Tier 3: Where To Begin

Uncommon Denomination Materials Order 100-500 blank postcards: Congregational Services has a limited supply of postcards at the low cost of $15 per 100-card pack (of a single image). You may arrange for printing of the reverse blank side from your local area printer OR print your message and contact information directly from your office printer. Use the Postcards Order Form. Uncommon Denomination Home Overview   • Hospitality & Belonging Tier 1  • Where To Begin  • Resources Tier 2  • Where To Begin  • Resources Tier 3  • Where To Begin  • Resources Marketing 101 for Congregations  • PowerPoint  (3.8 MB)  • PDF  (2.9 MB) Imagine a Religion... NEW resources NEW Web Banners! Issue Advertisements Marketing Outreach Presentation GA '06  • PowerPoint  (15.7 MB)  • PDF  (5 MB) St. Louis Media Campaign Summary Overview of UUA Marketing Outreach 1999-2005 Report on UUA Marketing Outreach 1999-2005 (prepared April 2006) Kansas City Media Campaign Reports Uncommon Denomination - Updates on Use Houston Media Campaign North Texas/Fort Worth Media Campaign Frequently Asked Questions Legal Information Further Resources Contact Us

The Uncommon Denomination Tier 3 resources are designed as a major marketing campaign. These resources are likely to be most useful for congregational clusters/regional groups/metro areas and large congregations ready to commit significant funds, with both governing board and congregational endorsement for the program. Tier 3 resources include (in addition to all Tier 1 and 2 and hospitality/belonging resources):

• large-space print ad layouts for magazines and newspapers
• institutional Public Service Announcements and resources for recording announcements
• institutional TV ads in various lengths
• five billboard designs, with space for your congregation/cluster’s website url to be inserted
• music beds for use in radio or tv ads
• guidelines for approaching a publication about a tabloid insert in a major daily newspaper, text/photos illustrating aspects of UUism
• sample congregational brochure (design, layout, text)

We know from our experience in Kansas City that these resources can make a difference - raising awareness of our faith both within your congregation and beyond it, reaching seekers who are looking for a liberal religious home like ours. They can help your congregation grow in size and scope of programming. They can energize your membership. And they can help the message of Unitarian Universalism reach a wider audience than ever before!

As these resources are used by more of our congregations, we can learn more and share those learnings with other congregations that use "The Uncommon Denomination" materials.

What’s different about Tier 3?

Strategy:
The Tier 3 media resources embody a strategy for sharing the good news of Unitarian Universalism. While you need not duplicate it, it is important that you be aware of it and that you develop one appropriate to your area.

The strategy, as tested in Kansas City, begins with outdoor – getting the word to the community at large – posted in carefully chosen locations, with a plan for rotating the messages among locations. Then the message of UUism is literally brought home with television ads – with messages about our values from the outdoor ads repeated and expanded. As the television ads conclude, radio ads begin on stations with a variety of formats (urban rock, jazz, country, NPR, etc.). These ads carry both institutional values messages and event specific advertising with an invitation to the community to visit, participate, join in. Print advertising is used for specific events and to reach specific constituencies. The final component of the strategy is a tabloid insert in the major daily paper (delivered to selected zip codes) echoing the messages and images of the campaign and expanding the information and invitation.

Developing a strategy and a media buy plan is best done with the guidance of local experts. For more information review Buying Media .

Demographics:
For this – or any strategy to be effective – current demographic information about the community is crucial. Percept Demographic Data is a service available through the UUA.

Financing:
Cost depends on the specifics of your strategy and media plan, as well as the costs of media in your market. The Kansas City market is reasonably priced and the media-buying budget for that area was $135,000 for a four-and-a-half month campaign plus the tabloid insert. Media used over the four and a half month period included outdoor, TV, radio and a modest amount of print advertising. The UUA's Congregational Fundraising Services Office staff and staff in Stewardship and Development may be available for advice and consultation on fundraising.

Please begin by following these steps:

Step One: Please review the covenant that describes the partnership we hope for between the UUA, congregations and their Districts in the use of The Uncommon Denomination program.

Please send two copies of the signed document to:

Uncommon Denomination Program
C/O Unitarian Univeralist Association
Rev. Tracey Robinson-Harris
25 Beacon Street
Boston, MA 02108

After reviewing the documents, both copies will be signed and dated, and one returned to your congregation for its files.

Step Two: Please read the following documents for a complete understanding of the program:

• Frequently Asked Questions about this program
• Legal Information concerning the use of our service-marked materials.

Step Three: Now you are ready to move on and start thinking about what it would be like for your congregation to use The Uncommon Denomination program! Here are your next steps:

• Complete the online Before You Begin questionnaire and submit it to us.
• Read the materials on The Ministering Congregation, which help explain more about the qualities and values we're presenting in The Uncommon Denomination materials.
• When you are finished with these elements, continue into the Hospitality & Belonging section of this website, where you will learn about becoming more welcoming and hospitable to seekers, guests and new members.

Step Four: It is important that you complete the Congregational Assessment process, and share your learnings with us. The assessment will help you do your best in use of these resources and will help us improve our support of our congregations. This Assessment is required for Tier 3.

Remember that if, at any phase of your exploration of The Uncommon Denomination materials, you have questions, you can email uncommondenomination@uua.org at any time!

Unitarian Universalist Association
25 Beacon St. | Boston, MA 02108 | 617-742-2100