April 12, 2005

Artistry Marketing

This is the first in a series of in-depth profiles of each organizations listed on our Don't Suck page. These profiles are intended as a service, not an endorsement.

Focus: Full-service marketing solutions
Founded: 1999
Size: Under a dozen, including interns and part-timers
Experience: Over 500 churches
Web site: artistrymarketing.com

History:
After 12 years in the marketing business with major petroleum and semi-conductor companies, Richard Reising felt a calling to do something different. It finally came to him on a mission trip in Mexico and he left behind an executive level salary and a $400,000 financing offer in order to help churches on his own terms. It wasn't an easy start, and in hindsight Reising realized that for the first two years he would have qualified for welfare. Now Artistry Marketing has served over 500 churches in 40 states and across the world.

What They Do:
Everything. Brand Manager John LaCarter keeps asking if we know of companies that provide as many services as they do—as if he wants to say they're the only true full-service church marketing company, but is afraid of sounding arrogant.

In reality, they do offer a lot. Their biggest service is full-blown consulting where they'll meet with a church, find out exactly who they are and offer a detailed marketing plan covering everything from basic branding and identity to advertising and promotion options. They also offer pre-designed solutions for churches that can't afford consulting, as well as a complete technology department with their own content management software and web hosting.

"Great design without great marketing is trivial. It means nothing," says Reising, emphasizing that while their pre-designed solutions are good, those churches are missing out on a greater plan. "Great design that's not a part of great strategy is slighting. Strategy is biblical. … God wants us to plan."

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Posted by Kevin D. Hendricks at 09:41 AM
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