communication arts playbook svcc

Sun Valley !Community Church

Communications !Arts Playbook

!!!!!!Dear SVCC Team member,

Communication is tricky. Especially organizational communication. There’s so many people involved–on the inside and out. How do you keep up with it? How do you communicate to help people take their next step towards Christ? How do you cover all the bases:

• INSPIRATION: information that motivates people to action.

• OWNERSHIP: mission, vision and values across teams and locations.

• INCLUSION: a common vocabulary for diversified audiences.

• BALANCE: just enough, but not too much.

• LONGEVITY: not just the here and now, but for the ongoing future.

These are loaded objectives and there are two common responses to the challenges–control everything or just give in to the free-for-all. Both approaches are counterproductive.

Things could get all complex up in here, if we let it. But we won’t.

There are simple approaches to a seamless message. And, that’s what this playbook is all about. The Communication Arts team has pulled together some basic essentials you need into one handy dandy little playbook. It’s our gift for you.

Use it to tap into a fresh perspective, an encouraging nudge, a few “aha” moments and examples of uncomplicated strategies that make a noticeable difference. Every form of your communication can be better and your life will be easier. No, seriously. It will.

Let’s get started.

Fondly,

!The Communication Arts team Sun Valley Community Church

!!

!2

!Communication Arts Playbook Sun Valley Community Church !The Big Picture !The basics that apply to everyone. !• Brand school

• All Church Communication Values 4

• Branding, Emphasis and Deliverables 5

• Job description 6

• Rules of engagement 7

• A little help from your friends 8

• Promotional layers 9

• Promotional aids 10

• Communication Values and Best Practices 11

• A Matter of Style 13

• Punctuation, A Little Shot of Grammar and Common Slip-ups 15

• Online Information, Email Addresses and Phone Numbers 17

• Communication checklist 18

• Bonus Snackie Snacks 19

• Social Media Guidelines 20

• Sun Valley Location Names and Addresses 21

• Sun Valley Communications Quick Reference Guide 22

• Sun Valley Campus Constants 23

• Sun Valley Leadership Distinctives 24

!

Sun Valley Community Church Page Comm. Arts Playbook2

• Sun Valley

!3

!The Big Picture The basics that apply to everyone !Brand School !You are entering the shortest, fastest brand school in the universe. Your first assignment? Digest these three bullets. !

1. Given the right tools, a brand is like a person with good communication and adaptation skills. A brand is not a veneer you apply to make something pretty. Instead, a brand begins to exist when you have something to offer the world. It is a promise of what to expect. Great brands are trustworthy experiences. !

2. Brands are made by people with a shared philosophy. They shepherd the brand’s development acting as the brand’s heart, head, eyes, hands, ears and voice. Everyone (and by that, I mean everyone) who affects any brand touchpoint is 1

responsible for making sure its values remain intact and understandable. Think brand “handlers.” !

3. Brands need friends, or a support system and again it comes back to people. Think brand “advocates.” A communications team collects, prioritizes and edits the essentials of the brand, providing all the “handlers” what they need to connect with people and the world. The systems they create allow the brand to adapt and be used different ways. 2

!A group of people with a clear understanding of what a brand is and does can create great work – easily. Decisions are made and materials come together readily when everyone on the team collaborates to give it form. You, me—we are that group of people. !Let’s review. Use the essentials in this guide to handle the brand with care. Don’t manhandle the brand. Got it? Good. That was actually your first and only assignment. You’ve graduated from brand school. Move your tassel and advance to the next section.


� "Any"place"someone"comes"in"contact"with"our"ministry."Every"message,"action,"print"piece,"web"site,"person,"email,"1phone"call,"sign,"environment,"experience,"etc."is"a"brand"touchpoint."

� "Adapted"from"Brands"are"People,"Too."by"Joy$Panos$Stauber.2

!4

All-Church Communication Values

OUR CHURCH COMMUNICATION WILL…

Reinforce that we are a unified church working toward a common vision, not a federation of sub-ministries. • Be driven from the outside-in. That is, there will be a heavier

emphasis communicating to those in the outside circles (community and crowd), and a progressively lighter emphasis toward those in the inner circles (congregation, committed and core).

• Capitalize on our strength. Most people will connect to SVCC for the first time through a weekend service. Therefore, most of our communication resources will be expended on inviting people to the weekend service, and then helping them take their next step from there.

• Not be fair, but instead will be appropriate based on ministry priorities. This means that “equal time” is not valued or considered.

• Focus on the needs of our guests, not the needs of our ministries.

• Ask more questions than we answer; drawing people into the content we have to offer –allowing them to absorb and seek on their own terms.

• Deliver excellence in timeliness, accuracy, design, layout and ease of use.

• Be simple and clear, eliminating unnecessary fluff or complicated content.

• Always be in a language, style and method that is visible and understandable to the first-time guest.

• Be designed so that it reduces the noise in people’s lives and eliminates competition between ministries. Too much information can be just as dangerous as not enough. Therefore, we will provide the basic information for people to easily scan.

• Be sustainable. We won’t launch a deliverable (e.g., newsletter or web page) if we don’t have the systems and personnel to maintain it with excellence.

• Actively balance inspiration and information. Therefore, everything will be evaluated in context of the church; not just a ministry audience.

How we communicate with each other and our audience brings our values to life. By protecting these values, we are able to help people take their next step towards Christ through excellent, easy-to-use and easy-to-maintain communication tools. The objective is to simplify everything our audience sees, to make their life easier and more rewarding in every interaction with our church and ministries.


We#do#this…

Instead#of#this…

!5

Branding, Emphasis & Deliverables

BRANDING Our brand is the overall identity for the church. It resonates through our design, our events, the attitude of our staff and volunteers, locations and the overall consistency of the experience we deliver. Done right, our brand has the power of “meaning”—individual departments speaking as part of one family.

To make that brand connection stronger, we’re organized as a ‘branded house’ (not a ‘house of brands’). In other words, Sun Valley Community Church is the brand and all of our activities are an extension of that brand; individual events and ministries don’t stand alone. !EMPHASIS AND DELIVERABLES

HIGH: The 20% that affects 80% of the audience; this week Gilbert, Tempe and Casa Grande, next steps out of the weekend and all-church events.

MEDIUM: Mid-sized events that affect a large group, but not 80% of the audience.

LIGHT: Niche news or small volume events

Sample events: Sample promotional vehicles:

• Weekend series (children, students and adults) • Bible classes • Attend an event, volunteer and find a group:

- Group Life

- Starting Point

- Core Classes and Budget class during a money series

- Men and women retreats • Baptism and dedication • Campaign news

• Platform announcements • Video Announcements • sunvalleycc.com home page • Custom media • Direct mail • Enewsletter feature • Custom graphics


• Budget class not tied to a money series • Campus work day • Job openings

• Bulletin • Pre-service slide • 3x5 postcard or fact sheet


• Scrapbooking • Golf outing • Team meeting

• Events page on sunvalleycc.com

• Personal invites • Conversations


!6

Job Description !Now that you’ve graduated from brand school, it’s time to define your role as a brand handler. As promised, we’ll keep it simple. It all boils down to three basic mantras. Love them. Own them. Live them. Everything else will fall into place. !

1. Your job is more about releasing the right response than it is sending the right message. !

2. You vow to reduce information obesity and simplify complexity. !3. Your commitment to effective communication comes from a level of self-awareness

that is more of an attitude than a skill. It comes not from technique, but from being genuinely interested in what really matters to the other person. !

So, you know what a brand is and you know what your job is. Check! What about your M.O.? Oh, yeah. That. Your agenda. Fine tune it for maximum results. This is bonus. You’re welcome. (You might want to meditate on this a little while.) !

!Now, if you would raise your right hand, place your left hand over the Bible… Ok, you’re right. We don’t need to go that far. !!

Not this… But this…o Publicize o Connecto Control o Cultivateo Promote o Personalizeo Censor o Coacho Capture o Consistent

o Liberate o Cohesive


!7

!Rules of Engagement How we communicate with each other and our audience brings our values to life. By protecting these values, we are able to help people take their next step towards Christ and each other. The win? To simplify everything our audience sees, to make their life easier and more rewarding in every interaction with our church and ministries. !Abide in these values like your own little personal quality control department.

o Clear. It’s not what you say, it’s what people hear. Remove distractions to simplify everything our audience sees or touches to help them effortlessly connect with Jesus and others. Eliminate the fluff and get to the point. Answer the essential questions: who, what, when, where and how.

o Portable. Put the mission within reach for everyone. Make it shorter, visual, specific, scannable, searchable and categorical.

o All Access. Easy to find. Easy to use. Easy to share. We use universal language and avoid insider jargon (and acronyms). We focus on the needs of our guests, not the needs of our ministries.

o Well-Done. If it’s worth communicating, it’s worth getting it right. Every detail and touchpoint matters, up front and behind the scenes, when you’re trying to enhance the experience and harness the power of a message.

o Guide. We use communications not as a final destination, but as a vehicle that helps people find their way from A to B. We treat our deliverables as wayfinding tools that help people navigate their way to what’s next, not everything at once. We draw people into the content we have to offer –allowing them to absorb and seek on their own terms.

o Whole. The whole is greater than the sum of its parts. We are a unified church working toward a common vision, not a federation of sub-ministries. We don’t strive to be fair, but appropriate based on scope. “Equal time” is not valued or considered. !!!


!8

!Get by with a little help from your friends !Brands need friends, or a support system. Again, it comes back to people. And, you are not alone. As a brand advocate, you have an entire arsenal of people, tools, systems and emotional support to help you soar. And, you can activate all your allies with one magic bullet. !ServiceU. !Seriously, this is where the magic happens. If you don’t do anything else, do this one thing: enter your event, ministry opportunity, news in ServiceU. It is the one-stop starting point that triggers your Communication Team to synchronize all the right people and functions at the right time and place. !Not limited to, but including… !

o Events calendar o Promotions o Creative Arts o Facility support o Café service o Drinks o Check-In o Tech & A/V support o Guest Services o Reporting o Registrations o Web o Social media o Etc. !

Don’t know how to get an ServiceU account? Need training? Email [email protected] or [email protected]. !!


!9

!Promotional Layers !As individual departments operating as part of a larger family, here’s the filter we use to help triage for promotion emphasis and methods. !!

!!!!

!HIGH

!MEDIUM

!LIGHT

• All skate!!• Churchwide!!• Applies to 80% of

the congregation.!!• Advocated &

crafted by Communications Department in collaboration with ministry stakeholder.

• Many !• Large venues and

demographics !• Applies to 50% of the congregation.!• Supported by

Communications Department in collaboration with ministry stakeholder.

• Limited !• Small !!• Targeted based on

location, lifestage or confidentiality.!

• Championed by ministry stakeholder with coaching and support resources provided by Communications Department.


!10

!Promotional Aids !

!!This framework is typical, but actual methods may change on a case-by-case basis. !!!!!!!!!!

HIGH MEDIUM LIGHTsunvalleycc.com home page

!X

sunvalleycc.com other pages

!X

!X

!X

Weekend program

X X

Calendar X X XPatio table XBanners XSignage XSocial media X X XMedia release XBulk mailings XPre- & post service loop

X X

Video XInvitations X XPrint piece X XPlatform announcement

X

Check-In X X XVideo Announcements

X

Reporting X X XLive stream X XGraphics X X


!11

Communication Values & Best Practices !Why Does Communication Matter? !If you use words, you communicate for Sun Valley. Any time we send an email, post on Twitter and Facebook, put together a flyer, interact with a volunteer, etc., we represent! And we’re not just representing our church—many people are making judgments about Christianity based on our actions. It’s worth our time and effort to communicate with excellence. !Good Communication Removes Roadblocks !Whether it’s getting people to take part in an event or just try out Sun Valley for the very first time, communication can help you reach your goals. These values, best practices and guidelines are here to help you remove as many obstacles as possible that might get in the way of people taking their next steps with Christ. !Our Communication Values !• We’re advocates for our audience. Our communication makes people’s lives easier, not

more difficult. We’re on their side and put their interests before our own. !• We’re not sucky. If it’s worth putting into words, it’s worth getting right. We communicate

with excellence. !• We’re user-friendly. We answer: who, what, when, where, why and how? We include easy-

to-find information for any next steps. Clear beats clever. !• We avoid insider lingo. We won’t use words that are hard to understand. We explain Sun

Valley terms and any phrases that may be confusing to someone who has never stepped inside a church. !

• We say less to communicate more. We keep it brief, knowing people are much more likely to engage with concise content. !

• We don’t sell. We understand people tune out advertising and manipulation. We inform, cast vision and share experience. We describe real outcomes that can benefit our audience. !

• We’ll communicate what we want for people, not what we want from them. We’re not giving people to-dos. We’re presenting them with opportunities. !

• We’ve got personality. We let it shine through in our communication as we’re authentic, informal, sincere, positive and fun.


!12

!Best Practices !• Get a second set of eyes on it. Have a qualified proofreader look over your piece. If there

are typos and misspelled words, you can undermine a beautifully crafted piece. Not only is this a best practice, it’s a must practice. !

• Have a goal. For every piece of communication, before you do anything else, determine the goal. Do whatever you need to do to gain clarity about the desired outcome and keep it in front of you during the entire creation process. !

• Add an evaluation step. Once the piece goes out, it’s important to look back and ask whether it met its intended goal. What can we learn for future pieces? !

• Know your audience. The group we’re talking to determines how we approach our communication. What is their experience with us? Put yourself into their shoes and communicate based on their perspective. !

• Don’t load people down with too much at once. Maybe you need to delay communicating one message so another has a better chance of getting through. Or it might mean you only present the first step in a process instead of five action items. !

• Choose the right channel. Your message and your goal should determine the communication channel you use, whether it’s a video, email newsletter, Facebook post, etc. For example, if people need to take action online, an online method of communication might be the best choice. !

• Consider context. Where is your content going to live? What else is being talked about there? Does what you’re communicating conflict with that? Does it duplicate that? Is it out of place there? !

• Lead with the most important thing. Don’t bury key information under several sentences or paragraphs. Use an inverted pyramid style, keeping the most important, foundational information at the top. !

• Cut, cut, cut! Avoid redundancy and wordiness. Once you write a piece, see how much you can eliminate without losing meaning. !

• Use an active voice when possible. It is more direct and stronger than the passive. In active voice, the subject takes the action. Example: “Thousands attended the event,” rather than “The event was attended by thousands.” Or: “Sun Valley partners with community organizations,” instead of, “Community organizations are being partnered with by Sun Valley.” !

• Avoid overused words. Tired phrases and words that are used too often fail to communicate anything at all since we start tuning them out.


!13

A Matter of Style !When expert opinions don’t agree about usage, it’s called a style issue. In those cases, it’s up to an organization to determine what it will do—and stick to it. Please use the guidelines below in all Sun Valley communication. !Times !• Correct: 6:00pm, 7:00-8:30am, 8:00am-5:00pm. • Always include the numbers after the colon. (Do: 8:00-9:30pm.) • am/pm has no periods and no spaces between the numbers and letters. (Do:

9:00-10:30pm.) • Use a hyphen (-) with no spaces. (Do: 8:00-9:30pm.) • Use noon or midnight, not 12:00am or 12:00pm. • Avoid redundancies like morning or evening. (Don’t: 8:00am in the morning or 7:00pm

Tuesday evening.) • When listing experience times, use singular for the day. (Do: Sunday at 11:00am. Don’t:

Sundays at 11:00am.) • Time Zones: When your audience is in multiple time zones, include the time zone

abbreviation. (Do: 9:00am CST.) These vary with the daylight saving time schedule (for example: CDT or CST), so use a search engine to find the current abbreviation. !

Dates !• Correct: Tuesday, April 28. • Use the day number only. (Do: 28. Don’t: 28th.) • Include the day of the week where possible so people don’t have to look it up. • Replace “from” with a comma and “to” with a hyphen. (Do: Thursday, 8:00-9:30pm. Do: May

31-June 1. Don’t: Thursday from 8:00 to 9:30pm.) • Do not abbreviate days or months. (Do: Wednesday. Don’t: Wed.) • Drop the year unless needed. !Numbers !• Spell out numbers one through nine and use numerals for 10 and above, except when

referring to ages. (Because of You is a two-week series. Each weekend, more than 4,000 people attend three Sun Valley locations.)

• Write out numbers at the beginning of sentences. (Three hundred people participated in The Baptism Class. Thirty-five students gave their life to Christ.) !

Ages !• Always use numerals. (The girl is 5 years old.) • Use hyphens for ages expressed as adjectives before a noun or as substitutes for a noun. (A

5-year-old boy. The boy is 5 years old. The ministry is for 3-year-olds. The woman is in her 30s.) !!


!14

Grades !• Use numerals (5th grade, 6-12th grade students). • Hyphenate if you’re substituting for a noun (5th-graders). !Titles Use italics on series titles, message titles, movie titles and publications like books, magazines and newspapers. When two titles appear together, use publication, “article.” (Outreach Magazine, “Top 10 Churches.”) !Formatting !• Use bold or italics to emphasize words. Underlining is only appropriate for hyperlinks. • Bullets: Use consistent bullets and indent spacing throughout your document. Be

consistent within each list about whether or not there is punctuation at the end of bullet items. !

Capitalization !• Avoid using all caps. It’s the written equivalent of yelling. Would you yell that word you’re

capitalizing? • Do not capitalize random words, only proper nouns. • Lowercase seasons (spring, summer, winter, fall) unless it’s part of a proper noun (Winter

Carnival). Don’t use seasonal references with a global audience. • When to capitalize: ▪ Bible: always (because it’s a proper noun). ▪ biblical: never (because it’s an adjective). ▪ Scripture: always (because it’s a proper noun). ▪ scriptural: never (because it’s an adjective). ▪ He, Him, His, You, Your when referring to God (unless you’re quoting Scripture and the

translation you’re using doesn’t capitalize it). !Quoting Scripture in Print or Online !• Do not abbreviate books of the Bible. (Do: Galatians. Don’t: Gal.) • Bible verses are always italicized. • Always include the version references. (See YouVersion.com for version abbreviations.) • Use an ellipsis (…) if it is not a complete sentence. In the following example, note the

space between the last letter and the ellipsis: For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, … John 3:16 NIV


!15

Punctuation, a Little Shot of Grammar and Common Slip-Ups !Punctuation • No double, triple, or more punctuation (!! or ?!). Avoid using exclamation points in two

sentences in a row or several sentences in the same paragraph. • Spaces: Use one space between sentences, not two. • Commas: In lists of three items or more, do not use a comma before and/or. (The event will

feature games, food and prizes.) • Quotation marks: Use for words spoken by someone else, in reference to the word itself, or

for words used in an ironic sense. Do not use quotation marks to soften the meaning of words or to indicate an unconventional usage. (Do: The “short” meeting lasted from 1:00-6:00pm. Don’t: We want people to “own” their development.)

• Punctuation in Quotes: The period and the comma always go within the quotation marks. The dash, the semicolon, the question mark and the exclamation point go within the quotation marks when they apply to the quoted matter only. They go outside when they apply to the whole sentence.

• Hyphens (-): should be used for hyphenated words, times, date ranges and phone numbers. Do not allow websites or email addresses to become hyphenated; keep the entire address on one line.

• Dashes (–): When used within a sentence for emphasis, do not use spaces. (Do: When Jesus taught us to pray, He wanted us to remember and acknowledge the fact that we are fully dependent on God—even for our next meal.)

• Apostrophes: Avoid using apostrophes in plurals. (Do: FAQs, 30s, DVDs, LifePacks) • Colons: Use to clarify or expand what came before the colon. Only use them after

statements that are complete sentences. (Paul wrote several books of the New Testament: Galatians, Ephesians and Philippians to name a few.)

• Semicolons: Use to separate two main clauses that are closely related to each other but that could stand on their own as sentences. !

A Little Shot of Grammar !• Fix fragments. (Fragment: Lessons like persevering when times are rough, standing up for

what is right and honoring God alone. Correct: Kids will learn lessons like persevering when times are rough, standing up for what is right and honoring God alone.

• Make sure your subjects and verbs agree. When prepositions are involved, look at the word at the beginning of the prepositional phrase. (Do: Several formats of the file are available.)

• Ending sentences with a preposition is okay, unless it is an unnecessary preposition. (Do: We have a lot to think about. Don’t: Where are they at? Do: Where are they?)

• Use the right preposition. (Do: Information about. Don’t: Information on. Do: Questions about. Don’t: Questions around.)

• It’s fine to use contractions since we favor a casual writing style. • When two words are used together to modify another, hyphenate the words unless the

first word ends with the letter y (age-appropriate, culturally relevant teaching). • Write in an active voice, not passive. Get rid of “there are” phrases as often as possible by

rewriting your sentence. (Do: You won’t want to miss out on our three new series. Don’t: We have three new series that are available that you won’t want to miss out on.) !


!16

Common Slip-Ups !

!

A lot Not alotAll of a sudden or suddenly Not all of the sudden All right Not alrightA part = (noun) belonging to Apart = (adverb) set aside, separate

Board = wood plank or a committee Bored = the result of something uninteresting or dull

Cannot Not can notCompliment = “You look nice today.” Remember: I give compliments (“i” in compliments).

Complement = work together well. Remember: We work together ( “e” in complements and we).

Effect = noun, means result Affect = verb (usually), to influenceEvery day = daily Everyday = commonIt’s = it is Its = belonging to itLed = past tense of to lead Lead = present tense of to leadLogin = (noun) login name Log in = (verb) log in to the websitePeek = sneak peek Peak = summit, topRegardless Not irregardlessSignup = (noun) signup form Sign up = (verb) sign up for a classThan = comparison Then = reference to timeTheir = belonging to them They’re = they are

There = a placeWould’ve or would have Not would ofYour = belonging to you You’re = you are


!17

Online Information, Email Addresses and Phone Numbers !Email • Email or email, not e-mail. • Email addresses: always lowercase and never hyphenate. (Do: [email protected]

Don’t: [email protected]) • Type out email address rather than hyperlink. (Do: Email us at [email protected].

Don’t: Email us. This allows people with web-based email like Yahoo, Gmail, etc. to see the full email address so they can type or copy/paste it into their emails. ) !

Phone numbers • Use 10-digit numbers with hyphens instead of parenthesis or periods. (Do: 480-831-5005.

Don’t: (480) 831-5005 or 480.831.5005.) • Provide your direct line or extension whenever possible. !Websites and Links • Links: Avoid using “click on” or “click here.” Make the subject the link. (Do: Register for

Engage. Don’t: Click here to register for Engage.) • Internet: always capitalize. • Website = one word (not web site). • Web is capitalized when using as shortened form of World Wide Web. • Online = one word (not on-line). !URLs • Never hyphenate for line breaks. • Do not capitalize. (Do: www.sunvalleycc.com Don’t: www.SunValleyCC.com) More below. !!


!18

Communication Checklist !! Did I enter this in ServiceU?

! What do I want to happen as a result of my communication piece?

! Who is my audience? Is the communication tailored to them? Am I answering the questions they would ask?

! Have I answered who, what, when, where and how?

! Have I eliminated misspelled words, typos and grammar errors?

! Have I answered the question for my audience “What’s in it for me?”

! Have I sent this to be proofed for accuracy and context?

! Would someone who is new to SVCC be able to understand the words and names I’ve used?

! How will people use this message? Does my communication fit the context of where and how people will read and experience the material?

! Is this the right communication channel for this message?

! Is it easy for people to take action on this information? Are there too many options that make it hard to find?

! Is the most important information at the beginning?

! What’s redundant or unnecessary? What can I cut?

! Is it written in the active voice? (Active: God so loved the world…. Passive: The world was so loved by God…)

! Did I find substitutes for tired words or overused phrases?

! Does my communication include the essential contact information?

! Have I read the piece aloud?

!


!19

!Bonus Snackie Snacks !For your brain and heart, not for your belly. !

• “The ability to simplify means to eliminate the unnecessary so that the necessary may speak.” – Hans Hofmann!

• The teaching of your word gives light, so even the simple can understand. – Psalm 119:130!

• “Any intelligent fool can make things bigger, more complex and more violent. It takes a touch of genius -and a lot of courage- to move in the opposite direction.” – Albert Einstein!

• Stay alert. This is hazardous work I'm assigning you. You're going to be like sheep running through a wolf pack, so don't call attention to yourselves. Be as cunning as a snake, inoffensive as a dove.

– Matthew 10:16, The Message!• “Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.” – Leonardo da Vinci!• I beg you in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ to stop arguing among yourselves. Let

there be real harmony among you so that there won’t be splits in the church. Be of one mind, united in thought and purpose.

– 1 Corinthians 1:10, NET!• “If you tell me, it’s an essay. If you show me, it’s a story.” – Barbara Greene!• The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the

light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. – 2 Corinthians 4:4!

• “Everybody experiences far more than he understands. Yet it is experience, rather than understanding, that influences behavior.”

– Marshall McLuhan !• Then the master told his servant, “Go out to the roads and country lanes and compel

them to come in, so that my house will be full.” – Luke 14:23, TNIV!


!20

Social Media Guidelines !Getting the Most Out of Your Personal Space on the Web It’s exciting to see so many members of the Sun Valley team communicating online! Blogs, Facebook, Twitter, etc. are an incredible way to share your faith journey, get to know other ministry leaders, learn, chronicle your life, and generally connect with people you wouldn’t otherwise. As we work together to lead people to become fully devoted followers of Christ, here are a few tips to keep in mind while we navigate the ins and outs of the online world: • You’re amongst friends—sometimes. As much as your blog, Twitter stream, Facebook page, etc.

might feel like your cozy home on the Internet where friends stop by to catch up, it’s really a public space. People can land on your page from a Google search and read just one post completely out of any other context. In fact, members of the press have contacted Sun Valley based on blog post content. And that content? It lives on foreeeever in Google, long after you’ve forgotten about it. So, think of your web space less like a family room and more like your front yard.

• Spread news, don’t break it. It’s great (and helpful!) when we can use our personal web spaces to share the great things God is doing at Sun Valley. But it’s not cool to get the news out there before the time or in a different place than we’ve oh-so-strategically planned. Make sure what you talk about is ready for public consumption. If we’ve talked about it from the stage or online, you’re good.

• Detract? Distract? Neither. Most of us know what’s going to detract from the mission of Sun Valley and stay far away from that territory. But you’ll also want to be on the lookout for things that will distract from the mission of Sun Valley. You might post about something that is 100% accurate and true to our beliefs that can still draw unwanted attention to the church and take substantial time to manage and explain. If you’re in doubt, you’re surrounded with strong leaders who’ll be happy to help you figure out whether something falls into that gray area.

• Ask questions. If you want to spur conversation about a topic, think about open-ended posts and questions, not opinions.

• Be smart. From a legal perspective, you’re responsible for what’s on your personal web space, so make sure you follow copyright rules and any other relevant laws. Be particularly mindful of video and music clips. Those lawyers do not mess around, no matter how small potatoes you might feel. And when it comes to Sun Valley content, a good rule of thumb is "point, don't post," meaning that it's better to link to the content on our established communication channels rather than posting it on your blog or site.

• Disclaimers or not, you represent. Yes, a disclaimer is a good idea. But even with that, what you say in your tweets, on your blog, and on your Facebook page is just as much of a reflection of the church as what you do in your personal life. A few things that will help with that: don’t link to your personal site from Sun Valley communication, and don’t speak on behalf of the church.

• You’ve got backup. If a member of the press contacts you regarding content on your blog or web space, we’re here to help. Make sure your first step is to contact Mo Grimm ([email protected]), and together we'll work out the best way to respond.

• When in doubt, go positive. Whether you’re responding to a snarky comment, frustrated with a vendor, or trying to decide if you should write about something that’s bothering you, you’ll never regret taking the high road (and sometimes that road is not saying anything at all).

Your presence on the web is an extension of your personal ministry, and we can’t wait to see how you continue to use it to communicate the one-of-a-kind individual God created you to be. !Sun Valley Community Church Page Comm. Arts Playbook20

!21

Sun Valley Location Names and Addresses !!!Sun Valley - Gilbert 456 E. Ray Rd. Gilbert, AZ 85296 480-632-8920 !Sun Valley - Tempe 6101 S. River Dr. Tempe, AZ 85283 480-831-5005 !Sun Valley - Casa Grande 205 N. Florence St. Casa Grande, AZ 85122 520-509-1249 Meeting Location 1556 N. Arizola Rd. Casa Grande, AZ 85122 ! !


!22

Sun Valley Communications Quick Reference Guide !Do Don’t

Times 8:00am, 8:30pm 6:00-8:00pm, 8:00am-5:00pm

8AM, 8:30 p.m. 6-8pm or from 6:00 to 8:00pm

Dates Tuesday, April 28 February 23 May 31-June 1

Tuesday, April 28February 23

Numbers, Ages, Grades

One, two, three 10, 12, 13 Six-week series 5-year-olds 5th grade or 5Ages 5 years-5

1, 2, 3 Ten, twelve, thirteen 6-week series Five year olds Fifth grade

Message Titles At the Movies At the Movies or “At the Movies”Exclamation Marks

Sign up today! Sign up today!!!

Commas The event will feature games, food and prizes.

The event will feature games, food and prizes.

Quotation Marks & Punctuation

She said, “We’re going to the party.” She said, “We’re going to the party”.

Hyphens The well-meaning children. 6:00-8:30pm March 16-20

Do not hyphenate websites or email addresses.

Apostrophes To show ownership or contractions. FAQs, DVDs, The dog’s collar, 30s, etc.

FAQ’s, DVD’s, 30’s, 1950’s, etc.

Capitalization Avoid all caps Bible & Scripture Pronouns referring to God: He, Him, His

People will think you’re YELLING.

Quoting Scripture

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men … 1 Corinthians 3:13 NIV

“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart.” 1 Cor 3:13

Email or email Email or email [email protected]

e-mail [email protected]


!23

Sun Valley Campus Constants !Mission: “Helping people Meet, Know and Follow Jesus.” !Vision: To reach as many people as we possibly can with the Gospel by growing a movement of healthy reproducing Campuses and Churches. !Strategy: This strategy serves as the foundation for spiritual growth.

• Meet: We help people meet Jesus through Weekend Services. • Know: We help people know Jesus through Small Groups. • Follow: We help people follow Jesus through opportunities to Give and Serve. !

Cultural Values: These values are what keep us on target as we move towards our vision. • Authenticity: Trusting Jesus and others with the real me. • Community: Learning from Jesus through strong friendships centered around God’s

Word. • Generosity: Living like Jesus through giving and serving. !

Leadership Distinctives: This is what we expect from those in leadership and what makes the Sun Valley Staff Culture so unique. (see attached) !Leadership Structure: At Sun Valley vision is global and leadership is local. Leadership authority and responsibility flows through the Campus Pastors and influence flows through the Ministry Champions. Every ministry of the Church at each Campus operates under one leadership structure that ultimately comes under the authority of the Board of Servant Leaders and the Lead Pastors. !Weekend Teaching: The Teaching Team sets the teaching schedule and serves as the primary communicators either in person or by video. !One Church: We choose to align the ministries on each of our Campuses, including Children’s, Students, Groups, Care, Missions, Guest Services, and Weekend Services. !Corporate Branding: Every Campus operates under the same branding and communication strategy including a centralized website for the Church representing all Campuses. !Financial Model: Every Campus shares these financial goals:

• Within 12 months, offerings from the Campus cover its ongoing ministry expenses including staffing costs.

• Within 24 months, the Campus also contributes its prorated portion of central service expenses.

• Within 36 months, the Campus also contributes towards expansion endeavors. !Central Services: There is one centralized process or system for administrative services including banking, budgeting, staffing, payroll, benefits, capital expenditures, I.T., facility management, lease agreements, etc. !!!Sun Valley Community Church Page Comm. Arts Playbook23

!24

Sun Valley Leadership Distinctives !“Culture eats strategy for breakfast.” – Peter Drucker !

Every organization has a culture – attitudes they want adopted, values they want championed, beliefs they want instilled and behaviors they want reproduced. Leaders are the cultural architects of any organization. Eventually every organization takes on the character and priorities of its leaders. As a result, leaders need to become intentional in creating culture. !At Sun Valley, there are a few things that make our staff culture unique. There is a way of operating and a way of treating others that we expect from those who are in leadership. We have tried to capture these expectations in a few memorable, clear statements. !1. Leadership - We choose to love first and lead second, but always do both.

2. Risk - We have a big God, so we take big risks and trust Him for big results.

3. Effort - We work hard, give our best and put family first.

4. Team – We want to take the hill, and we want to take it together.

5. Attitude – We live on the solution side of every issue.

6. Sober-minded – We know who we are and who we're not and we do what is best for the whole.

7. Outsiders – We exist for those who are not here yet. !!!!


!25

1. Leadership - We choose to love first and lead second, but always do both. !The Bible describes Jesus as “full of grace and truth” (Jn. 1:14). He knew when to be compassionate and when to be bold and he used the perfect mixture of both for any/every situation. Jesus was the perfect man and the perfect leader. !We are not so fortunate. Most of us lean to one side or the other. Some are primarily grace-givers, while others are truth-tellers. Grace-givers believe the best about everyone. They take people at their word and believe in a God of “second chances.” However their weakness is that their trust is sometimes unfounded and at other times their grace-giving nature keeps them from delving into problems and getting to root issues. As a result, people may feel accepted but because of an inability to confront obstacles to growth, they never become the leaders God meant them to be. !Truth tellers have a different perspective. They believe that “the truth will set you free” and so they willingly and consistently point out opportunities for improvement and change. You never have to worry about knowing what is on the mind of a truth-teller. They are forthright and honest in conversation, whether confrontational or friendly. However, very often truth-tellers miss the relational side of ministry and as a result are perceived as insensitive, abrupt and harsh – which stifles their leadership due to a lack of trust from those receiving instruction. !At Sun Valley we expect our leaders to learn how to lead others with both grace and truth. We believe that truth is best received when there is a strong foundational context of “we want something for you, not from you.” We train leaders how to say the hard things in caring ways. Relationship is a key to receptivity. High trust paves the way for high challenge. !In our culture, the order of grace and truth matters. Truth is spoken in the context of relationship. When people know they are loved, accepted and respected, they will be more receptive to much needed change. We choose never to stop with only love. It is never loving to leave out the truth. Love does what is best for the other person no matter what they get in return. We love first, lead second, but always do both. ! 2. Risk - We have a big God, so we take big risks and trust Him for big results. !Nothing is impossible for God. He has commissioned His church to reach the world with the Gospel. Therefore, God designed the church to be on the offensive in its dealings with the world. In Mt. 16:18 Jesus states, “I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” The only thing that can stop the church is the church. !And yet many churches take very few risks to reach those who are far from God. Instead they house themselves in comfortable buildings and focus their resources on making the already convinced more comfortable. They focus more and more ministry on meeting the wants/demands of insiders rather than refocusing them on the church’s mission of equipping insiders to reach outsiders. !This is not God’s plan for the church. At Sun Valley, we encourage our staff to try big things to reach more people. The world is rapidly changing which means methods need to change. Leaders in the Sun Valley culture experiment. We are not afraid to try things and make mistakes. We also understand that “new” is not necessarily better, “effective” is better. We have high trust in our leaders. This high trust leads to high expectations. So we expect our leaders to key in on results. Therefore when resources are limited and results are expected, evaluation becomes vital. We evaluate everything, consistently trying to improve “what is,” to make it what “it could be” and “should be.” We


!26

hire leaders who are willing to try new things and expect them to become “masters of midcourse correction.” We have a big God, so we take big risks and trust Him for big results. 3. Effort - We work hard, give our best and put family first. !Christians should work harder than anyone else on the planet. The Bible teaches that the ability to work is a gift from God and that ministry is a privilege. Therefore work ethic should never be an issue for the believer. At Sun Valley, we expect our staff to work hard. !We also give our best. The ability to be “all here” at work is vital. Focus, attentiveness and professionalism are expected attributes of all leaders. Prompt communication, collaboration and continual growth and improvement of ministry are norms for our culture. We hire staff to get a job done. We expect them to set goals, devise strategies, implement tactics, recruit/train volunteers and reproduce leaders so that greater impact can result. !We hire self-starters who are willing to report progress in a timely manner and are willing to receive coaching. We look for self-motivated people who feel responsible for their ministry portion as well as their own personal growth (the person primarily responsible for your professional growth is you) and can work very well within the context of a team. We look for leaders who not only work harder but smarter and who lead with moral authority – your effort should be an example to the person who works full-time elsewhere and then gives significant volunteer efforts to ministry. The speed of the leader determines the speed of the team. We expect your best. !At the same time, we also know that our greatest ministry is to our family. Family is your greatest responsibility. An unwillingness to focus on family has led many to ministry disqualification. We want you to have an intimate relationship with your spouse and a healthy relationship with your kids. !As such, staff families need to understand that ministry is very often seasonal in nature. There are times when ministry will be very intense and you will be working at an unsustainable pace. There are also down times when ministry is not as intense and much more freedom is provided. We hire staff that understand that this balance between ministry and family is not a problem to be solved, but a tension to be managed. And we expect our staff to become experts in managing this tension. We work hard, give our best and put family first. !! 4. Team – We want to take the hill, and we want to take it together. !The whole reason we are in ministry is to reach the world. We have a job to be done, a goal to be accomplished and a dream that one day every person has had an opportunity to say “yes” to Jesus. This is why we exist. So we set goals, make plans and move forward. This is the hill we want to take. !In the midst of trying to take the hill, we have realized that we are better together than we could ever be apart. Sun Valley functions best as a team effort. There is a power to collaboration. There is a synergy that happens when each one of us takes our skills and abilities and combines them with those of the other members of the team. !We ask everyone to organize ministry in teams. We push each other, sharpen each other, challenge each other and make each other better in order to take the hill. There are no silos at Sun Valley – no one is expected to work alone or go it alone. Everyone is expected to function with a team of peers on staff and develop a team of leaders in ministry. No one person has the best ideas all the time. Instead we learn to leverage each other’s strengths. And together, we become a high performing team.


!27

!The pace of our ministry can become intense at times. If someone falls behind, we will do whatever we can to bring him/her up to speed and keep him/her moving forward with the team. However, if we determine that this person is unable to keep pace with the rest of the team, we will first try to reposition that person to a position with a more moderate pace. If that does not work, our last resort is to replace this person on the team, so that we can continue to move forward. We want to take the hill, and we want to take it together. ! 5. Attitude – We live on the solution side of every issue. !We expect the ministry to grow at Sun Valley. Growth necessitates change and change always comes with its set of challenges and problems. It’s easy to see the problems. Anyone can do that. The challenge is not seeing the problem but forming the solution. !We expect Sun Valley staff to be proactive when it comes to problem solving, whether you are anticipating problems before they occur or solving them as they happen. We expect staff to engage in interaction with other leaders to solve issues. We expect staff to behave as if they are owners of every portion of the ministry of Sun Valley. !We expect staff to have a “Can do” mentality. No matter how difficult the task, we expect staff to try and to have a positive outlook, a cooperative spirit and a willingness to “get dirty” in order to move forward. When the issue is a performance issue, we ask that staff assume “ignorance” rather than “obstinance” in the mind of the one who is not performing to the expected level and therefore to move forward with training. When training has failed and it is proven to be an attitudinal issue we will address it as a character problem. We train ignorance and challenge obstinance. !Complaining is contagious. We expect staff to understand the “bucket principle.” Any time a problem arises, it is like a fire. When staff becomes aware of an issue they must recognize that they have two buckets – a bucket of water or a bucket of gas. Getting on the solution side of the issue is like pouring water on the fire while joining in on the complaint side is like pouring gas on it. We live on the solution side of every issue. 6. Sober-minded – We know who we are and who we're not and we do what is best for the whole. !We expect leaders to know what they are great at and what they stink at. Nothing is more damaging to ministry progress than a leader who is not self-aware. A lack of self-awareness creates an uncomfortable cringe factor for everyone else on the team. It deceives the leader, discourages the followers, destroys the team and devours resources. A lack of sober-mindedness is one the greatest enemies of progress. !There is great power to knowing your strengths and weaknesses. As a result better teams are formed, better decisions are made and better implementation results in bigger results. Therefore Sun Valley staff seek others’ input about personal strengths and weaknesses and defer to the team wisdom over personal ambition. !Sun Valley staff thrives on humility and teachability – they are able to take on the posture of a servant and a learner. They are able to celebrate others strengths and


!28

laugh about their own personal weaknesses. Sober-minded leaders surround themselves with leaders that are better than they are. They defer decisions to those who will make the best ones. They choose to lead in areas of personal strength. !At Sun Valley we expect our leaders to trust in the intentions of the rest of the team when difficult conversations about strengths and weaknesses occur. We expect them to defer to the team. Every decision that is made must go through the filter of “What is best for Sun Valley?” not “What do I want to do?” We know who we are and who we're not and we do what is best for the whole. ! 7. Outsiders – We exist for those who are not here yet. !Everything we do at Sun Valley is to help fulfill the Great Commission - making disciples out of “them.” This is the “hill” we are taking. Our greatest focus is to make more of “them” a part of “us” so that they can join “us” in reaching more of “them.” !To emphasize this priority, we give special attention to tracking new attendees, “Yes” decisions and baptisms. These metrics are signs of health and mission focus. We expect all ministry leaders to become keenly aware of these stats in their areas of oversight. !Being outsider-focused greatly impacts how we do ministry for “insiders.” The intentional focus on reaching people is a part of true maturity in Christ – who came to “seek and save that which was lost” (Lk. 19:10). All our ministries that impact insiders are for the express purpose of training them to reach outsiders. As we are “helping each other move toward authentic Christian living” (our mission statement), the greatest sign of success is that they “Come-Grow-Serve-Go.” They do not stop at “Come”, “Grow” or “Serve”. Our job is not complete until they “Go”. !We expect staff to support unapologetically the design of our weekend services to be guest-friendly. We expect our leaders to have a plan on how guests will be effectively welcomed in their ministry environments (whether large, medium or small group settings). We expect ministry trainings to focus on making outsiders insiders and to help insiders make relational room for outsiders in their personal lives. We expect our leaders to model outreach to neighbors, friends, relatives and co-workers in their personal lives. Because, we exist for those who are not here yet.


rev.

071

811 Logo Usage and Specif�cations

rev.

071

811

The Sun Valley Community Church logo is used for visibility and positive recognition in the communi-

ty. The manner in which we present ourself will play a significant role in the public’s impression of Sun

Valley Community Church. The goal is to keep our communications simple, dignified and coordinated,

for a positive and professional image. The excellence of our print, broadcast and electronic media is

reflective of Sun Valley Community Church.

Each new design situation creates a new challenge. In a world where new communication vehicles and

methods arise frequently, we must be flexible. This brief guide provides quick direction for the treat-

ment of the Sun Valley Community Church logo in a variety of situations.

rev.

071

811

Sun Valley Community Church Logo

Sun Valley LOGOThis New logo design is specifically designed to identify Sun Valley Community Church with a new look and icon. This logo is composed of new icon, logotype and new tagline. The design is a new change for the church with a modern look. The idea behind the circles is to represent the “sun” in a new form and the idea of “one church with mutiple locations”. The circle colors are in line with the core values, orange for community (family), blue for authenticity and green for generosity. These guidelines specify how the logo and its colors are to be used to create a foundation for visual unity, impact and consistency when used in print, broadcast and electronic media.

Pantone 425 Pantone 419 Pantone 648 Pantone 7546 Pantone 173 Pantone 377

Color Palette:

Signature

Campus Location

Icon

SPOT PANTONE 425

4 COLOR PROCESS BUILD:C 65, M 55, Y 52, K 27

NON-PRINTED MATERIAL:R 87, G 90, B 93

WEB: 575a5d

SPOT PANTONE 419



WEB: 1c1e1c

SPOT PANTONE 648



WEB: 002859

SPOT PANTONE 7546



WEB: 394a59

SPOT PANTONE 173



WEB: d6492a

SPOT PANTONE 377



WEB: 719500

rev.

071

811

Icon

Tagline

Secondary Icon

Signature

Campus Location

Icon

Sun Valley Global Logo:

rev.

071

811

Sun Valley Gilbert Campus Logo in Black and White:

Icon

Tagline

Secondary Icon

Signature

Campus Location

Icon

rev.

071

811

Sun Valley Global Logo on a Dark Background:

Icon

Tagline

Secondary Icon

Signature

Campus Location

Icon

rev.

071

811

Icon

Tagline

Secondary Icon

Signature

Campus Location

Icon

Sun Valley Global Campus Logo:

rev.

071

811

Sun Valley Gilbert Campus Logo in Black and White:

Icon

Tagline

Secondary Icon

Signature

Campus Location

Icon

rev.

071

811

Sun Valley Gilbert Campus Logo on a Dark Background:

Icon

Tagline

Secondary Icon

Signature

Campus Location

Icon

rev.

071

811

Icon

Tagline

Secondary Icon

Signature

Campus Location

Icon

Sun Valley Casa Grande Campus Logo:

rev.

071

811

Sun Valley Casa Grande Campus Logo in Black and White:

Icon

Tagline

Secondary Icon

Signature

Campus Location

Icon

rev.

071

811

Sun Valley Casa Grande Campus Logo on a Dark Background:

Icon

Tagline

Secondary Icon

Signature

Campus Location

Icon

rev.

071

811

Icon

Tagline

Secondary Icon

Signature

Campus Location

Icon

Sun Valley Bethany/Tempe Campus Logo:

rev.

071

811

Sun Valley Bethany/Tempe Campus Logo in Black and White:

Icon

Tagline

Secondary Icon

Signature

Campus Location

Icon

rev.

071

811

Sun Valley Bethany/Tempe Campus Logo on a Dark Background:

Icon

Tagline

Secondary Icon

Signature

Campus Location

Icon

rev.

071

811

Type - LOGO SPECIFICATIONS (The communications team reserve the right to revise this usage guide from time to time as we see fit.)

Never recreate the logo. Do not substitute the font in the tagline or signature of the Sun Valley Logo. Myriad Pro Bold is the suggested typeface for for Headings and Minion Pro Regular for body copy when creat-ing a layout. (see example below)

Heading of this paragraph (Myriad Pro)Dio od tem eu facipis atetuer aessisis accum non ut atismolorem volore dolore con eu feugait estrud tem quamet at, velessi tin henit ulputpat praessequisi tatie dignibh eui blamet at. Ure dolor atem iurerilit alit il utet la adiam quipsum quisi eum zzrit praessit adignim quip exerostrud magna faccums andigniat prat. Se eraesto core conum volore ex ex er susci et iuscill uptat. ( Minion Pro )

Never use the icon without “Sun Valley”. You may use the icon as a textural element in your designs as long as the entire logo is used in the piece also. Sun Valley Communications Team is ultimately responsible for approving uses which do not follow the established guidelines. Such uses will be carefully and openly considered. The basic goal is to meet the needs of Sun Valley without doing damage to the consistency of the identity system.

Don’ts - LOGO SPECIFICATIONSOnly the approved typeface can be used. Do not substitute the font in the tagline or in the Sun Valley logo. Do not replace logo with a font style. Only use approved logo on anything for Sun Valley.

Logo available electronically:The logo is available in EPS format, created in Adobe Illustrator. The logo is also available in JPEG & PNG formats for electronic media only and in tiff & png formats. In all cases other than electronic media, the EPS, PNG and TIFF format can be used. If unable to use EPS, you may use tiff or JPEG only when transparent back-grounds are not required. PNG Files are transparent and can be used in Word or Publisher.

If there is need for a different format, it should be requested, and Sun Valley Communications Team will submit the graphic file to you. Do not reformat unless permission is granted by Sun Valley Communications Team.

The format cannot be compromised: do not slant or rotate the logo in any way.

Don’t Do This: Do This:

rev.

071

811

Sun Valley Casa Grande Campus Logo Used on a Banner:

rev.

071

811

Sun Valley Casa Grande Campus Logo Used on a Pole Sign:

rev.

071

811

branding provided by seven3creative | william alyea | 602 989 1690

communication arts playbook svcc

Documents

communication arts playbook

church communication

communication arts team

communication checklist

good communication

organizational communication

brand touchpoint

brand handlers