ARTICLES BY PAM PERRY:

The Christian Post Column: JESUS - The Power Networker! (Posted June 15, 2006)

MegaFest Closes With Strengthened Families, Faith In Jesus!

More than Mickey D’s – FOPPA! -PDF file (Article on Entrepreneur, Speaker, and Author, Ken Brown)

Divine Connections Lead To Divine Purpose (Article on Evangelist Natalie Vaughn of Divine Purpose International Ministries)

A Year Of Restoration

So Can You Afford Not To Promote Your Book If God Told You To Write It?

The All-Consuming Fire Of Kim Jordan (As published in the Michigan Front Page)

Commentary: The Accountable Character

Bittersweet Busy-ness (As published in The Michigan Chronicle)

Are You Just Taking Up Space?

Don’t Be Fat – Work the Word! (As published in the Michigan Front Page)

David, An Audience of One (Article on Gospel Artist, David Ivey, As published in Soul Source, June 2004)

The Drop Outs

Vital Urban Stores

How To Prepare for a Conference as a Host (PDF file)

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PRESS:

HOLY HELP

Black churches need solid faith in business marketing

BY MIKE SCOTT
OAKLAND BUSINESS REVIEW

Nov. 2, 2006

Click For PDF Files of article:   >>Part 1 (pg 17 - 690KB)    >>Part 2 (pg 18 - 288KB)

Copyright © 2006 Michigan Business Review.

MARKETING RELIGION: Ads gather faithful

Savvy pitches outsell churches' word of mouth

BY KORTNEY STRINGER
FREE PRESS BUSINESS WRITER

June 16, 2006

Dressed to the hilt and flashing her recent dental work along with a business card, Pam Perry is a marketing whiz on an almost immortal mission.

Fueled by Starbucks coffee and spiritual zeal, she works diligently drumming up publicity for her biggest client: God.

"I'm pitching for my client, but I'm also pitching the Good News," of Jesus, said Perry, owner of Ministry Marketing Solutions, a Farmington firm for Christian churches and authors. "What I do, I consider it both a ministry and a business."

Turns out, marketing isn't just for mere mortals. Gone are the days when preachers looked only to divine intervention to fill their pews.

Some marketing-savvy Christians believe higher powers need help getting good word-of-mouth, too. The signs of this trend can be seen across the nation and around metro Detroit, from billboards and TV ads to flyers and business cards.

For instance, Perfecting Church, led by Pastor Marvin L. Winans, pays $5,000 to $20,000 monthly for ads on seven billboards in Detroit. Additionally, it hired Grosse Pointe Woods-based LAC Consulting to market its eight-day Holy Convocation conference last month, spending about $100,000 for everything from radio spots to a feature on its Web site, www.perfectingchurch.org, enabling people to watch video of services for $9.95 for one night to $39.95 for the conference.

"Even though it's a church, it's still a business, and as with any business, we have to advertise," said Cindy Flowers, Perfecting's general manager, who says 4,000 each night attended the event. "We can't assume everyone knows there's a church on Nevada in Detroit."

Reluctant promoters

Historically, religious groups haven't been the biggest proponents of marketing. For some, the word itself conjures up images of pushy salesmen and telemarketers, while others simply write marketing off as too worldly for church.

Perhaps the earliest examples of widespread church marketing come from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which has run TV ads and public-service announcements since the 1970s.

More recently, the United Church of Christ, promoting a message of inclusion, in the last couple of years, has run controversial TV spots as part of a $1.5-million ad campaign.

One ad, which some major TV networks decided not to air, shows bouncers not allowing some people, including a gay couple, into church and ends with the tag line, "Jesus didn't turn people away. Neither do we."

Ron Buford, a UCC spokesman, said ads are needed because, "The comment I hear most often when people visit the UCC church for the first time is, 'I never knew that a church like this existed.' "

Hugh Cannon, a Wayne State University marketing professor, said such church advertising as UCC's has grown out of necessity.

"If you've got to have a congregation of critical mass to survive, you've got to do something to make it grow, and there's a lot of competition from other religions and other things people can do," he said. "If they don't do something, they'll get squeezed out."

Adding to that, mega-churches with congregations larger than 2,000, popular Christian movies and plays such as "The Passion of the Christ" and larger-than-life TV evangelists such as T.D. Jakes have raised awareness about religion, prompting more religious groups to flex their marketing muscles.

The trend is so prevalent that the Center for Church Communication, a Los Angeles nonprofit of about 30 marketing professionals, created a Web site, www.churchmarketingsucks.com, to help churches market effectively.

"We've got the greatest story ever told, but no one's listening," said founder and president Brad Abare, who runs the Personality ad agency in Los Angeles. But "We think the church has a communications problem. In general, the church has been resistant to the idea of church marketing."

Indeed, not everyone is thrilled about religious marketing.

"I've been really struggling with the whole concept of church using advertising, marketing and branding techniques to promote the Gospel," a posting by Frank McClung read last month on churchmarketingsucks' Web site. "Something just doesn't sit right in my spirit with the whole thing."

Marketing experts say overcoming those views is one of their biggest challenges. Another big one, they say, is convincing religious leaders to put their money behind their marketing.

For instance, Royal Oak-based Skidmore Inc. charges some clients about $1,000 for branding workshops. But the firm, which has a client list that includes DaimlerChrysler AG, recently did a similar seminar for Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary of Monroe for a "love offering" of $400.

"Whether you're doing branding for nuns or for Coca-Cola, the key is finding out what differentiates them" from competitors, CEO and creative director Mae Skidmore said. "There has been a hesitation among nuns and other religious orders that marketing should be left up to God."

The religious order said it's considering more marketing because of a decline in the number of women becoming nuns.

The group said it has more than 520 vowed sisters compared with 2,000 in the 1970s, in part because old stereotypes die hard.

"I think people think of nuns as being in a sequestered community and that they spend all of their days sitting in pews praying," said Holly Knight, spokeswoman for IMH. "Branding is just as valuable for us as it is for businesses. But that's been a tough sale for the nuns to understand."

Evelyn Craig, a nun for 42 years, said, while everyone doesn't accept religious marketing, there's a need for it.

"In the old days, advertising wasn't even thought of," she said. "But back then you didn't need an ad, because teachers in Catholic school were our living ads. Now, there's less religion in schools, and you need advertising."

Perry, the Farmington publicist who began her Farmington marketing firm in 2000, said her business has grown to more than 50 churches and Christian authors who pay from $800 for an hour-a-week, 10-week crash course in marketing to $5,000 a month for a national ad campaign.

This month, Perry met with Loretta Morman, Christian Tabernacle Church's administrator, to discuss the Southfield church's 20th anniversary kicking off this month. Wearing a hot pink chiffon suit and a light pink-colored stone ring, pink fingernail polish and a rhinestone crucifix, Perry tried to convince Morman, wife of Pastor James L. Morman, to appear on the cover of First Lady, a Chicago-based magazine.

With some hesitation, Morman, who doesn't like taking photos, agrees to consider it.

"We've done well with word-of-mouth, but we just got to a point where we needed" marketing "because our ministry has just grown so much," said Loretta Morman, who says church membership has risen from 300 members in 1998 to about 4,000.

Contact KORTNEY STRINGER at 313-223-4479 or stringer@freepress.com.

Copyright © 2006 Detroit Free Press Inc.

African American Women Writers Finding Voice -

AAW Writer’s Publicity Series: Pam Perry. The Christian Connector

By Dee Y. Stewart
www.Suite101.com

Published on: December 7, 2004

Ministry Marketing Solutions, Inc. is a marketing consulting and public relations agency that brings a high level of understanding of positioning, branding, and promoting products and services that target the African American Christian Market (AACM).

The principals, Marc and Pamela Perry, have over 50 years of combined experience in developing marketing and public relations campaigns that work. Their crafts have been honed by delivering programs from the complex to the simple that required vision, creativity and execution. Clients have ranged from independent Christian authors to major corporations who have sought their expertise and reliability

Known as the “connector,” Pam Perry knows how to pull the right people together for the right project at the right time. Her public relations and advertising career spans over two decades. A graduate from Wayne State University with a B.A. in journalism, Perry has worked in media and the nonprofit sector.

She’s had sales positions at the Detroit Free Press, WNIC FM, WXYT/WMXD, agencies like Campau Advertising and Hermanoff & Associates. She’s worked in fund raising and development – selling the vision and mission of Joy of Jesus and then The Salvation Army.

Perry was the founder of BART (Blacks in Advertising, Radio & Television), a nonprofit networking organization for African Americans in the media. Over a ten-year period, the organization hosted career conferences, award programs honoring African American heroes in the industry and held regular professional development meetings. She is also a past winner of the “One to Watch” Award from the American Women in Radio and TV – Detroit Chapter and jointly won an Emmy for her work as a producer for “The Edge with Jeffrey Miller” television show. Currently she does public relations for the publishing industry.

Her best training and experience came when she spent five years working in her husband’s marketing communications firm, Perry Marketing Group. Now she uses those skills to give back to local ministries through Ministry Marketing Solutions which is a public relations/marketing consulting firm. The website address is http://www.ministrymarketingsolutions.com. A consummate communicator, Perry has even taught journalism at Renaissance High School in Detroit. She also pens weekly columns in the Michigan Chronicle and Michigan Front Page. Her work has also appeared in Gospel Today magazine, The Detroit News, The Detroit Free Press, CBA Marketplace Magazine, Christian Covenant News and The Christian Communicator.

Her passion is Christian books and assisting writers through the American Christian Writers Association (http://www.Acwriters.com) where she is president/founder of the Detroit Chapter. She attends Life Changers Christian Church in Lansing Michigan pastored by Drs. James and Stacia Pierce.

How important is it to get noticed by one of the major distributors?

You can sell your books by hand....or you can be picked up and let someone else handle it. It's a catch 22 if you self-publish. They want to see how you can sell on your own and if you do well they'll pick you up.

But if you do well, do you really need them?

Yes!

Do you think that authors start making connections with distributors too late?

It's all part of the marketing plan.

So when should a writer start their marketing plan?

Before the book is ever finished!

After you sign on the dotted line, won't you be able to turn the marketing reins over to the in-house public relations representative and wait for sales to take off?

Yeah, right. That's fantasy. In the real world, the author has to work to make the book a success. In-House P.R. departments are over worked with so many other titles. Their job is to cover the basics and the "cream of the crop" comes from the author's efforts and energy.

What’s the difference between a PR Rep and a publicist?

A public relations representative is a person who works in all facets of public relations from promotions to event planning. A publicist works primarily with the media - writing and pitching full time.

Are booksellers the most important sales force for your book?

Yes. They are the ones who can put you on those "best sellers" lists. You can't sell books from the trunk of your car and have them "count" towards real book sales.

What should an author expect in a PR and/or marketing kit from a publicist?

A solid bio, release, Q &A and endorsements/clips if available.

What is the difference between promoting POD and "traditionally" published books?

POD does not have the credibility like a major publishing house does. POD books often get treated like stepchildren. It's hard to get the media interested even if it has a good angle.

So you're saying that an angle or hook is something that a publicist will look for when looking at an author's work?

Yes, the hook is what catches the editors/producers eye.

Should an author look at a publicist's past successes? At the contacts he/she has? What's the criteria?

Yes, you should look at whom the publicist has represented and what was the success rate. Also, see if the publicist has solid media contacts. Make sure your publicist can WRITE. If they're trained as a journalist-they usually make the best publicists.

What should an author NOT expect a publicist to do?

To get you on Oprah if you're a first-time author.

Can someone purchase limited help such as a press release or some other such feature due to financial limitations?

Yes, that's a start at least, but the bigger your investment in the process of PR, the bigger the return.

Has there been any completely disastrous appearance or signing that we can learn from?

Make sure when you go to book signing overseas...take books with you. Do not depend of the postal system to get them there.

What about newspaper and radio coverage?

Typically all news leads come from print. It's better to get print/internet stories first. Because radio and TV producers/editors get their news from newspapers & the web primarily.

So is the book tour essentially dead?

No. In the African American market, books tours are very hot. We make a "show" out of it and people love to touch, feel and talk to their favorite authors.

So how can authors get involved to help influence the decisions that get made about their books?

By having a strong marketing plan on paper and submitted to your editor.

What might a new author reasonably expect from a publisher in terms of a budget?

Not much if you're new. You have to PROVE yourself in the marketplace before they risk a ton of money.

If you had one thing you could tell an author about the process, what would it be?

Be patient and don't expect your publicist to update you on every detail along the way. When they get a hit or an interview request, believe me, they'll find you and let you know the details. Work with the publicist and be grateful. They're human too.

Pam and her husband, Marc, have a daughter and live in the metro Detroit area. Perry can be reached at 248.426.2300 or via email at .

My most recent article(s) that you might also find interesting:

• Self Published Author Series: Christian Fiction Author, Marcelle Morgan Payne
• Self Published Authors Series
• AAW Writers Helping Writer’s Series: Part 3- The Princess of Guerilla Marketing, Linda Dominique Grosvenor

Articles of Interest By Other Authors:

• "The Truth About Self-Publishing" - by: Trudy W. Schuett
• "Don't Let Your Publicist Disappoint You" - source: S.J. Miller Communications