doing so will help with present social distancing and will likely lead to an interest in participation when you’re promoting group-based ministry at a later time.

I know how much work and energy it takes to embrace and learn new models. Many of you are accelerating your learning and experimenting at lightning speed. You can do it!

Peter Bowden

This is a strategy session to get your congregation thinking about the Covid19 coronavirus and your digital strategy should you face community spread and required “social distancing” such as limiting large gatherings and quarantines.

Specifically, how can we use social media, live video, and other tools to accomplish the work and ministry of your congregation without gathering face-to-face? This is something we need to be preparing for and I have strategy ideas to get you thinking.

Listen via my Podcast – subscribe here.

REFERENCED IN THIS SESSION

• Subscribe to The Epidemic Podcast. Epidemic is produced and hosted by Dr. Celine Gounder and Just Human Productions, and co-hosted by former Ebola czar Ronald Klain.
• New York Times ‘When Can We Go to School?’ Nearly 300 Million Children Are Missing Class. 
• Live Map:  Coronavirus COVID-19 Global Cases by Johns Hopkins CSSE  

CONNECT WITH PETER

Text the word PETER to 1 (833) 306-0201 

This will connect us via my text platform.  Once we’re connected, whenever you have questions related to podcast episodes, videos, or other content, you can send me a message directly.  This is NOT a group chat. It is a way for you to share questions with me one-on-one. I also send out low volume updates about live recording sessions and other opportunities to connect.

PRIVATE STRATEGY SESSIONS

I work with nonprofit and congregational leaders across the United States on community building, digital leadership, and other connecting strategies. For private executive and team strategy sessions, please email me. Once I verify we’re a match to work together, I’ll send you a scheduling link.

• Engage with your community
• Facilitate conversation and spiritual exploration online
• Advance your justice work
• Increase attendance
• and grow your membership as a result

We’ve Entered a “Video First” World 

In 2016 Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg said, “Ten years ago, most of what we shared and consumed online was text. Now it’s photos, and soon most of it will be video. We see a world that is video first with video at the heart of all our apps and services.”  Facebook / Fast Company

“The vast majority of Americans – 95% – now own a cellphone of some kind. The share of Americans that own smartphones is now 77%…” Pew Research Center

Video is estimated to be 80% of all Internet traffic. Wordstream.com

According to Forbes “90% of customers say video helps them make buying decisions and 64% of customers say that seeing a video makes them more likely to buy.” Adding a video to marketing emails has been shown to double to triple click-through rates. Website landing pages with videos see significant increases in their conversion rates.

Video is now expected. Use it to accompany and lead people from their first interaction with your congregation through their ongoing participation as members.

Using Video to Connect, Engage, Inspire

Through video your leaders are able to show up and be present online. Why is that important? Imagine not having any of your leaders present at the primary gatherings where people are trying to learn about your congregation? That’s what your online presence has become – the go to place to learn and connect with your congregation.

You are working to build relationships with your online community, to share your story, to inform, educate, and inspire them to take action. That action includes newcomers visiting for the first time, as well as inspiring existing members and friends to fully participate in congregational life.

Don’t let the simplicity fool you. We’re talking about using the tools of our time to be fully present and engaged with your community. The video format may be simple, but at the heart of this strategy is relationship, leadership, and trust.

Face to Face Videos

Start using the camera from your smartphone, laptop, or desktop to film messages (you or other leaders) speaking directly to your online audience. Messages may be focused on newcomers, existing members and friends, or other audience as needed.

The best way to make great videos is to film many, many mediocre videos. Don’t aim for perfection, aim for continued improvement.

As my child’s 1st grade teacher always said, “Practice makes progress.”

Show Up Consistently

Worship leaders: Share a weekly message telling people about the upcoming service(s) but not just logistics, not just an invitation. Share what you are exploring, why you are exploring, why this matters, and invite discussion and sharing on the topic.

The Goal As a leader you are communicating why the topic matters, and why your congregation is taking time to explore it. With your members and friends surrounded by thousand of options for new learning, entertainment, and distraction on-demand, you are inspiring them to participate. 

As a congregation, as religious leaders, use video to be online where people are spending their time, engage with your community, and inspire them to participate in congregational life — weekly!

Sounds like sales, but I call it leadership. You are leading them in the exploration of the theme by sharing the why, sharing stories, highlighting how it connects to what is happening in the larger world, inviting people to share thoughts via social media (online participation), encouraging people to invite interested friends (outreach), and inviting people to attend the actual service. It is digital leadership.

The Win People following your congregation via social media not only know what’s going on, but they feel the importance, the value, the connection, and choose to participate over all other options!

Overwhelmed? Consider starting by sharing a message once per month featuring a service that is of particular interest to you. You can build up to weekly.

 Video Message Production Tips

The following are tips to help improve your video messages. I encourage you to join me in being an ALL STAR IMPERFECTIONIST! Don’t try to be perfect. You’ll improve over time.

1. Identify a Standard Location
It takes energy and thought to share a video message. Not knowing where you are going to film is inhibiting. Whether it is an office, a living room, a space in your congregation, or out in nature, determine your default location, figure out how to film there (position, lighting, etc..) and stick with that location unless otherwise inspired.

2. Place Camera at Eye Level (Don’t Film Up the Nose)
If you are using a laptop, place it on books to raise the camera to eye level. If using a smartphone, use a tripod to raise it to eye level. Invest in a smartphone mount and tripod. For Under $50 you can have a tripod and mount you can quickly attach your smartphone to. It is worth it if you are making video messages!

3. Increase Lighting for Increased Clarity
Film with lots of light. This can be natural light, lights in the room you are using, and extra lights you have purchased for filming. I have four LED light panels on stands in my office. I use them fill the room with light when filming, including Zoom meetings. More light = greater clarity. If you have extra office lights around, directing the lights at the ceiling or surrounding walls can add extra diffuse light while maintaining a natural look.

4. Keep Brightest Light In Front of You and BEHIND the Camera
If bright lights are behind you (included light on a wall) most cameras will auto-adjust to that brightness and you’ll look like you are an anonymous witness being interviewed by the FBI. The camera adjusting to the bright light will make you darker. Having the brightest light in front of you and behind the camera will help you look fabulous.

5. Press Smartphone Screen to Auto Focus and Auto Adjust Lighting
On most smartphones, if you press and hold your face on the screen it will auto-focus and auto adjust the lighting. Holding for several seconds usually auto-focus locks on the subject.

6. Know Your Camera Orientation Before You Start
Different social media platforms orient video horizontally, vertically, and square. The norms are shifting with Instagram and Facebook pushing vertical video. Look at videos on the platform where you’re planning to post. Notice what looks best, especially when viewed via mobile (majority of views). However the camera is oriented, keep it that way.

7. Check Background for Distractions
Before you start filming, check to make sure there is nothing distracting in the background. Make sure your environment represents you and your congregation appropriately.

8. Frame Your Shot – the Rule of Thirds
Where you are in the camera frame is important. Whether you are filming horizontally, vertically or with a square orientation, have your eyes floating just over the line between the middle and upper third of the screen.  No matter how far away you are from the camera, still aim for that same line. See next page for framing examples.

In Western photography and film “an image should be imagined as divided into nine equal parts by two equally spaced horizontal lines and two equally spaced vertical lines, and that important compositional elements should be placed along these lines or their intersections. Proponents of the technique claim that aligning a subject with these points creates more tension, energy and interest in the composition than simply centering the subject would.” Source: Wikipedia / Rule of Thirds.

9. Authenticity over other parameters
How long should videos be? Is vertical better than square or horizontal. Do whatever works for you to show up, be authenitic – be yourself, make videos consistently, and share your enthusiasm.

If you can share a great video that feels good and covers everything you want in 60 seconds, great! If you need 3-5 minutes, do that.

10. You Can Do It!
Have fun. Know it is important for your congregation. Don’t give up. You’ll be amazed at how quickly your videos improve, especially if you keep at it and reference this list of tips.

When you make and post video messages, I’d love to see them. You can tag me via social media @PeterBowdenLive on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to notify me of your posts, or email me links to videos you want to show off. Thanks!    

Simple, But Challenging

Having been experimenting with this for a long time, I know this is challenging.

If you want help, I work with staff one-on-one as well as with teams and professional chapter groups. Whether individually or in groups, we can map out your video message strategy for a given span of time, figure out your video recording set up, and get you comfortable on camera.

I’m working on a related course right now. Will be taking new video coaching clients starting February 1st. If you’d like to be first in line, contact me and I’ll send you the registration link before I make it public.

In cooperation,
Peter

New Year Preview

After the New Year, look for the following:

• new stand-alone on-demand courses
• single session webinars (not subscription)
• ongoing free public LIVE VIDEO sessions
• new podcast coming out this month!

I’ll be sharing much more as these roll out.    Subscribe to get updates!

Many leaders fear audio podcasts keep people from visiting. The opposite is true! Audio podcasts are frequently used to evaluate congregations, including deciding to visit and ultimately join.  

Podcasts also help existing members and volunteers stay engaged. With podcasts and smart speakers growing in popularity, your audio ministry is more valuable than ever!

We’ll discuss using podcasts for outreach, education, membership development, and stewardship.

This session is part of my Leading Congregations Monthly training program.

To attend this session only, join the program and cancel your subscription after this training is over via your PayPal account. Easy!

Want to join us? Learn more and enroll
Members – Go to Program Site

Many congregational leaders fear audio podcasts keep people from visiting. The opposite is true!

Audio podcasts are frequently used to evaluate congregations, including deciding to visit and ultimately join.  Podcasts also help existing members and volunteers stay engaged.

With podcasts and smart speakers growing in popularity, your audio ministry is more valuable than ever! We’ll discuss using podcasts for outreach, education, membership development, and stewardship.

NOTE: If you hold weekly services that include a sermon, you should be recording audio of these talks.  If you do, distributing this content as a podcast is a must!

New Members – Learn more and enroll
Members – Go to Program Site

Video overview of Fall Training Topics:

I want you to have the same  experience.  I hope this 10 minute-ish video helps inspire you to update your strategy!

We need to meet people WHERE and WHEN they are making decisions about our congregations — that’s online for a huge percentage of potential visitors and new members.

We need to welcome them online.

We need to inspire, educate, and orient them online.

We need to bring a branch of the path to membership online.

How do we do this?  First, acknowledge the fact that the world, our technology, and human behavior requires a shift.  Once you do that you can seek out specific support.

My Facebook Group

I am continually discussing this and related issues in my UU PLANET LEADERS Facebook group  Join me and over 1,000 other Unitarian Universalist leaders in this group. 

Get Monthly Training

I also lead a new LIVE and ON-DEMAND training for congregational leaders every month. This is through my Leading Congregations Monthly program. Learn more.

Zoom Video Presentations

As noted in this video, I also offer Zoom video consultations.  This inlcudes one-on-one and team consultations, as well as remote video presentations for professional groups, seminaries, and conferences across the United States.

Contact me if you’d like to discuss a training.

Friday, September 20th I’ll be helping to document and amplify the Boston climate strike, live tweeting photos and video interviews, especially of our Boston Unitarian Universalist Contingent.

Below are some media tips for you wherever you are striking!

Whether you are sharing on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or taking pix for other use, consider the following “shot list” of photos and videos to take to guide your efforts.

1. CLOSE-UPS WITH SIGNS

Photos of people holding signs fairly close up, say two people together with their signs. The media loves these! Show the people and their signs.  Make sure you share your sign photos including the hashtag #ClimateStrike and sign.  People search for those words together to find the signs, including for articles sharing the “top signs” from the protest.

Example: Tweet your sign photo with the TEXT OF YOUR SIGN written out followed by #ClimateStrike sign

2. GROUP SHOTS

Organize your group so you are all together with your signs and banners and take a group shot. Do this before things get started. Every march or protest I attend I organize people into group shots. This is often overlooked and a missed opportunity.  Sharing your group photo publicly AS SOON AS YOU GATHER will help build energy and interest in the event.  These photos are helpful on websites and PR for climate justice events.

Example: Group photos I’ve taken have been used in PR for nonprofits for YEARS following the action. They’ve been published in magazine articles, blog posts, coffee table books, and used in scholarly presentations on the climate movement.

3. ACTION SHOTS

Once you are marching, especially in a group with a banner, have someone from you group run ahead and take a good action shot of you marching. You can take turns doing this.  Just run ahead, move to the side, and take photos or short videos of your group marching.

4. CROWD SHOTS

When you hear yourself thinking, “Wow, there are so many people here” take a crowd shot. People love seeing the size ofcrowds. Take a crowd shot.  But also consider taking a short video of yourself explaining where you are, how many people there are,  how exciting it is, and how happy you are so many people turned out.  Show the crowd, Trump and the fossil fuel industry are watching…

5. SHARE YOUR STORY

Try and tell the story of your experience as it unfolds. Take photos as you are first gathering before the action. Take a photo as the crowds build. Don’t wait until everything is in full swing to take photos and share them. Help others experience marches through your eyes.  I have found that sharing the story in this way helps engage people tuning in, including journalists considering reporting on the event.

6. SHARE A VIDEO MESSAGE

This takes a bit more intention, but it is powerful.  If you have something to say about CLIMATE CHANGE and our need to act, share it in a video message.  Take a short video — 30 seconds is fine — to share why you’re striking, your thoughts and feelings about climate, and a message for the people viewing your video.  If you had 30 seconds to share a message on national TV, what would you say?  Say it, tweet it, and tag it with the #climatestrike hashtag.

Example: You never know when a video will get picked up.  I tweeted a short video at the start of a recent youth climate strike, tagged it #ClimateStrike and it was picked up by Twitter in the national coverage and was viewed 26,000 times within 48 hours.

TWEETING? TAG ME IN PHOTOS FOR RETWEETS

If you do any of the above, I’d love to see your photos and videos and share them.  Tag your tweets with @UUPLANET and I’ll get notified.  That simply means including the text username @uuplanet in your tweet.  Easy!

Thank you for striking tomorrow or participating in actions over the coming week!  I look forward to seeing your photos and videos.

If you’re joining our Unitarian Universalist gatherings in Boston, you can read more about our plans and schedule here.

Topic:  Mastering your “Plan A Visit” Strategy
Date: Presented Wednesday, October 9, 2019
Duration: 60 minutes
Recording:  Available to program members

New Members – Learn more and enroll
Watch this Session – Leading Congregations Monthly Members

Many people thinking about visiting a congregation make it to the congregation’s website, but never follow through with a visit.

Thinking about visiting a congregation is very stressful, let alone actually visiting.

You can help people interested in your congregation follow through with a visit by helping them decide to visit RIGHT THEN AND THERE when they are on your website and considering it.

Don’t let people linger in an anxious, tentative, “maybe I’ll visit someday” state.

To help them commit to a visit and move forward requires understanding their state of mind, shifting your website’s language, and what you are asking them to do.

Instead of saying, “Oh, visit anytime,” you ask them to RSVP for an upcoming service. You proactively help them plan their visit and send them clear instructions, resources, and support.

The best part?

You can automate this process with automated emails sending visitors who RSVP the information they need, prompting them to ask if they have additional questions, as well as notifying your team that they are coming.

By doing this you shift when you collect information from when they visit in person to when they plan to visit online. Instead of trying to figure out who newcomers are as they come in, you’re proactively connecting with them in advance.

Can you tell I love this strategy? 

I’m watching this strategy being deployed across the church world. All the rapidly growing congregations I follow are shifting to this approach.

If you aren’t using this strategy on your website and membership development process, consider joining us for this session!

You can join my monthly training program for congregatioanl leaders and leave at any time via your PayPal account.  To join for this session, enroll, and then end your subscription via PayPal once the session is complete. You’ll have a full month of access to our program member site.

New Members – Learn more and enroll
Watch this Session – Leading Congregations Monthly Members

New Members – Learn more and enroll
Members – Go To Program Site

Many people thinking about visiting a congregation make it to the congregation’s website, but never follow through with a visit. Thinking about visiting a congregation is very stressful, let alone actually visiting.

You can help people interested in your congregation follow through with a visit by helping them decide to visit RIGHT THEN AND THERE when they are on your website and considering it.

Don’t let people linger in an anxious, tentative, maybe I’ll visit state.

To help them commit to a visit and move forward requires understanding their state of mind, shifting your website’s language, and what you are asking them to do.

Instead of saying, “Oh, visit anytime,” help them RSVP for a specific upcoming service. Proactively help them plan their visit and send them clear instructions, resources, and support.

The best part? You can automate this process with automated emails sending visitors who RSVP the information they need, prompting them to ask if they have additional questions, as well as notifying your team that they are coming.

By doing this you shift when you collect information from when they visit in person to when they plan to visit online. Instead of trying to figure out who newcomers are as they come in, you’re proactively connecting with them in advance.

Can you tell I love this strategy?

I’m watching this strategy being deployed across the church world. All the rapidly growing congregations I follow are shifting to this approach.

If you aren’t using this strategy on your website and membership development process, consider joining us for this session.

You can join my monthly training program and leave at any time via your PayPal account. To join for this session, enroll, and then end your subscription via PayPal once the session is complete. You’ll have a full month of access to our program member site.

New Members – Learn more and enroll
Members – Go To Program Site