Guerrilla publicity

Group, Mar/Apr 2001 by Krausz, Jennifer

How to capture kids with unforgettable announcements, reminders, and creative coercions.

Number one on a list of youth ministry's neglected no-brainers: Your kids can't attend activities they don't know about. "Well, that's absurd," you say, "I'm always telling my group members about upcoming events." Sorry, but it doesn't matter how well you think you've told kids about something-if the message didn't get through to them, your plan gets an F. We must judge our publicity strategies by actual impact, not sincere effort.

According to advertising experts, you can't make an impact on your target audience until you've delivered your message an average of 10 times. Translation: We must work to get the word out in multiple forms that grab kids' attention. I've come up with a two-- part plan that will revamp and re-energize your publicity efforts.

STRATEGY #1-Introduce the unexpected to existing, basic publicity efforts.

You don't have to give up your "old favorite" publicity practices: fliers, mailings, youth group or pulpit announcements, church newsletter articles, posters, and bulletin inserts. Just make them unusual enough to stand out. The #1 way commercial advertisers get your attention is through the unexpected. And it will work for you, too.

* Use costumes and props. Instead of telling your kids about the upcoming rafting trip, slip on a life preserver and carry an oar up to the microphone. They'll take notice.

* Don't just tell when you can show. When you announce a concert trip, play a short audio or video clip of the featured artist.

* Do something that intrigues them. Make a series of signs that urge teenagers to follow clues to a large, spotlighted poster advertising your next retreat or lock-in.

* Create three-dimensional posters. Better yet, make it interactive by asking kids a question or challenging them to do something as a result of reading the poster.

* Mail pop-up cards instead of reminder postcards.1

* Create a two- or four-page newsletter just for your teenagers, making liberal use of color and graphics. List your events prominently, but also give information about things that perpetually interest your kids. I mean, give them the dirt on the latest Christian music releases2, Web sites that might interest them3, and a short-and-savvy devotion.

STRATEGY #2-Use teen-friendly technologies and communication methods to build anticipation.

Now that you've jazzed up your publicity basics to make them more interesting, it's time to go to the next level.

* Get T-shirts made with your youth group name, church name, contact information, and weekly meeting time prominently featured. Give them to your kids to wear-- you could designate one day a week for everyone to wear them to school. The shirts will provoke questions and discussion from nonmember friends and make it easy for your group members to invite them to activities.4

* Have magnets made with basic youth group information printed on them. This idea works best for weekly meetings or large-scale events that you plan well in advances.5

* Send handwritten invitations to prospective visitors and thank you notes to first-time visitors. For maximum effectiveness, have your student leaders send these notes, along with contact information.

* Perform a skit during your worship time to encourage participation in a new evept, or perform it in a teen-friendly public place to invite unchurched kids to existing programs.6

* Mail a videotape, CD, or audiotape with an invitation to any event that features music. You can find low-cost sampler CDs and tapes at most Christian bookstores.

* Use the Internet and emair. Start a listserv-or email discussion group-to make announcements to a large number of kids quickly, and to spur communication among group members.7 And keep an up-to-date email directory so you can send periodic "How's life?" er "Missed you!" emails.

* Post information about your activities on Internet message boards, especially local ones (such as a Christian radio station Web site). If your church has a Web site, create a special section for teenagers that features chat rooms and discussion boards. List your Web site address on all your mailings and posters.

Jennifer Krausz is a veteran youth leader and advertising guru in Pennsylvania.