UU Planet

Twitter quick tip: Set profile image before following

Peter Bowden — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 03:22:10 +0000

If you are going to launch a new Twitter account for your congregation, make sure you set a profile image. You should have something other than the default little twitter bird before you start following others. When you click “follow” that user will get an email (depending on settings) notifying them you’ve chosen to follow them. That’s when they will naturally start following you back. Generic accounts without a custom profile image come across as either unprofessional or as potential spam. Either way, you’ll get more people following back if you have a set profile image. Log in to Twitter, go to Settings, then edit your Profile. There you can upload any image you want, resize and crop it.

10 tips for producing your own church welcome videos

Peter Bowden — Sat, 19 Jun 2010 14:41:46 +0000

Now that we’ve hit the end of the church year, it is a great time to start thinking about whether you would like to add a welcome video to your website in the Fall. Start thinking now so you can move forward with filming in late July or August. If you wait until September you’re going to get to busy.

If you want to grow, video is key
A welcome video featuring your minister, staff or lay leaders is a great way to personalize your website. A video on your home page can help turn web visitors into Sunday visitors. People are looking for personal connections and a spiritual community. Relating to the congregations leadership is a huge part of the decision to visit. Make it easy for people – put your minister from and center.

Tips for producing your own video

Producing a web welcome video doesn’t need to be complicated, time consuming or expensive. Below are some tips for those of you planning to produce your own video.

It is important that you stay focused on the purpose of the video — to have a representative of the congregation, the minister if you have one, connect personally with visitors. That serves to remove any anxiety about visiting.

Keep it short – 120 seconds
Avoid busy backgrounds
Better lighting equals crisper image – set up extra lights
Don’t stand flat against a wall – step forward a few feet or film at an angle
Use a simple outline that doesn’t require a script — don’t read, relate
Rehearse until you can deliver it naturally – write it on an index card and keep it in your pocket for week
If it doesn’t come across as natural, warm and friendly, do it again and again and again
If you can’t deliver an inviting message have someone else offer the welcome
Don’t put extra content in front of the message, get right to it — keep intro content to 3 seconds max
Don’t forget to smile!

Here is one possible outline to get you started. Remember, keep it short, friendly and natural!

Introduction: Welcome!, say who you are, the name of the congregation, your role and that you are glad they are interested
About your congregation: Give a quick “This is what we’re all about…” A quick Your elevator speech.
Visiting in person: Encourage to explore website, contact so and so for questions, and offer tips for visiting in person.

I mentioned keeping videos short above. But what about all the great info you have to communicate? Make more videos! Its better to have a bunch of short videos versus one big long one.

A few videos you might make…

Introduce staff
A tour of your facility
About your faith development offerings for children
A more detailed description of our faith
Overview of programming for the upcoming season
Invitation to join a small group
Other tips for getting involved

Assistance getting started

I’ve encountered many UU leaders who have wanted a welcome video, have intended to make one, but it just hasn’t happened. Chances are if it hasn’t happened yet, you need a little help. That’s where I come in. We can script out your video, figure out the best location on site to film your video(s), and do the first one. We can use my equipment or, if you’re interested, I can help you decide what to buy for your own in-house video production. Once we do the first together the rest will be a snap!

– Peter

Getting serious about social media

Peter Bowden — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 15:31:12 +0000

My post 7 reasons to preach on Social Media over on the UU Growth Blog has resulted in a number of questions. One of them is my take on strategic planning around social media. Do I think it is a good idea? Yes! In fact, I think that is worth of its very own series of meetings or retreat.

Getting serious about social media
If you want to get serious about social media — and you need to — here are a few things for your to do list…

Form a communications team (if you don’t have one)
Integrate social media – video messages, audio podcasts, Facebook, Twitter, etc… – into your strategic plan
Start budgeting more for media and communications

Start with a conversation

A great place to start is to have a board conversation about this topic. Print out or share electronically this post and 7 reasons to preach on Social Media with your board. At your start-up retreat plan an agenda item to discuss 21st century ministry and media.

After that, let me know how I may be of service.

Now booking Fall guest speaking

Peter Bowden — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 19:22:50 +0000

Friends, I’m now booking Fall guest speaking dates. Remember that this summer I will be moving to Cambridge, MA. In addition to the congregations in my regular circuit, I’d love to work with more of you in the Mass Bay and Clara Barton districts.

You can read a sampling of service themes on my speaking page.

New Topics
This Fall I am offering a new talk on Social Media.

Getting Ready for Newcomers
In the early Fall I like to work with congregations interested in seizing the visitor spike opportunity that commonly happens in September through early November. It is a great time to help people form new relationships. I offer programming following the service where I place all interested in small groups in a fashion similar to a one shot small group ministry session. I’ve had great results doing this.

Give me a call
Not sure about topics or dates? Give me a call and we can figure something out.

New UU Planet Website

Peter Bowden — Thu, 20 May 2010 19:57:04 +0000

Friends, I am in the process of migrating to a new UU PLANET website. Since the Fall most of my writing related to congregational health, growth and the vitality has been shared via the UU Growth Blog. I’ve decided to make this site dedicated to UU MEDIA and have uugrowth.com focus on the rest of my consulting work and ministry. At any point, please contact me if you have questions.