Be Prepared
Your communications leader is the go-to guy or gal when you have an announcement to share or information to send to the church. But before you go to them with your request, make sure you have covered all the details on your end. Does your church ask you to fill out a form for all communications requests? Do you know exactly what time, date, and other details need to be shared? Take a moment (or several) to go through all the steps necessary before speaking with the communications leader or team.
Don’t forget to have a clear plan in mind—if you are requesting a graphic for an event and have a certain aesthetic or even a specific font in mind, make sure you speak up. If you know you will need an email to go out on a Saturday when no one is in the church office, mention that during your planning session. No one is a mind reader, and it’s best to never assume the communications leader knows what you are asking for unless you tell them clearly. Knowing what your ultimate goal is will allow your communications leader to help you make it happen.
Be Flexible
You may have worked for weeks on creating the perfect plan that you are now ready to share with your church or community. You followed all the steps, you have a clear vision in mind, and you are ready to talk to your communications leader about what you want to do next. Even though you have worked hard and have done your best, the communications leader or team may have some suggestions, or may let you know that part of your plan just isn’t possible.
It’s easy to be frustrated when this happens—after you all, you have put in so many hours on this project! But your communications leader has a lot of expertise and experience in event planning, communication, visual aids, and everything in between. Their feedback is a valuable tool, and you will want to give it a lot of consideration. If they tell you that part of your vision won’t work, ask them how they can help you change it. Remember that everyone is working toward the same goal—for this event or announcement to be a success.
Be Considerate
Whether your church has 20 members or 2,000, your communications leader is always busy. Between social media, emails, bulletins, and all of the other tasks that fall to him or her, your communications leader is responsible for helping every ministry with their communication needs. That means they rely on your help to make sure everything goes according to plan.
For instance, if you tell your communications leader that you will have everything for an event ready by a certain deadline, stick to that deadline. But if you can’t, let someone know. Don’t keep it to yourself in an attempt to fix the problem alone. Likewise, be sure to keep your communications leader in the loop regarding any new ideas or details that come up during the planning process. If you are able to keep your leader posted along the way, it will lead to fewer surprises down the road, and a much smoother process for everyone.
Helping your communications leader doesn’t need to be difficult—but it does require communication! Focus on the details to help everyone make the big picture great.
