We’ve all imagined what it must be like when done correctly––you go to the grocery store with a detailed, specific list of what you need, how many, and which aisle the items are in. If only.
How I imagine shopping with a plan goes: you stay under budget, get everything you need, and get in and out quickly.
You’re probably more organized than me, but my shopping is a little more like this: I have to rush to the store as the cupboards are almost empty. I usually only have a few ideas jotted down on a phone app, but nothing really all that helpful. By the time I arrive and I’m done fighting through the parking lot, I end up frantically grabbing items that I think I can make dinner from for the next few days just so I can leave the store as quick as possible. (Pasta? Sure! Hot dogs? Ok! A few boxes of cereal? Whatever works! Until I get home and realize that I forgot hot dog buns and I got even more butter when I already had some in the fridge and the freezer. At least I won’t starve.)
When you come armed with a list of exactly what you need, grocery shopping is a breeze. (I imagine…?) And it’s actually a great comparison for launching a new church website!
So we made your website “grocery list” today. We made a list of every asset we want our ministry partners to have as we transition them into an awesome, new church website. And it’s not just a check list, we’ve got some pointers about best practices for the items on the list as well. It’s all yours! Bon appetit!
You wouldn’t send the entire family into the store and expect to come in under budget, on time with no junk food in the cart. This is the same reason you dedicate one person for coordination and decision-making on your new website project. You want one person, one line of communication, and one trusted church administrator to be in-the-know at all times.
This means you’ll definitely have to compromise and trust this person’s interpretation of the many opinions of the church staff and members involved, but that’s okay! It’s essential to know who’s responsible for keeping track of all the details involved in the transition.
Once you have a “head website honcho” (or maybe that’s you), you’ll need to start assembling the following assets. We can’t promise you this list is exhaustive, but this is a great place to start. Most people we work with need these things. We’ve even listed them loosely in the order you will need them.
If you don’t like the look of your current photos, our recommendation is to take this fresh start as an opportunity to have professional shots taken of your staff, campus, events, congregation, etc. Having pixelated, dated photos and videos on your site gives a bad impression to your visitors and members.
If you can’t find a professional at the right price, have no fear––technology these days is fantastic, and you can take excellent quality photos with the simple click of an iPhone camera. Just make sure any graphics you transfer over to your new site reflect the modern look of your revamp.
With many passionate people involved in this new venture for your church, you want to make sure everyone’s voices are heard. Before you get to a tense place where a department head or admin feels left out, make sure everyone knows who will be responsible for each final approval. All of your key players should be involved from the start. They may not stay involved every step of the way––that’s why you have a head honcho––but they should be included at the start and again at the end.
This way, they won’t just jump in at the end and have major changes or suggestions that delay your launch. If things do ever feel tense, refocus the group discussions on compromise and the purpose for the redesign: growing your church and your mission. Try to let go of the exact wording and rally around the spirit of the message, if necessary.