Church Plants Launching [Part 2]

* Marketing
Many ask about how Capstone spent our marketing budget.  The answer is we didn’t really have a marketing budget.  I know this goes against the “launch big” model.  The typical “launch big” model is spend between 5k to 10k on marketing.  Get the billboards.  Send out thousands of mailers.   Rent a hot air balloon to throw out fliers (actually never heard anyone do that).
We spent $100 on 500 business cards we called “invite cards” people could personal hand to relationships they had built with people.  Our strategy was we wanted to hear about Capstone through conversations and relationships.  Instead of spending thousands on marketing God sent us an oppurtunity to move a family out of uninhabitable home and purchase them a new trailer.  That created more of a buzz than mailers.

* Plant based on your passions
Two months before launch we asked if we should go ahead and start community groups.  We were already meeting weekly training our Plant Team.  We were doing monthly mission projects in our community.  When I asked to one of our Church Planter Mentors when we should start community groups he spoke up and said “what is your passion?” For me that was a no brainer – Community Mission Projects.  He said then don’t start community groups until after launch.  He mentioned we were doing great and anything else would take energy away from our launch.
If small groups are your passion – do them.  If missional projects are you passion – do them.  If launching small and slow is your mission and vision – do it. God has given you a vision – don’t plant based on someone else’s passion or vision.  Stick with what you know.