This video makes me chuckle every time. I love books, technology, the Medieval time period,… and I also have a Norwegian heritage, so this video really resonates with me!
Many of us, myself included, have first encounters just like this when we’re introduced to new technology. You’re not alone if you feel overwhelmed or lost. I hope this eQuipping for eMinistry blog will help you be more comfortable with new skills and new tools available for your ministry.
Sus Schmitt’s Consulting Services
My strongest capabilities are with blogging, social media, productivity tools, and office skills. I’m strongest in doing Ministry Partner Development (MPD) with these tools and in using social media and blogging for personal evangelism and discipleship. I’m currently learning podcasting through Audacity. I try to be aware of other ministry and outreach strategies that I can pass along to eQuipping for eMnistry readers.
The Communication Strategy
The following is an ideal plan for MPD or online ministry. A staff member may choose not to have a blog and still have the main aspects of this for MPD. I use both MailChimp and blogging. A staff member might prefer to choose just one. They should have something online, however, in case a potential donor is searching for them. For the U.S., that would be an updated give.cru.org site.
- Maintaining one central database with MPD partners and giving information. Other locations containing their name and email addresses, for example, are synchronized seamlessly with the main database.
- Tracking and communicating with financial partners through social media.
- Using personalized email effectively to encourage conversations with your financial partners. Knowing the right way to send newsletters through email.
- Having an online website or blog. Using #2 and/or #3 to send regular information, prayer requests, and updates to your friends.
Personal Blogging and Social Media Ministry Strategy
I use a lot of the same elements of the communication strategy for a personal blogging ministry. In addition, I’m aware of trends in Search Engine Optimization(SEO) to increase visibility for blogs.
Potential Outcomes from Consultation / Training (or Reading the e4e Blog)
eQuipping for eMinistry (e4e) helps staff to keep up-to-date on technology trends and issues that could concern them, as well as helps them learn specific tech skills they should know, such as:
- use of photos (sizes, linking, copyrights, and more)
- how and why to sync multiple databases to a central one
- layout and navigation for a blog
- optimizing content to be read on mobile devices
- managing multiple social media sites with a dashboard like HootSuite
- best choices for sending prayer letters electronically
- learning to use an email service like MailChimp
- the right day of the week, and time of the day, to send an email or post on social media
- how to increase visibility for evangelistic and other ministry blogs
- security concerns
- copyrights and best practices for linking content
- what to use for a Facebook ministry: a page, group, or list?
Tools
Many of the following tools would fit in multiple categories. I also don’t necessarily use them separately, but together.
MPD-related and also applicable to Online Ministry
- Audacity
- Photo and video editing
- MailChimp newsletters & feeds
- Microsoft Office and Outlook
- TntConnect
Internet-related
- WordPress and blogging in general
- Twitter (and Paper.li)
- Hootsuite dashboard for managing multiple social media sites
- eBook publication
- Using a blog as a website
- LinkedIn and Google+
- YouTube
- Search Engine Optimization
- About.me landing page
- Some HTML (web-design language)
Cru-related
- Give.cru.org
- Staff Web
Office-related
- All Microsoft Office products
- Google apps
- Some Gmail labs features
- Boomerang for Gmail
Productivity Tools
- Evernote
- ToDoist
- Trello
Hardware
- PCs
- Android smartphone
- Kindle Fire
- Yeti microphone
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