YM lessons from Duct Tape

Who hasn't used duct tape in youth ministry before? (can you really pass up taping a kid to the wall?)

Guy Kawasaki has posted a top ten list by John Jantsch, author of Duct Tape Marketing: The World's Most Practical Small Business Marketing Guide

You can find the post on the essense of duct tape marketing here. I think some of these tips can be applied to youth ministry. We are not selling anything (unless you count those bake sales), but we need to be purposeful about our "marketing." I think we market whether we want to or not.

Here are a few of the 10 tips (with my thoughts) youth ministries can learn from:

1. Narrow the market focus. Create a picture of who you are trying to reach: what they look like, how they think, what they value, and where you can find them.

2. Differentiate. Strip everything you know about your ministry down to the simplest core idea. Make sure this core idea seperates your ministry from the world.

3. Think about strategy first. Take everything you’ve done in steps one and two and create a strategy to own a word or two in the mind of your ideal client and prospect.

4. Create information that educates. You are in the life-changing business, so think of your marketing materials, web sites, white papers as information products. Don't confuse students, be clear.

5. Measure everything that matters. Certain things always matter. The secret sauce is in finding and measuring the intangibles – those things done out of the limelight that add up to changed lives.

6. Commit. Resist the temptation of the youth ministry trend of the week. Know what your goal is and stick with it. Be diligent in focusing on ministry aspects that help you reach that goal - and stand firm.