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Keys to Target GroupingBy Dan VisMay 18, 2020 Comments: 31 |
As our focus this month is largely on ministry development, I pulled this article out from the archives to help with one of the most important aspects of this: target grouping. If you are not sure where to focus your ministry efforts, this article may just help!

One essential key to building an effective ministry is what I call Target Grouping. That is just a fancy way of saying ministries should specialize based on a clear sense of who they are trying to reach.
If you have a passion to reach homeless people, artists, members of a specific cult, homeschooler kids, or men interested in prophecy--then you have a clear target group. Each of those represent a distinct set of people. When your goal is to reach everyone, the target group is necessarily vague, and that lack of clarity will adversely impact your success.
In today's article I'd like to share three reasons why target grouping is important, and four keys to choosing the best target group from the countless possible alternatives. And then I'll close with a suggestion about what to do with your target group once you have identified it. Enjoy!
Why Target Group
Unfortunately, we live in a media saturated world and everyone has their shields up to screen out as much of that noise as possible. That means it is getting harder and harder to reach people with your message. If you are serious about wanting to get your offer in front of people, you need to target group.Here's why it makes a difference:
1. It's more cost-effective
Marketing can be expensive, and no church can afford to throw money away by advertising to people who aren't interested in your offer. By having a clear target group, you can work to ensure the closest possible alignment between how you advertise, and the audience you want to reach.
Suppose for example you want to use the radio to advertise a seminar on biblical archaeology. You will probably get a better response advertising on a Christian station than a station playing rock music. Granted, some people who listen to rock might be interested in biblical archaeology, but an audience listening to a Christian station will probably have a higher percentage of people interested in that topic.
Assuming the approximate cost per listener is equal, the same amount of money will tend to attract more people on a station with an audience that is closely aligned to your offer.
2. It sparks creative ideas
There's something about narrowing down your target group that sparks ideas for innovative approaches. In fact, I suspect there's a direct correlation between how focused your ministry is and your potential for creativity.
Suppose you had a community service center that gave away clothes for free. While you may be happy to give those garments to anyone who comes by, your target group is actually low income individuals. Recognizing that quickly sparks all kinds of ideas about how to promote your service.
How about reaching out to soup kitchens, homeless shelters, and public housing areas, in your community. Or perhaps the office for unemployment or for food stamps. Some of these may be happy to spread word about your service. Being specific about who you want to reach enables you to be creative in how you reach them.
3. It speaks their language
Knowing your audience allows you to use words, images, and testimonies that connect with them. In general, a message that doesn't appear to be aimed at us "personally" gets discounted in a single glance. But if it appears to be talking to us directly, we'll be inclined to give it a more careful second look.
Suppose a person has just been diagnosed with adult onset diabetes. They may encounter dozens of general advertisements about health, but nothing catches their attention, and they make little or no impression. Then suddenly the stumble on to a poster asking the question:
"Have you just been diagnosed with diabetes?"
The question leaps into their consciousness, and they can't help but stop to read more--because it connects with them. In other words, it's easier to advertise a cooking school that offers heart friendly or weight loss recipes, than it is to advertise a general cooking school with no special focus. Advertising works best when it speaks our language.
Choosing a Target Group
So how do you choose a target group? If you are already involved in some ministry, it may just be a question of identifying who you are already reaching, and finding ways to be a bit more intentional in your efforts. But if you are wanting to start some new ministry, defining your target group early on is a vital first step.In choosing a target group, I recommend considering at least four factors:
1. Choose a large group
Try to pick a group that is fairly sizable. Specific doesn't have to mean tiny. Bird watching is no more specific than bug watching, but it's almost certainly a much larger group. The goal is not to pick a small group, but to pick a distinct group.
2. Choose a group with common needs
Try to choose a group with obvious needs, as needs represent open doors for ministry. Choosing to reach the people in your apartment complex, may be specific, but that group probably has rather diverse needs. In contrast, international students at the local university probably have a common need for conversational English classes.
3. Choose a group you can help
While it is possible to serve a group you know little about, it's generally better to pick a group you know well. If you are an expert in some field and can use your expertise to give real help to some group, your ministry has a far greater chance of success.
4. Choose a group that motivates you
Last but not least, choose a group you have a burden to reach. In fact, this may be the most important criteria, because a strong internal motivation helps keep a person on track through the thick and thin of ministry. If God calls you to reach some group, He can help you find those people, discern their needs, and give them lasting solutions. But only if you are committed to reaching them!
So those are the four keys to identifying a target group: consider its size, if it has a common need, if you have resources to help, and most of all, do you have a passion to reach that group?
Getting Strategic
What do you do once you have identified a specific target group? Begin building a ministry strategy that guides people in that group to Christ. Think of it as a process, that draws them step by step, from where they are to where you would like to see them.That process will need to include multiple steps. Our Unleashed Ministry Model identifies 7 core components every ministry should incorporate into its ministry plan. Even one or two missing components can severely limit the success of a ministry. Fortunately, none are excessively difficult to build. There are easy options for every component.
Having a clear target group is the first step however. That is what enables you to adapt and customize each ministry component for your specific group: the fliers, the gifts, the newsletter, the courses, the lectures, the small groups, everything! Find ways to tweak each component to ensure optimal success.
To quote an old chinese proverb, "he who aims at nothing is sure to hit it." That is, success in ministry requires you to first identify who you want to reach...
Comments
Why is learning to focus on specific target groups so important in ministry? What kinds of possibilities does it open? How does generality impact effectiveness? Are the outreach ministries you are involved in highly targeted? How could they become more focused? Share a thought in the comment below...![]() |
Posted by Dan Vis on 05/22/20 | |
You're welcome Carol. I think we can make our ministries a lot more effective if we just apply a bit of strategic thinking to them. All the best! | ||
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Posted by Dan Vis on 05/18/20 | |
That's great Minnie! Hope it stimulates lot's of good strategic ideas, and greatly improves your ministry effectiveness... | ||
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Posted by Minnie Whittaker on 05/18/20 | |
I’m glad I read this article. This is most helpful. And it certain will be implemented in our Congregation! Thank you for this information. |
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Posted by Dan Vis on 09/10/19 | |
That sounds like a great opportunity if you can figure out a way to capitalize on that Carole. Hope you can come up with something creative! We do want to reach everyone Nicole, but marketing gets expensive if it's not focused. You might get better results if you spent that same money on building several small unleashed ministries (as described in our Unleashed course) and then use those ministries to get people to the meetings. You will probably reach many more people, and for those who don't come, or don't make decisions, you can maintain connections through those various ministries. It's great to want to reach everyone, but we need to be more strategic because we only have limited time and money available... |
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Posted by Dan Vis on 09/09/19 | |
That's a very powerful target group Valerie. Now it's just putting all the pieces together to begin ministering to them in some way. Be sure to sign up for Unleashed for a quick overview of the process! :) And all the best in your ministry plans... | ||
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Posted by Dan Vis on 09/21/18 | |
Ah, the tortoise and the hare. Seems like that concept has been coming up a bit lately, hasn't it? Our fall Breakout Memory Challenge is coming soon! | ||
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Posted by Fiona van Wyk on 09/21/18 | |
I know - the tortoise! :-) That reptile is beginning to seem like a very special one in my eyes! The epitome of perseverance and continuing in well doing! :-) | ||
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Posted by Dan Vis on 09/18/18 | |
Thanks Fiona! Appreciate the encouragement. :) Everyday, we just keep moving forward one small step at a time... | ||
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Posted by Susan on 09/10/18 | |
Very helpful! And makes so much sense! Now I cannot help but wonder—what is the specific target group of FAST? | ||
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