Why Your Words Could Be Driving Potential Members Away

By Author: Ralph Adams
Total Articles: 39
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Before we get Started...
If you have a ministry website, this may be one of the most important articles you read this year. Millions of people are maximizing the power of words. Are you? Just having a website is not enough anymore. You absolutely must leverage the power of language to enhance your vision and advance your mission. Don't just passively read this article, but let it motivate you to take action and usher in a new season of growth and productivity.
Could the Message be more Important than the Medium?
That's a tough question and I know that most people will readily say "no." After all, we've been taught something completely different, right? We're taught that people are attracted to "outward appearances," and this is true to a degree, but not entirely. Think about it. How do you keep people engaged once you have their attention? Is it with shiny graphics and cool animations? I don't think so. After the very short-lived fascination with the "look" of the website wears off, do you have anything worthwhile to say? If not. You're in big trouble!
What should I say?
You have to have an understanding ...
... of your base in order to answer this question effectively. For starters, you need to say something that's relevant, engaging and convincing. Think about what answers your site visitors may be looking for, and exactly what they need to hear in order to be motivated to take action.
You can do your very own Website Audit.
If your website content is not updated and poorly written, people will not view you as a progressive organization. If you want to make a great impression and impact the world for the Kingdom of God, it's time to do your very own website evaluation. Start by asking, "What does the copy on my ministry website really say about me?" You could be losing thousands of potential members because you're giving off the wrong message about your ministry.
Here's a brief checklist to start your Audit:
-Is everything spelled right? (This should be obvious, but you would be amazed at how many people have terrible grammatical errors all over their sites!)
-Is my content up to date?
-Is the copy well-written?
-Is the information compelling?
-Is there a unified message?
You only get one "Click" to make a First Impression.
Think about this scenario. A young married couple relocates to your city. They log onto the internet to seek out ministries to visit. They locate your ministry website. Now think about your site for a moment. Does your website tell this young family why they should attend your next scheduled service? If not, these young potential members will leave your website and never return because you failed to get your message across. Unless you can afford to lose out on thousands of potential souls, you need to make sure that your ministry's message is communicated well from the very first click.
Content is King.
If you've heard it once, you've heard it a thousand times. Content is King! It makes no sense to have a captive audience and fail to inundate them with your message. I cannot stress enough how critical this is. "Special effects" (i.e. flash, animation, audio files etc...) does not mean that your site is effective. Think about this question and then answer it. "Does it make sense to invest in the medium and not the message?"
Your Ministry is Worth the Investment.
Whatever God has entrusted to you, must be watered in order for it to grow. You must harness the power of language and invest in well-written, compelling and convincing content. If you do, you will reap a greater harvest of souls and connect with a global audience for the Kingdom of God. Someone once said that "good things happen when preparation meets opportunity," so get prepared for your increase.

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