Communications Request Forms
Save your sanity with a process
"Do you have a minute?" We've all heard this question asked of us in the hallway, or perhaps from a phone call or text message from a parishioner or fellow staff member regarding a project that needs to get done. Often that is followed by, “So, do you think you can get this done today?”
Without having a process in place to receive information, the communication needs of a church can become unorganized and overwhelming. Welcome to chaos!
Having a well-defined process for communication requests can streamline operations, reduce confusion, and facilitate better resource allocation within a church setting. The chaos that ensues from unorganized communication is a burden on everyone involved—staff, volunteers, and the congregation.
Why Use a Communications Request Form?
Order & Prioritization: Helps in setting priorities among various needs, enabling staff or volunteers to tackle tasks more efficiently.
Time Management: Aids in workload management for communicators by laying out clear timelines for projects.
Standardization: Ensures that all necessary information is gathered right at the beginning, reducing the need for follow-up queries.
Transparency: It makes the communication process more transparent, where everyone involved knows the status and nature of each request.
Accountability: Helps track who made which request and when, thereby assigning accountability.
Steps to Create a Communications Request Form
Identify Request Types and Information Needed
The first step is understanding the common types of communication needs in your church. This could range from:
Event promotions
Newsletter inclusions
Website updates
Social media announcements
Community outreach
Once the types of requests are clear, identify the specific information needed for each. This might include:
Event date and time
Contact person
Purpose of the communication
Target audience
Preferred communication channels
Choose a Platform to Build the Form
Print Forms:
InDesign: Ideal for more complex, designed forms.
Word or Publisher: Suitable for simpler forms.
Online Forms:
Wufoo/Formstack: These are paid options that offer robust functionalities.
Google Forms: A free solution that is user-friendly and easily integrates with other Google services.
Make the Form Accessible
Online: Upload it to the church website or intranet, and share the link through emails and newsletters.
Offline: Print copies and place them in accessible spots within the church, like the information desk or staff offices.
Educate and Enforce the Process
When someone approaches you with a request, direct them to the form, explaining that it helps the church serve them better.
Use newsletters, staff meetings, and announcements to educate the church community on the new process.
Make sure to include deadlines for each type of request on the form itself. This aids in setting expectations right from the get-go.
Benefits to the Church Communicator/Administrator
Increased Focus: With requests coming in through a structured format, you can spend more time on executing tasks rather than juggling multiple communication channels.
Automated Timelines: With built-in deadlines on the form, you can create an organized scheduling system.
Quality Control: Having all the necessary information up front helps in creating more effective and accurate communications.
In summary, implementing a Communications Request Form is an invaluable tool that can greatly improve how a church manages its internal and external communications. It brings in organization, efficiency, and clarity, freeing up more time for what matters most—the church's mission.
TIPS
As you begin implementing this new system, be intentional about all requests being funneled through this system. Your fellow staff and lay leaders need to understand that the communications request form is the place for all promotion requests. A conversation about a specific need can certainly begin with a phone call or in a meeting, but make sure they know the work can’t begin until the communication request is submitted.
Your form should say “Communications Request Form” and not “Work Order Form.” You are charged with strategically promoting all events; though not all events are equal or need equal promotion. This process helps you to say "yes" to what is possible, within the scope of what is reasonable. This process also helps you to strategically say that a medium of promotion is not possible or available. Again, it is a "request," not a "work order."
Automate your process! For individual communications requests, you can set up email notifications to be sent automatically to specific staff members or lay leaders.
Once someone has submitted a communications request form and you've received it, begin to map out timelines for completion and any resources that you'll need. Choose what works best for you and run with it. Wall chart with projects in progress? Google Doc with updates? Project Management app like Asana or Basecamp? Find what works and get to work.