Basic branding and marketing are essential to the longevity and viability of churches these days. As the war on religion in our society and culture continues, churches need to work harder to bring in followers, build a community of faith and love, and spread their message. While churches know how important spirituality is to life, more than ever people are embracing a secular nature and leaving spirituality behind.

So how does a church get their message across? What are the various means by which a church can solidly get its message out there and imprint itself in its congregation’s consciousness? One way is through the use that custom church offering envelopes can have in this branding strategy. Learn how important collection envelopes can be in your church’s marketing and branding strategy, and how you can best use them to your advantage.

Elements of Physical Marketing

We live in a day and age where we are overwhelmed and saturated with eCommerce, Internet marketing and all things digital. This means that where once physical pieces of marketing were seen as quaint, outdated and incredibly mundane, the pendulum has swung completely the opposite direction. Now, a piece of physical marketing such as an envelope is seen as visceral and has a mystique with it—those who hold an envelope gain a real connection to the material and wonder what’s inside in a way that a clickbait headline doesn’t deliver.

You can further enhance this mystique by adding elements to your envelope like heavy, textured paper, raised seals and the like. Use your collection envelopes to create a sense of wonder, imagination and physical, visceral connection to your brand.

Collection Envelopes Texture

Texture is where you can start your marketing efforts. If you create an envelope using paper that feels leather-like, quilted, three-dimensional or otherwise has a physical texture comprised of specific paper grains, is stamped or has raised patterns can really make an impact.

Even better, there are a broad range of possible options. Your envelope can use such textures as a scalloped feel, bricks, diamonds, or other geometric shapes and patterns. Imagine having a fish or cross pattern stamped into the envelope so that as the holder passes their fingers over, they feel the symbol of their faith in a way that seeing an Internet graphic simply doesn’t communicate.

Visual Impact Elements

Of course, you can combine this great textured quality with equally astonishing physical graphics to really hammer home the impact of the envelope. Anyone can put a church logo on a website; you can have yours embossed or raised on the envelope.

You can also use such elements like gold or silver foil printing which further enhances the dimension, look and feel of your church branding elements on the envelope. Full color printed envelopes make the graphics jump off the page, and when professionally implemented, these physical graphics look far better than anything you could do on a computer, even in high definition and high resolution.

Form and Size

Your envelope need not be a standard rectangle in a size that will encourage tossing it out with junk mail. You can use a larger size, even over 6 inches in length, to make the envelope look important and professional. You can use rich, custom-printed design elements and a square rather than rectangular shape, or a larger aspect ratio to make the envelope look like an exclusive invitation that can make your target audience feel special and chosen.

You can create a booklet-style envelope which can incorporate a brochure or other information about special programs your church is offering, or initiatives it is taking to help a local community group, which can further encourage offerings. You can even include such elements as coupon booklets, which can serve as a regular reminder for monthly tithings to help keep your church strong and solvent for a long time to come.

Showing Off Your Brand

One thing that your church collection and offering envelopes must do is show off your church brand. You should always incorporate your organization’s logo in everything you do. It’s vital for you to present this information to your congregation, even though your church offering envelopes are generally given to those who are already a part of your existing community. These people are the ones who will carry your message to the outside world. Your envelopes can make them feel like they are an important part of the family of faith that you are trying to build.

Make sure that you avoid common errors like trying to get too complicated with your message, with trying to do too much all at once. Your overall brand logo should be simple and straightforward. It should be punchy, eye-catching and convey your organization’s message and values in a way that people will remember and take with them. Avoid trying to tie yourself to what you view as more successful institutions; this will cost you your individuality. Don’t use cliché designs or focus on things like the building or one individual over the community at large.

Why It Matters

You may wonder why this matters. Your image, your brand and logo, don’t just exist to bring in new people to your congregation. They exist to help you retain your existing congregation as well. Without these elements, without the ability to make your flock feel like they are a part of something larger, spiritual and important, they might fade away like wayward sheep. With a strong branding message, not only will you retain church members, you could very well gain new ones through your members spreading the word.

If you are in need of an incredible personalized and customized church offering envelope or any other form of help with your direct mailing and physical marketing efforts, we can help. Take a look at our selection of custom church envelopes, and get in touch with us for more information or to get started today!