Precept
Team building, rebranding and change management
The Idea:
Refresh and reposition the ministry for the next 50 years.
The Results:
A refreshed brand and website, and an updated marketing plan, marketing team, and strategic approach to support the ministry’s vision.
Marketing
As the leadership considered how to reach a new generation of Bible students, they knew their marketing function was a major pain point. Significant marketing leadership turnover in the previous two years had left the department with a broken website, broken systems, and a deflated, understaffed team. Senior leadership did not include a seat for a marketing leader. Operating as a consultant, I created a plan to reset the organization’s marketing staff and support approach, rebuild interdepartmental trust, and develop a marketing function. After several months, the organization asked me to take the lead on executing the plan.
When I first started working with the Precept team, the ministry was approaching its 50th anniversary and had a loyal supporter base. The leaders were concerned, however, about a trend of plateaued growth and a sense of waning energy around the ministry. As they prepared to celebrate five decades of ministry, they asked me to help them prepare the ministry for the next 50 years.
Change Management
As an embedded leader, I facilitated strategy sessions with departmental leaders to understand their services and promotional needs. I hired aspiring young leaders to bring new energy and expertise to the marketing department, and together we began sketching a new website. Along the way, we resolved a number of interdepartmental conflicts about the purpose of the site. We identified target audiences and mapped engagement paths for each of them, clarifying the audience experience and the ministry’s perspective in the process.
Over more than a year, I mentored a new marketing leader, led the development of a new brand and website, and guided the organization through a strategic transformation. Through a major change management effort, we engaged the staff, Board of Directors, and constituents, listening to their feedback and bringing them along through the change.Throughout, I worked with senior leaders to foster an attitude of adaptability and create space for a new vision and new energy to take hold.
Accomplishments
A fully staffed, reenergized marketing team with stabilized leadership.
Creation of a role on the senior leadership team for the new marketing leader.
Acceptance of a new brand and marketing approach by senior leaders, the Board of Directors, and constituents.
A new logo and brand guidelines for the parent brand and 26 global affiliates.
A new custom-built website and online shopping experience serving all stakeholders (Bible study leaders, customers, and donors).
A new, custom-built, online tool to help leaders and participants list and find study groups.
A clean changeover from old to new branding for 380+ print products.
A new approach to measuring and communicating the differences in products.
The release of a new book under the new brand guidelines.