How to Brand Your Student Ministry
When you start a student ministry, itโs an exciting time for the youth in your church to take part in something they can call their own. Having a student ministry is a great way to form strong relationships with the future leaders of the church. Building a brand (or rebranding your current ministry if you already have one) is vital to create your groupโs identity. Continue to read our blog on branding your student ministry to learn more.
Having a brand for your student ministry comes with valuable benefits. When you have a brand in place, you can use it consistently in your marketing materials. This way your student ministry can be recognizable, therefore expanding your church presence.
1- Name Your Group
When forming a new student ministry group, one of the first steps you have to think about is naming your ministry. If you already have a ministry and are looking to rebrand, you could require a name change if the current name you have doesnโt reflect who you are and what your mission is. When thinking about a new name, include your students in the brainstorming process. Some things to consider are:
- Names that describe your ministry, but are not too confusing. Think like a newbie- will other people understand your ministry with your new name?
- Focus on your message and what you want to convey, does your name reflect this?
- Choose names that are short and easy to remember.
- If you are planning to launch a website or use social media for your ministry group, check to see if your name is available on those channels.
2- Define Your Mission
With clear branding, you can clearly communicate what your ministryโs mission is. Create, or revise your mission by defining your purpose. A meaningful mission statement can showcase what sets you apart from other groups and ministries. Having a defined mission provides your team with common goals to work towards and a clear direction for the future of your student ministry.
3- Create a Logo
Now that you have a name and a mission clearly defined, itโs time to create a logo! A logo should be memorable and if used correctly, can be a powerful symbolization of who you are and what you represent. Depending on your budget, hiring a local agency might be out of the question to design something for your student ministry. Luckily, when ordering custom things for your student ministry such as T-shirts, here at Uth Stuph we offer design services and create original artwork. Our designers illustrate logos and work with you one-on-one to create something that is inline with your brand. You can read more about that here.
4- Create a Color Scheme
Part of creating a brand for your student ministry is choosing a color scheme. Once you have set guidelines in place (such as which colors to use), you can create consistency. Colors can have a significant affect on people, as there is a psychology behind colors that influence moods. For example, yellow is associated with positivity, warmth and happiness, whereas blue is calm, trustworthy and loyal. Some tips for choosing colors is to pick your main color (perhaps the color of your logo?) and then a secondary color to compliment it. If more colors are needed, you can have an accent color. Donโt over do it though as 2-3 is the norm. Make sure they are all in harmony with one another.
5- Use Your Branding Consistently
Now that you have a name, mission, logo, and colors, itโs time to use your branding consistently. Make sure your marketing materials (both print and digitally) follow the same branding guidelines youโve set for your student ministry in the previous steps. You will want your website and social media to be consistent with one another so your visitors and members can recognize your group, no matter which channel or marketing piece they are looking at.
Need help branding your student ministry? Contact us to help you design a logo for your student ministry and recommend color schemes that you can apply to your custom T-shirts. You can call/text us at 407-581-1240 or email us at sales@stuphclothing.com. Good luck with branding your student ministry!