6 Essential Christian Marketing Tips for Every Christian Business…

If you’re like me, when you’re finally able to afford the latest and greatest iPhone, they’re just about to come out with the “new” latest and greatest iPhone.  I have noticed the same circumstances when it comes to Christian business owners and websites.  We’re finally getting online, just in time to learn that “getting online” is no longer enough.  Which is why I have put together these 6 essential Christian marketing tips for every Christian business and business owner.  Whether you have an ecommerce site (or need one), or a standard business site (or need one), the incredible blessing is that these tips are essential for all Christian businesses.

Look, I know it’s scary.  And I’m praying about it as well.  But the fact is, sometimes the truth hurts.  However, it is also the truth that sets us free.

We’ve all witnessed and felt the effects of what has transpired over the past several years.  First it was the Family Christian Stores, followed by Send the Light.  At the end of the day, it has us up till the wee hours of the night crunching numbers.

The Truth is, to state it quite frankly, it’s time to throw down the pom poms and get in the game.  I apologize for being so blunt, but I am a God fearing Christian who wants almost nothing more than to see you become as successful as possible.  Why?  Because every product you sell helps to expand the Kingdom – His Kingdom.

And just as you have been “Called” to do what you’re doing, I, too have been “Called” to ensure that you become as successful as possible.  And it is both an honor a pleasure to do so.

I couldn’t believe how easy this strategy was when I first heard about it.  I also couldn’t believe how practically no one in any business industry takes advantage of it.

When listening to arguably the most famous blogger and content marketer in the world, Brian Clark, founder of copyblogger.com, he shared a brief story of a man who owned a fiberglass tub company.  During the recession of 2008, almost bankrupt, this business owner decided to give it one last ditch effort.  He decided to answer the top 100 questions that potential customers would ask about his industry.  And would you like to know how he answered them…?  He did so in blog posts!  Not only did it send his revenues through the roof, he now has one of the biggest companies in the world.

Don’t freak out on me!  I’m not suggesting you start writing C.S. Lewis-type Christian blog posts everyday.

However, while many people are spending money on internet advertising, writing good SEO Christian blog-posts about your products can be extremely advantageous.

I’ve actually researched almost every Christian business industry and products I can imagine, and there are basically no Christian Businesses utilizing this strategy.  I say this humbly, but my SEO skills and strategies could “Quickly” increase your Christian Business’ popularity online.

Even Christian marketers ignore this strategy.  In less than a month after launching my Christian Internet Marketing Company website, creativechristiancopywriter.com, I was ranking in the top 3 pages of Google out of millions of search results.  Once again, I’m not bragging, but I know the absolute facts about this marketing strategy.  To better understand Christian SEO strategies, after completing this article take ten seconds to download the free report in the right sidebar of the page.  It’s a quick read, and is incredible proof of what well-written SEO blogs will do for your Christian business.

Though a few are finally starting to understand the importance of list building, it is still a Vital and Untapped Christian Marketing Strategy.

What I mean by list-building, is a list of your customers and their email addresses.  Why is this important?

The best way I can explain it is:  When you own a list, you own media!

When I get the Sunday paper, I look through all the college football scores and rankings.  After reading through a few other business articles, I then take the newspaper to the recycling where it will be carried off the next day.  However, what is contained within sections of that paper are Department Store shoe ads that my wife will never see.

Now, it’s not that I’m trying to hide it from her.  It’s just that she never asks, and I never think to hand it to her.  Therefore, the shoe ad goes unseen by my wife.

However, if the Department Store had her email address, she would see almost every ad they sent to her via email.  Now do you see the importance of building a list?  At any given moment you can send an ad to your clients!

“But, Josh, I don’t want to bother my clients!”  If this is what you’re thinking, read my article, Automated Email Marketing: Christian Businesses Allowed, and you’ll quickly discover that your clients want you to do this for them.

So, what is the best way to build this list?  There are a couple of different ways to either begin this process, or add to what you have already built.

First, you will need what’s called a Lead-Magnet placed on your site.  If you’re an ecommerce, this lead-magnet might be a discount coupon of 10% or 20% (it can be whatever best suits your clients).  In order to claim the coupon, your website visitor has to simply leave their first name and email address.  Simple and harmless enough isn’t it?

However, lets say you own a business that makes church furniture.  Your lead-magnet will be something like a free ebook of pictures of your custom designs.

Now, once you begin to grow your list, then it will be time to add your email automation and marketing strategy.

Would you believe me if I said that 70% of your clients are already shopping online every month; and 30% do so at least once per week?  Trust me when I say, “You are not bugging your clients by sending them emails.”  You’re actually providing them with excellent customer service.

I’m telling you, if they’re not buying your Christian products, then they are buying another business’ products through Amazon instead.

One of the best concepts behind Christian Email Marketing and Automation is that you can almost “Set it” and “Forget it!”

When you hear the phrase Email Automation, it is referring to… well… automated emails.  These are often emails you have pre-written that begin being sent out to your clients who have just opted in through your lead-magnet.  You might immediately send them a welcome email, then follow up a couple of days later with an email telling them more about your Christian Business.  These emails can also begin being sent when a new customer makes a purchases through your website.

Quick Note:  What I’m about to tell you is vitally important for you to know.  As a matter of fact, you probably won’t even believe me.  Nevertheless, when you implement email automation and email marketing into your marketing strategy, when done properly, you will most likely DOUBLE YOUR PROFITS – if not Triple!  Let me say that again:  When done properly, implementing email automation and email marketing will Double and Triple profits.  I’ve even seen where it has increased profits by 10-Times!

There are many tips that I can give you about email marketing and automation.  For instance, it is very inexpensive to “Segment” your email lists.

If you had two clients – one enjoyed reading C.S. Lewis and Ravi Zacharias, while the other enjoyed reading Beth Moore and Hannah C. Hall, would you want to send these two clients the exact same email ad about C.S. Lewis books?  No!  Of course not!  But we do this all the time…

Software has now been made available that will track your client’s buying habits, allowing you to send them ads they will want to see; ads that will notify them of new products and books they actually want to purchase.

Can you see the Exceptional Benefit behind what you’ve been reading?  Can you now see how it is most definitely probable to Double and Triple your profits just by adding Christian Email Marketing and Automation?

This is Real!  And it Works!  With Every Business, Every Time!

Thus far we have covered:

• Christian Business Blogs
• Christian List Building
• Christian Email Marketing and Automation
• Christian SEO

I realize I didn’t dive too terribly deep into the SEO section, however, that can take weeks to explain.  As I stated earlier, feel free to download the FREE Christian Business Report to get a better understanding of Christian Search Engine Optimization (SEO).

The last two essentials of your marketing strategy are Social Media and Search Engine Marketing (SEM).

The reason I’m grouping them together is because they somewhat work in the same manner.  They each set at the top of your marketing funnel, and are used to guide prospective clients to your website.

Two of the best ways to Drive Traffic to your website are through Social Media and Search Engine Marketing.

You can use several Social Media sites, but let’s just use Facebook as an example.

One of the advantages to having a business blog is that every time you publish a new blog post, you can actually set it up to where it automatically posts to your business fan page on Facebook.  Just as easily, you can also set up your Facebook to where it will automatically post to twitter.  And you can do the same with your other social media pages.

Therefore, when publishing a new blog post, it can automatically post to all of your social media sites at the same time.  Which can immediately present your new post to thousands of you social media contacts.  But let’s just use Facebook as an example.

When your latest post arrives on your Facebook Fan Page, your followers can click on the link, and it will immediately drive them to that specific blog post on your website.  Now, this is only one of many ways to Drive Traffic to your website through social media.

You can also place tiny ads and links on your social media sites that, when “clicked,” your follower can be directed to any page you wish on your website.  This is an excellent opportunity to send visitors to your “Products Page” or any other landing page.  This strategy can often be used to simply build your list.  You can send a social media visitor to a landing page that has been designed to simply get them to opt in for a coupon or other offer.

Search Engine Marketing works the same way.

Search Engine Marketing is when you use Google Adwords and Bing Ads to advertise your business online.  If you know what you’re doing, this can be an incredibly lucrative way of growing your business.

As people go to Google to search for products that you offer (which is usually thousands of people per month), they will have the opportunity to click on your ad.  Now, depending on what type of campaign your running, you can choose to send them to your products page, or maybe a simple opt in landing page on your website.

And like I said, this can be very lucrative if you know what you’re doing.  You can literally draw 150-200 visitors to your site for about $100.  Maybe even more.  It’s some of the best advertising that money can buy.

And the most valuable concept to all the information I’ve been giving you is this:

Whether it’s,

• List Building
• Email Marketing
• Social Media Marketing

…or Search Engine Marketing.

unlike traditional advertising through television or newspaper ads, you can actually track all the data that tells you Exactly what is working and what isn’t.  Therefore, you’re not wasting money on advertising that doesn’t work!  And once you’ve finally figured it out, in the end, you will be sending out very specific, targeted ads to people who are looking for the Exact Products that you provide!  How awesome is that?

I sincerely hope that this has been helpful in proving to you that online marketing can be the most beneficial, revenue driving force behind your Christian Business.

You don’t have to know how to do it all.  That’s what people like me are for.  And I know that money is tight.  But just look at the facts and figures that I’ve just given you.  The question isn’t, “How much will these services cost me if I do them all?”

The real question is, “How much will this cost you if you don’t do it?”

In Christ,

Joshua Vickery