Q&A: Strategies for
staying connected
In your experience, did the coronavirus
pandemic “force” some churches to finally
investigate their connection-focused
tech options?
Tony Caudill
Co-Founder and CEO
aware3
www.aware3.com
Tony Caudill: Absolutely. Prior to COVID-19,
one of my friends who serves as a pastor shared
that their church’s virtual strategy was more
of a “nice-to-have.” Things completely changed
overnight.
This shift forced pastors to think of new
ways to engage with their members. How will
they interact with a sermon via a live stream?
Will they continue to give on a recurring
basis? Can they still connect with other
members while tuning in from their living
rooms? Church leaders had to solve all these issues quickly.
Suddenly, technology wasn’t just part of the game plan; it became the
game plan to keep connection within the church body.
Among churches that adopted new connection-focused technology
tools, how have they spread the word about them during the
coronavirus pandemic?
Caudill: Some churches have leveraged “traditional channels” such
as mailers, social media and email to drive awareness of their new
tools. We help many of our church partners implement cross-platform
strategies, as well. For example, a church's website can easily have a link
to download the new church mobile app. Once on the app, that church
member will receive targeted push notifications, easy access to prayer
request forms, group chats, sermon notes — real tools that organically
keep them engaging throughout the week.
Another way to drive adoption of these tools is by automating next
steps. A great example of that is with online giving. If someone gives via
the church's website or an email link, we can text them a link to easily
download the church's mobile app. Their next gift (or the decision to
make a recurring gift!) is easy and accessible via the app.
“If a church's connection-focused technology feels
impersonal, it’s missing the mark. We believe
that technology can, at times, allow an even more
personalized experience than physical interactions.
(Just think of how Amazon knows just the right
products to suggest for you!)”
What does it look like to get a new connection-focused platform up and
running? Once it’s in place, what’s involved in its use and upkeep?
Caudill: We’ve spent a lot of time and energy on this (so that the
church leader doesn’t have to). There’s an entry point for everyone. To
begin sending mass texts, all we need is a list of phone numbers; it’s
actually quite simple.
If a church is ready for a branded mobile app, we integrate with key
tools such as Vimeo, YouTube, RSS feeds, calendar feeds, and ChMS
providers. Whether a church wants something more self-guided or
expert-led, our team will equip them with the resources they need.
For churches that already use connection-focused technologies, how
have you seen them really maximize those tools during the coronavirus
pandemic? And which of those strategies do you believe will become
part of their “new normal” moving forward?
Caudill: As we’re all aware, COVID-19 has forever changed the church
experience. That said, it presents an enormous opportunity for the
Church to connect with people like never before.
What does that mean? For me, personally, there will be some Sundays
where I attend physically, and others where my family tunes in from
our living room. Churches will need to completely reimagine how they
approach people metrics, tools and processes. We've seen more heartfelt
push notifications, intentional crowdfunding, and volunteer efforts
taken completely virtual.
My hope is that churches are feeling empowered to communicate and
take next steps swiftly in this time of crisis.
How can churches make interactions with members more personal, even
though they’re digital?
Caudill: If a church's connection-focused technology feels impersonal,
it’s missing the mark. We believe that technology can, at times, allow
an even more personalized experience than physical interactions. (Just
think of how Amazon knows just the right products to suggest for you!)
Church is not a one-size-fits-all experience, so our goal is to reach
each person individually. A church member might submit a prayer
request throughout the week that’s automatically texted to the prayer
team. Another member might write sermon reflections in the app while
listening to the message. Others might chat with their small group or
take a poll in the youth group. Many might chip in to a fund to help a
family in need.
Even a pandemic won't keep connection from happening in a church.
We help leaders leverage data about what’s important to each person so
that they know what’s needed next in that person's member journey.
Let’s talk about giving. How can your unique platform help a church
stay afloat, financially, while everyone is apart (or slowly coming
back together)?
Caudill: Since the shift to virtual church, online giving volume has
increased more than 250% across our platform. Personally, I hear many
people saying charitable giving is down right now, but that hasn’t been
the case for our church partners. We believe an intuitive online giving
experience will encourage people to be generous during a time of need.
One successful strategy we’ve implemented is dedicated
crowdfunding pages for our church partners' specific missions. The
church can customize the page, set a fundraising goal, and provide
context as to why that mission is important to their community. While
streamlined online and mobile giving continue to show success, tools
like the crowdfunding pages have helped our church partners take
engaged giving to the next level.
— Reporting by RaeAnn Slaybaugh
12 CHURCH EXECUTIVE | JULY / AUG 2020