5 Keys to Great KidMin Branding

Brand is the name given to a product or service from a specific source.  It's represents who you are and what you do as a ministry. It plays a key part in kids and families perception of your ministry.  Let's talk about 5 keys to creating a great Kidmin brand.

NAME IT. 
It starts with what you name your children's ministry.   Obviously the word "children" or "kids" should be part of it.  A common trend is to simply take the name of your church and add kids to it.  I think this is a great idea.  It ties the ministry into the overall ministry of the church and makes it easier for kids and parents to remember.  Here are a few examples.

Crestwood Church = Crestwood Kids

First Baptist Church = FBC Kids

Northside Church = Northside Kids

You can also change the "s" to a "z" to add a kid-friendly element to it. 

Going a level deeper, you should then craft your slogan.  This is a simple tag line that encapsulates what you do.  It's your mission statement in micro form.  It should be short, simple and easy to remember.  In our age of information overload, less is definitely more.  You may or may not include it with your logo.  But you'll definitely want to include it in correspondence, vision casting, volunteer materials, etc.  Kids won't notice it as much as adults.  But it's an opportunity to show parents and volunteers what you're all about.  It's something you should be passionate about...something that makes your heart beat faster.

I highly recommend aligning this with your church's overall slogan.  Here's an example.  One of the ministries I led had the overall church tagline of "Impacting our world with the love and message of Jesus Christ."  We tweaked it for the children's ministry to say "Impacting kids and families with the love and message of Jesus Christ."  

CREATE A PROFESSIONAL LOGO.
Your logo should be done professionally and represent you with excellence.  Don't skimp on this.  If you don't have someone in-house or locally that can create it for you, there are thousands of affordable options with free-lancers online. 

The logo should be kid-friendly.  Kid-friendly colors.  Kid-friendly font.  Kid-friendly image. 
 
KEEP IT CONSISTENT.
Great brands deliver a consistent message across all of their marketing touch points.  Think of every print piece, take-home paper, website page, poster, gift for guests, etc. as all connected...because they are.  Keep the look of your brand consistent across all platforms.  The logo should remain the same but you can tweak the color at times to fit the background it is placed on.  An example would be making the logo black and white for a handout that you don't want any color on. 

LIVE IT.  
Kids and families are looking for brands that deliver what they promise.  They want authenticity.  This means your logo and tagline should be more than just words.  It should be who you are.  Your brand should be lived out by your ministry.  If your brand says you love people, then you should turn those words into action by being the hands and feet of Jesus to your community.  Your ministry should love families and be there for them in times of crisis. 

When you begin to live out your logo, families will make an emotional connection to your brand.  When they see it, they will be reminded of how you've impacted their family and it will evoke good thoughts.

SPREAD THE GOSSIP.
We live in a testimonial culture.  Kids and families don't necessarily always listen to what your ministry says about itself.  But they do listen to what other people say about your ministry.   They are influenced by the comments and feedback of others.  Leverage this by building a community of kids and parents who share their love for your ministry online and by word-of-mouth.  You want to get people talking...in a good way.  Then take the "good gossip" and use it to make deposits in the testimonial economy.  

Here's a few questions to talk through with your team:
  • Does the name of our ministry accurately represent us?  Do we need to change or adjust it?
  • Does the name of our ministry align us with the overall ministry of the church?   Do we need to change or adjust it?
  • Is our logo professional?  Kid-friendly?  Is it outdated?  Do we need to update it or tweak it?
  • Is our slogan simple and easy to remember?  Does it align with the overall church slogan?  Are we excited about it?  Do we need to change or adjust it?
  • Is our logo consistent across all platforms?  Do we monitor this effectively?
  • Are we effectively living out our slogan?  How can we do better at this?
  • How can we help spread more "good gossip?