"Um...I make pretty things?" That's how we often answer the "what do you do?" question...but if we don't know what we do, then nobody else will stick around long enough to find out and be convinced!

In Module 1, we'll start by breaking down what Catholic marketing is, what the Church has to say about marketing and advertising, and what our ethical responsibilities are. (Fun fact: The Church actually tells us the moral responsibility we take on when we start marketing, and it's big.)

Then, we'll figure out what it is you actually do and how to say it simply (for some of you this will be easy and for others really difficult but I'll be here to help!) and finally we'll figure out your "why" (aka your mission, but not a stuffy corporate mission statement you stow on your about page — one you actually use).

And before you say "all Catholics!" we're going to get a LOT more specific. In this module, we'll be breaking down target audiences (and how many you can have), aspirational audiences (this is a big one! Most people are marketing to their aspirational instead of target audience and it's why you're not making sales), and non-target audience. Then, we'll dive into market research and why you need to do it instead of just guessing and round it out by creating your new imaginary best friend...I mean character persona.

Oh, and this might be my favorite Bible study section of the whole course. It's going to completely transform the way you read the Gospels.

People don't buy things; they buy solutions to problems. Everything that is sold is a solution to a "problem" — some more painful than others. In this module, we'll figure out what problems you solve — I promise you do — and their type. Then, we'll articulate how you solve that problem and paint a picture of the transformation your audience can expect to receive. Acknowledging pain points help you be relatable, and then the transformation helps them see you as invaluable.

Note: Everyone struggles with this. Service providers tend to get too technical and use language their clients wouldn't actually use. Product based businesses feel like they don't solve problems. And ministries can the problem donors solve, but not what problem they solve for donors. That's why I'll be walking with you and helping you refine your pain points and transformation until they're solid!

Chances are, you're not the only one doing this, and you might not even be the only one doing this in the Catholic space. That's okay! Jesus had competition too. (Don't worry, we'll talk about that in the Bible study section.)

In this module, we'll figure out what makes you different from everyone else ("Catholic" might not be enough) through a competitive analysis (I prefer to call this a "fellow evangelist" analysis). Then, we'll determine what your differentiator is — the thing that makes you different that people actually care about — and end with a SWOT analysis (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats). Most businesses and ministries skip this but it reveals HUGE areas for improvement that are vital to know before marketing.

In this module, we'll wrap up what we did in the previous sections by articulating your marketing message for a variety of formats. Trust me — we're going to spend so much time on this, you'll be able to roll off exactly what you do, who you serve, and how you help them in a phrase, sentence, and paragraph on demand. This will come in handy for everything from your IG bio to copy on your website to your elevator pitch (which, by the way, has literally never happened to me that someone's asked me what I do on an elevator...but you'll be prepared if it happens to you!).

Before we do that though, we'll define your brand style (think classic Jesus-isms like "Amen, Amen, I say to you") and determine your value proposition, since that plays into how we express the marketing message.

Now we're ready to get some eyeballs on your stuff! But...not all eyeballs are the same. And if we try to pitch to someone who just discovered you your top-tier product or service...it's like asking someone to marry you on the first date. (Or Jesus asking a random passerby from the Feeding of the 5,000 to go be sent out on apostolic mission.) In this module, we'll talk about all the different stages people might be in when they discover you and put a plan into place to move them seamlessly through the different phases. That way, you've prepped them fully when they're finally ready to hit buy — but without you having to do a ton of extra work.

I have a feeling this is going to be everyone's favorite module. Because it's the ultimate question — how do I reach more people? In this module, we'll break down the bare minimum marketing assets that everyone needs and all the different ways you can possibly get people to find it. Then, based on your unique plan, we'll figure out your marketing mix — which channels you should be on. We'll base this off of your unique audience, funnel, and what kinds of content would feel natural for you to create.

Then, we figure out how to make all of those channels work together (so you don't have a bunch of systems with no...well, system) as part of a cohesive journey through a concept I've developed called the Cross of Content. This will help you to utilize one content idea across all of your platforms, but in a way that makes sense for your plan.

(Okay, I can't help but give a Biblical preview for this one...like how Jesus told parables or taught in the Sermon on the Mount, which the disciples then used in their own missionary journeys, which then got put into the Bible — all from one teaching or story!)

Now that we now your channels, we're going to track exactly how people get from first hearing about you to telling everyone about you. Jesus didn't just show up with no warning claiming to be the Son of God; God had been preparing His people for centuries for a Messiah, so He was at least expected. Through your customer journey, we'll map out every way people can find out about you (entrypoints) and what touchpoints you need along that journey to move them through the funnel we created in Module 6.

And obviously we'll spend a considerable amount of time on the Rule of 7. If you don't know what the Rule of 7 is...trust me, you'll know by the end of this module.

One of the biggest mistakes I see in marketing is that we stop after the first sale. (It's as if we had an evangelizing conversation with someone but then never followed up with them again.) There is so much more potential there!

First, we're going to figure out if you should have a brand awareness or sales-driven strategy overall, as that will determine how quickly we want people to go through the next part of this module: your value ladder. Then, we'll map out the value ladder by coming up with a post purchase or post engagement plan to turn one-time buyers into raving fans.

Listen, I get it — content creation can be so draining. BUT it doesn't have to feel like having teeth extracted. I'm going to teach you how to find content ideas (that your audience actually cares about) so easily that you're never NOT coming up with content ideas. (Seriously, I use this method and I come up with content ideas at least 2-3 times a day.)

We'll come up with your content buckets so you never have a "I don't know what to post!" moment again, and then I'll teach you my brand new PARABLES Framework. You know that storytelling thing everyone's talking about as the best marketing method? Guess what — I dissected all of the parables of Jesus and found that He had the perfect formula we can follow to make storytelling simple, plug-and-play, and effective. I can't wait to teach it to you!

What actually convinces people to take action? The weirdest things. Like using rounded buttons instead of buttons with square edges. (Yep, that's a real thing.) Using words like "this" for intrigue. In this module, we'll talk about a whole bunch of the techniques and strategies out there for convincing people to take an action — some obvious, some not to so obvious — and whether or not they are ethical from a Catholic perspective.

For our final module, we'll put together everything we learned into a cohesive marketing strategy — not a plan that sits in a file on your computer you never use, but an actual actionable plan. And I'll also answer the age-old question: "What if it's not working?" We'll go over tracking your analytics (and which ones matter) and how to adjust your plan if you need to.

We'll conclude with a one-page version of your marketing plan that you can refer back to every time you're marketing — and THAT is how marketing becomes easier and more effective.