spreadsheet it ’ s very easy to duplicate the spreadsheet and create different levels of need for your presentation .
DON ’ T DOUBLE BUY This is a very important point , and it will be influential when you are presenting a budget to anyone . Get the tools that you need to get the job done today , tomorrow , and for several years to come . It never makes sense to spend $ 500 on something that will last a year , when you could spend $ 1000 on something that will meet your needs for several years into the future . I found that 100 % of the time , buying the right tool for the job pays off big dividends over time .
HIRE A SYSTEM DESIGNER If you have a close contact with an audio professional in the retail business , you might not need to hire a system designer . But , for large complicated systems your money is wellspent on a professional system designer . He or she will give you a complete plan that can be implemented in phases and budgeted for over the coming months and years . In the end , you will know that you ’ ll have a great system that has been well thought out and will perform well for many years . An excellent system designer will also save you money in the long run . Even though there might be a fee of $ 1,000 or more to design a system , depending on the size of your church , you ’ ll be relatively assured that all money will be spent well , and that you won ’ t waste your financial resources because of impulsive and unwise purchases .
BUILDING THE BUDGET PRESENTATION If you ’ re new to budget presentations , they can be scary , daunting , and intimidating . With practice you will learn to be excited about making your presentations because you will convince yourself that they are valid and that the needs are real .
The first step in building any budget is establishing the need . You need to first to convince yourself that there is a real need and that it will , above all , improve the communication of the word of God to your congregation . If you haven ’ t gone through that process , your church council , finance committee , and pastors won ’ t be easily convinced- in fact it might be impossible to convince them .
Ask yourself the hard questions and write those questions down . Write down any questions that you think you might be asked about your need for your budget request . It ’ s not too hard to guess what people will ask . They ’ ll ask about the price of the items you want to purchase and whether or not you ’ ve checked multiple sources to find the best price available - make sure you did that . And , they ’ ll need to be convinced that what you ’ re proposing is worthwhile . It ’ s commonly understood that every job is a sales job . This is no different . You need to know everything you possibly can about the proposal you ’ re presenting . Ask yourself the hard questions before someone else does , and look for solid answers . This is an area where insecurity and lack of preparation shine brightly . However , preparation and a solid resolve that what you ’ re asking for will help and is necessary will also shine brightly . Convince yourself , first .
THREE PROPOSALS IN ONE It ’ s always a good idea to include your pastors and ministry leaders in the budget creation process . You don ’ t have to give them all of the details , but you can share what you ’ re thinking and , very likely , get them to agree that the direction you ’ re heading is appropriate . And , if your thoughts aren ’ t received with open arms , that also helps you adjust your proposal and increases your likelihood of a positive result . Once you ’ ve decided on the best plan to find a solution for your ministry needs and discussed it , if appropriate , with your pastors and ministry leaders , build a proposal that has three solutions to the same problem .
1 . BARE BONES Build a complete budget around the minimum requirements to address your needs . This level of budget is important because it shows that you have already thought about what ’ s most important in the present , but you have also thought about what ’ s most important to get the complete job done for the long term .
Sometimes , church councils and finance committees are bound by a lack of funding or simply by their own church budgets that they ’ ve developed , typically on an annual basis . Most people who serve on these committees are quite familiar with working within a budget , and they ’ re also familiar with doing what it takes to get the job done in the most long-term and efficient manner .
It ’ s very important that your budget items are specific , including manufacturer , item names , prices , and what it will take to install the item . Even if you have a trusted audio industry retailer on your side , it ’ s necessary to get multiple bids on each part of your presentation so that you have shown due diligence in researching your needs . Those who you are presenting to will not only respect you for getting multiple bids , but they were also have their needs for due diligence satisfied . Your trusted audio industry retailer is your ally and even if his or her bid isn ’ t the lowest , there is immense value in a relationship that gives you support and offers you replacement equipment when that need arises . That has a lot value , and anyone should be able to understand that . If the lowest bid is radically lower than the rest , that isn ’ t a good sign either . There often will be hidden costs involved and the low bid can easily slide up to the high bed . There is great value in a trusted relationship . Also , most retailers know how low everybody can go in pricing and will match that number in most cases .
2 . ADD SOME MEAT In this proposal , it ’ s important that you include things that will obviously augment and benefit everything that you proposed in the bare-bones version . It isn ’ t difficult for people to buy into a plan that they see developing before them . Though they might be limited by their own budgetary restrictions , they are also almost always willing to hear any plan that will help the worship team and pastors communicate better with your congregation . They realize that