If You Want to Do Business With Churches….

Posted by David Drinnon on Jul 21, 2011 | 10920 commentshttp%3A%2F%2Fwww.equipthem.info%2F2011%2F07%2F21%2Fif-you-want-to-do-business-with-churches%2FIf+You+Want+to+Do+Business+With+Churches....2011-07-21+15%3A15%3A24David+Drinnonhttp%3A%2F%2Fwww.equipthem.info%2F%3Fp%3D1092

I talk often with different companies marketing their services and products to the church. I can tell in the first 10 seconds, if a sales person has done their homework before calling. So if you are a technology solution provider, I suggest you read these tips before attempting to do business with churches:

• We are not businesses.
• We don’t have competitors. In fact, we are just the opposite. We intentionally share ideas, resources, and sometimes even pool resources to accomplish goals for our respective organizations.
• We do not sell products. We serve people.
• We don’t have customers or clients….we have members and guests.
• If you price your products based on user or usage….you will likely eliminate churches as a market since we often use technology for our church members not just our staff. We consider every member of our church an ‘employee’ in accomplishing the mission of our church….they just don’t get a paycheck.
• We do not engage in fundraising. We teach stewardship.
• Our profit is not money. It’s changed lives.
• We don’t make decisions based on ROI. We evaluate solutions based on ROM (return on ministry). We ask the question, “How will a solution impact our ability to increase the speed at which we do ministry and effect changed lives?”
• Don’t underestimate the church. The technologies we employ are often highly visible to our church members….giving you as a technology provider greater exposure to other potential consumers.
• Listen before you speak.
• Ask questions before you suggest solutions.
• We aren’t religious. We can share with you why, but just know that we just don’t respond well to that term.
• Non-profit pricing says to us that you understand our needs and challenges or that you value the impact we make on our community and culture.