Have you found your Best Fit For Me ("BFFM") audience yet? That’s what I call my ideal audience – my "BFFMs". Call it tweenish if you like (I am a mother of a preteen) but we actually can learn something from the teen-texting lingo.

BFFM suggests that there is more than just a mere association with our audience; on the contrary there exists a potential for a great relationship. Use of the word "target" seems to cause many to overlook the critical "connection factor" necessary for successful ministry marketing to take place. Without establishing a true connection, your ministry marketing message can reach masses and yet have no effect at all. Do you know who your ideal audience really is? Who should you call your BFFM?

Your ideal audience is those who encounter you or your ministry marketing message and immediately respond with such phrases as "You’re exactly what I need." Or "OMG! I that’s exactly what I’ve been looking for" And here’s my all-time favorite "Finally, someone who ‘gets’ me!"

If you’re not getting those types of responses from your ministry marketing efforts—it may be time you revisit who you’ve deemed your ideal audience, those who resonate BEST with your message, your BFFM. Becoming clear on who these people are will save you lots of time, energy, and money when it comes to expanding your reach.

Here are a few things that you should ask yourself when identifying your ideal audience.

1. Who easily and comfortably resonates with my message/ministry?

2. Does my ideal audience fit into a specific group (i.e. mothers, married couples, teenagers, women, men, etc)?

3. What problems does my ideal audience currently face that I solve?

4. What is it that connects me and my ideal audience? Why would they choose me over others that provide similar services?

For those of you who have already discovered your BFFM but are not seeing the results you desire with your ministry marketing efforts, I would like to challenge you to step back a moment and think like your ideal audience. Here are questions you should ask yourself:

1. If I were my BFFM, how would I respond to this message (Note: The message can be an email, postcard, website, etc)?

2. Does my ministry marketing message meet the current needs of my BFFM?

3. Am I communicating to or connecting with my ideal audience? (yes, there is a difference)

Regardless of where you are in your church growth or ministry expansion identifying and connecting with your ideal audience (your BFFM) is key to a creating and maintaining thriving ministry.

Your Expand Your Reach next steps:

• Identify your ideal audience. Make a checklist of three to five "Must Have" character traits.

• Review your current ministry marketing pieces. Do they speak to or at your ideal audience?

• What one thing will you adjust THIS week as it relates to your ministry marketing because of today’s article?

• Share your success. We’d love to hear how you’ve implemented this week’s ministry marketing principle, please post your responses on our Expand Your Reach blog.