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<title>OurChurch.Com News and Announcements</title> 
<link>http://forums.ourchurch.com/viewforum.php?f=11</link> 
<description>News and announcements about OurChurch.Com website services.</description> 
<pubDate>Sun, 26 May 2013 01:47:04 -0500</pubDate> 
<generator>OurChurch.Com Script</generator> 
<language>en</language> 
<item> 
<title>Boost Your Site in the Search Engines During Marketing Month</title> 
<link>http://forums.ourchurch.com/viewtopic.php?t=6918</link> 
<comments>http://forums.ourchurch.com/viewtopic.php?t=6918</comments> 
<pubDate>
Wed, 06 Mar 2013 14:45:26 -0500</pubDate> 
<dc:creator>pdstein</dc:creator> 
<category>news</category> 
<guid isPermaLink="false">http://forums.ourchurch.com/viewtopic.php?t=6918</guid> 
<description> 
<![CDATA[ 
<p>View this announcement with HTML and images:<br>
http://blog.ourchurch.com/2013/03/06/learn-how-to-boost-your-site-in-the-search-engines-during-marketing-month/<br>
<br>
During the month of March we are going to be focusing on how you can improve your search rankings and bring more traffic to your website so you can make the most of your website and achieve your mission.  We live in the Internet age and search engines are a major part of that.  If you are not showing up in the search engines for the search terms related to your organization, then you are missing a lot of people.<br>
<br>
During this month, I encourage you to consider how your website is doing in the search engines and how you can improve things.  We will help you along in that process by talking about what's involved in doing well in the search engines and giving practical advice on how you can take your site to the next level.  Here's how we'll do that:<br>
<br>
Search Marketing Video Series:<br>
Several times each week we will post videos where we address some of the important questions you should be asking when looking into search marketing.  Some of the topics we'll be covering are:<br>
<br>
- How can SEO help you to achieve your mission?<br>
- What does it take to rank for your keywords?<br>
- How quickly can you get ranked for your keywords?<br>
- Should SEO companies offer a guarantee?<br>
- What should know before you contact an SEO company?<br>
- And much more…<br>
<br>
Check out the video series here:<br>
http://blog.ourchurch.com/2013/03/04/video-blog-series-everything-you-ever-wanted-to-know-about-seo/<br>
<br>
Blogging About Search Marketing:<br>
<br>
In addition to the video series, we'll be blogging about what's going on in the search engines and where search marketing is heading.<br>
<br>
SEO Quick Tips for NE1:<br>
<br>
If you have a website with OurChurch.Com, chances are you have a website built with our NE1 Website Builder.  When we designed NE1 made it a high priority that Ne1 be very friendly to the search engines and allow full search engine optimization.  We know it's important for websites to be optimized for the search engines, so we wanted to make sure all the Christian organizations that build their website with us have the best chance to succeed with that website.  So, this month we will be publishing several short tutorial videos that give practical advice on optimizing your website and actually show you how to do it.<br>
<br>
You can see a preview of the first SEO Quick Tips for NE1 video here: Setting Up Meta Tags.<br>
<br>
http://www.ourchurch.com/marketing/articles/seo-quick-tips-for-ne1-how-to-setup-meta-tags/<br>
<br>
Marketing Spotlights:<br>
<br>
We believe that it's important to not just talk about strategies and ideas, but to actually look at real-world examples and see how SEO is really affecting people.  So, we're going to spotlight a few organizations which are doing SEO for their site and see how it's affecting their site and their organization.<br>
<br>
What questions do you have?<br>
<br>
At OurChurch.Com, our mission to to help you achieve your mission online.  One of best ways we can do that is to give you the information you need to succeed by answering the questions that you have.  Please let us know if you have any questions we can answer for you or any marketing topics you would like us to discuss in the coming month.  We'd be happy to cover those topics.<br>
<br>
You built your website for a reason.  You have a mission you want to achieve.  Getting traffic to your site is most likely a critical part of achieving that mission.  So, I hope you'll take the opportunity of this month's focus on marketing to really look at how your website is doing in the search engines and take the steps necessary to move your site to the next level.<br>
<br>
Post a comment to the blog and let us know...<br>
<br>
- What questions do you have?<br>
- What topics would you like to see discussed?<br>
<br>
http://blog.ourchurch.com/2013/03/06/learn-how-to-boost-your-site-in-the-search-engines-during-marketing-month/<br>
<br>
In His Service,<br>
Paul Steinbrueck<br>
OurChurch.Com</p>
]]> 
</description> 
<content:encoded> 
<![CDATA[ 
<p>View this announcement with HTML and images:<br>
http://blog.ourchurch.com/2013/03/06/learn-how-to-boost-your-site-in-the-search-engines-during-marketing-month/<br>
<br>
During the month of March we are going to be focusing on how you can improve your search rankings and bring more traffic to your website so you can make the most of your website and achieve your mission.  We live in the Internet age and search engines are a major part of that.  If you are not showing up in the search engines for the search terms related to your organization, then you are missing a lot of people.<br>
<br>
During this month, I encourage you to consider how your website is doing in the search engines and how you can improve things.  We will help you along in that process by talking about what's involved in doing well in the search engines and giving practical advice on how you can take your site to the next level.  Here's how we'll do that:<br>
<br>
Search Marketing Video Series:<br>
Several times each week we will post videos where we address some of the important questions you should be asking when looking into search marketing.  Some of the topics we'll be covering are:<br>
<br>
- How can SEO help you to achieve your mission?<br>
- What does it take to rank for your keywords?<br>
- How quickly can you get ranked for your keywords?<br>
- Should SEO companies offer a guarantee?<br>
- What should know before you contact an SEO company?<br>
- And much more…<br>
<br>
Check out the video series here:<br>
http://blog.ourchurch.com/2013/03/04/video-blog-series-everything-you-ever-wanted-to-know-about-seo/<br>
<br>
Blogging About Search Marketing:<br>
<br>
In addition to the video series, we'll be blogging about what's going on in the search engines and where search marketing is heading.<br>
<br>
SEO Quick Tips for NE1:<br>
<br>
If you have a website with OurChurch.Com, chances are you have a website built with our NE1 Website Builder.  When we designed NE1 made it a high priority that Ne1 be very friendly to the search engines and allow full search engine optimization.  We know it's important for websites to be optimized for the search engines, so we wanted to make sure all the Christian organizations that build their website with us have the best chance to succeed with that website.  So, this month we will be publishing several short tutorial videos that give practical advice on optimizing your website and actually show you how to do it.<br>
<br>
You can see a preview of the first SEO Quick Tips for NE1 video here: Setting Up Meta Tags.<br>
<br>
http://www.ourchurch.com/marketing/articles/seo-quick-tips-for-ne1-how-to-setup-meta-tags/<br>
<br>
Marketing Spotlights:<br>
<br>
We believe that it's important to not just talk about strategies and ideas, but to actually look at real-world examples and see how SEO is really affecting people.  So, we're going to spotlight a few organizations which are doing SEO for their site and see how it's affecting their site and their organization.<br>
<br>
What questions do you have?<br>
<br>
At OurChurch.Com, our mission to to help you achieve your mission online.  One of best ways we can do that is to give you the information you need to succeed by answering the questions that you have.  Please let us know if you have any questions we can answer for you or any marketing topics you would like us to discuss in the coming month.  We'd be happy to cover those topics.<br>
<br>
You built your website for a reason.  You have a mission you want to achieve.  Getting traffic to your site is most likely a critical part of achieving that mission.  So, I hope you'll take the opportunity of this month's focus on marketing to really look at how your website is doing in the search engines and take the steps necessary to move your site to the next level.<br>
<br>
Post a comment to the blog and let us know...<br>
<br>
- What questions do you have?<br>
- What topics would you like to see discussed?<br>
<br>
http://blog.ourchurch.com/2013/03/06/learn-how-to-boost-your-site-in-the-search-engines-during-marketing-month/<br>
<br>
In His Service,<br>
Paul Steinbrueck<br>
OurChurch.Com</p>]]> 
</content:encoded> 
<wfw:commentRSS>http://forums.ourchurch.com/viewtopic.php?t=6918</wfw:commentRSS> 
</item> 
<item> 
<title>February is “Love Your Website” Month</title> 
<link>http://forums.ourchurch.com/viewtopic.php?t=6910</link> 
<comments>http://forums.ourchurch.com/viewtopic.php?t=6910</comments> 
<pubDate>
Tue, 26 Feb 2013 16:34:17 -0500</pubDate> 
<dc:creator>pdstein</dc:creator> 
<category>news</category> 
<guid isPermaLink="false">http://forums.ourchurch.com/viewtopic.php?t=6910</guid> 
<description> 
<![CDATA[ 
<p>View this post with HTML and graphics at:<br>
http://blog.ourchurch.com/2013/02/12/february-is-love-your-website-month/<br>
<br>
Love is in the air… or at least Valentine's Day on the calendar. To love another person is one of the sweetest blessings God gives us. Not far behind that is the blessing of having a website you love. At least that what our team of web geeks thinks. <br>
<br>
Seriously though, one of the greatest gifts you can give the people of your church, school, ministry or business is a website that they are proud to share with their friends.<br>
<br>
February is "Love Your Website" Month at OurChurch.Com. Our goal for the month is to help you take the design of your website to the next level. Perhaps that means making some minor changes to your site which you can do yourself or perhaps we can help create a brand new custom website. Perhaps you need some feedback and suggestions on how to improve your site. Or perhaps you'd like $50.<br>
<br>
Keep reading for more on all these things!<br>
<br>
<b>1) Love Your Website Bundles - $50 Off!</b><br>
Our [url=http://www.ourchurch.com/hosting/website-hosting-packages.php]Website Service Bundles[/url] are one of the best deals on the planet and a great way to take your love for your website to a whole new level. Bundles combine a web hosting package, ad-free option, domain registration, search registration and our Template Personalization Service, all at a huge discount. This month we're giving an extra $50 off all bundles.<br>
<br>
Now the disclaimers… This special offer is only available through Feb 28. It's only available to those who do not currently have a bundle. And it's not available online - you must call us at (727) 723-2454 to get the extra $50 off. Tell Debbie you want the "Love Your Website" Bundle Special!<br>
<br>
<b>2) Get an Awesome Custom-Designed Website You'll Love!</b><br>
If you and your organization are ready for an awesome website that is:<br>
<br>
- Custom designed to look exactly the way you want it<br>
- Has all the functionality to help you achieve your mission<br>
- Is easy for you to update and add to yourself<br>
- Can be updated by multiple administrators anywhere there's an Internet connection<br>
<br>
Check out some of the organizations we serve in our [url=http://www.ourchurch.com/design/web-design-portfolio.php]web design portfolio[/url]. Then request a [url=http://www.ourchurch.com/design/]free, no obligation phone consultation[/url].<br>
<br>
<b>3) Web Development Videos</b><br>
We want every Christian organization to have a website they love whether it's provided by us or by some other means. One of the ways we're doing that is by creating a series of videos to help "educate consumers" (that's you) about the website development process. That way you know how to evaluate the options available to you. The first two videos have been published:<br>
<br>
- [url=http://blog.ourchurch.com/2013/02/08/5-things-you-need-to-know-before-hiring-a-web-developer/]5 Things You Need to Know Before Hiring a Web Developer[/url]<br>
- [url=http://blog.ourchurch.com/2013/02/11/6-questions-to-ask-before-hiring-a-web-developer/]6 Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Web Developer[/url]<br>
<br>
Stay tuned for more videos about website platforms, prices, maintenance, how to discuss website needs with your board and more.<br>
<br>
4) $50 to Share the Love<br>
When you love someone you want the world to know about it. If you love your OurChurch.Com website, we want you to let the world know. And we want to give you $50 for doing it. There are two options.<br>
<br>
A) Follow us on Twitter and then tweet: I love my @OurChurchDotCom website - http://YourWebsite.com (You must use @OurChurchDotCom in your tweet so we can see it and enter you in the drawing)<br>
<br>
Or<br>
<br>
Like our Facebook page and then post to Facebook: I love my @OurChurch.Com website - http://YourWebsite.com (If you type @OurChurch, Facebook should give you the option to select OurChurch.Com, making the "OurChurch.Com" a link to our FB page. You must do this so we see your post and enter you into the drawing. Here's a quick video demo of how to do it.)<br>
<br>
You may post to Facebook and Twitter once per day. Each post will count as an entry. On February 28, we'll select one winner who will receive a $50 Visa gift card.<br>
<br>
We love you! <br>
<br>
Thanks to all of you who have given us the opportunity to help you achieve your mission online through our web hosting, web design and SEO services or by adding to the conversation here on our blog.  We love you!  And we hope you love your website or are taking steps make your website more lovable this month.<br>
<br>
If you have any comments or questions, please post them to our blog:<br>
http://blog.ourchurch.com/2013/02/12/february-is-love-your-website-month/<br>
<br>
In His Service,<br>
Paul Steinbrueck<br>
OurChurch.Com</p>
]]> 
</description> 
<content:encoded> 
<![CDATA[ 
<p>View this post with HTML and graphics at:<br>
http://blog.ourchurch.com/2013/02/12/february-is-love-your-website-month/<br>
<br>
Love is in the air… or at least Valentine's Day on the calendar. To love another person is one of the sweetest blessings God gives us. Not far behind that is the blessing of having a website you love. At least that what our team of web geeks thinks. <br>
<br>
Seriously though, one of the greatest gifts you can give the people of your church, school, ministry or business is a website that they are proud to share with their friends.<br>
<br>
February is "Love Your Website" Month at OurChurch.Com. Our goal for the month is to help you take the design of your website to the next level. Perhaps that means making some minor changes to your site which you can do yourself or perhaps we can help create a brand new custom website. Perhaps you need some feedback and suggestions on how to improve your site. Or perhaps you'd like $50.<br>
<br>
Keep reading for more on all these things!<br>
<br>
<b>1) Love Your Website Bundles - $50 Off!</b><br>
Our [url=http://www.ourchurch.com/hosting/website-hosting-packages.php]Website Service Bundles[/url] are one of the best deals on the planet and a great way to take your love for your website to a whole new level. Bundles combine a web hosting package, ad-free option, domain registration, search registration and our Template Personalization Service, all at a huge discount. This month we're giving an extra $50 off all bundles.<br>
<br>
Now the disclaimers… This special offer is only available through Feb 28. It's only available to those who do not currently have a bundle. And it's not available online - you must call us at (727) 723-2454 to get the extra $50 off. Tell Debbie you want the "Love Your Website" Bundle Special!<br>
<br>
<b>2) Get an Awesome Custom-Designed Website You'll Love!</b><br>
If you and your organization are ready for an awesome website that is:<br>
<br>
- Custom designed to look exactly the way you want it<br>
- Has all the functionality to help you achieve your mission<br>
- Is easy for you to update and add to yourself<br>
- Can be updated by multiple administrators anywhere there's an Internet connection<br>
<br>
Check out some of the organizations we serve in our [url=http://www.ourchurch.com/design/web-design-portfolio.php]web design portfolio[/url]. Then request a [url=http://www.ourchurch.com/design/]free, no obligation phone consultation[/url].<br>
<br>
<b>3) Web Development Videos</b><br>
We want every Christian organization to have a website they love whether it's provided by us or by some other means. One of the ways we're doing that is by creating a series of videos to help "educate consumers" (that's you) about the website development process. That way you know how to evaluate the options available to you. The first two videos have been published:<br>
<br>
- [url=http://blog.ourchurch.com/2013/02/08/5-things-you-need-to-know-before-hiring-a-web-developer/]5 Things You Need to Know Before Hiring a Web Developer[/url]<br>
- [url=http://blog.ourchurch.com/2013/02/11/6-questions-to-ask-before-hiring-a-web-developer/]6 Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Web Developer[/url]<br>
<br>
Stay tuned for more videos about website platforms, prices, maintenance, how to discuss website needs with your board and more.<br>
<br>
4) $50 to Share the Love<br>
When you love someone you want the world to know about it. If you love your OurChurch.Com website, we want you to let the world know. And we want to give you $50 for doing it. There are two options.<br>
<br>
A) Follow us on Twitter and then tweet: I love my @OurChurchDotCom website - http://YourWebsite.com (You must use @OurChurchDotCom in your tweet so we can see it and enter you in the drawing)<br>
<br>
Or<br>
<br>
Like our Facebook page and then post to Facebook: I love my @OurChurch.Com website - http://YourWebsite.com (If you type @OurChurch, Facebook should give you the option to select OurChurch.Com, making the "OurChurch.Com" a link to our FB page. You must do this so we see your post and enter you into the drawing. Here's a quick video demo of how to do it.)<br>
<br>
You may post to Facebook and Twitter once per day. Each post will count as an entry. On February 28, we'll select one winner who will receive a $50 Visa gift card.<br>
<br>
We love you! <br>
<br>
Thanks to all of you who have given us the opportunity to help you achieve your mission online through our web hosting, web design and SEO services or by adding to the conversation here on our blog.  We love you!  And we hope you love your website or are taking steps make your website more lovable this month.<br>
<br>
If you have any comments or questions, please post them to our blog:<br>
http://blog.ourchurch.com/2013/02/12/february-is-love-your-website-month/<br>
<br>
In His Service,<br>
Paul Steinbrueck<br>
OurChurch.Com</p>]]> 
</content:encoded> 
<wfw:commentRSS>http://forums.ourchurch.com/viewtopic.php?t=6910</wfw:commentRSS> 
</item> 
<item> 
<title>Why We Redesigned Our Site &amp; How It`s Producing Results</title> 
<link>http://forums.ourchurch.com/viewtopic.php?t=6716</link> 
<comments>http://forums.ourchurch.com/viewtopic.php?t=6716</comments> 
<pubDate>
Thu, 09 Feb 2012 07:24:55 -0500</pubDate> 
<dc:creator>pdstein</dc:creator> 
<category>news</category> 
<guid isPermaLink="false">http://forums.ourchurch.com/viewtopic.php?t=6716</guid> 
<description> 
<![CDATA[ 
<p>View this announcement with color and graphics at:<br>
http://blog.ourchurch.com/2012/02/09/why-redesign-ourchurch-website-producing-results/<br>
<br>
OurChurch.Com is excited to announce the official launch of our newly redesigned website. The launch is a fitting segue between our "Start with Why" series of blog posts in January and our February theme of Web Design Month.<br>
<br>
Start With Why<br>
<br>
The "Start With Why" philosophy is that while most organizations start by telling you what they do an appeal to their audience's self-interest, inspiring leaders and organizations start by telling you why they do what they do and invite you to join their cause.<br>
<br>
OurChurch.Com believes in partnering with other Christian organizations to help them achieve their mission online. That's our cause. So, the OCC site was redesigned in several ways to "Start With Why."<br>
<br>
- The motto below our logo was changed from "Because the church is the people" to "Achieve your mission online.<br>
<br>
- On our homepage and the main page of each section of our site - web design, web hosting, search marketing and advertising services - we replaced content that promoted our services with graphics showing quotes from ministries who we have helped achieve their mission online.<br>
<br>
- Further down on the homepage, we added a "Why Choose OurChurch.Com" box and included our mission statement next to it.<br>
Simple and Beautiful<br>
<br>
We believe that the simpler a website is the better. However, we also wanted to include color and creativity in the site so that people interested in having us develop a custom designed website for them would immediately know we are capable of creating a stunning website for them. To achieve both simple and beautiful, we designed the site itself to be very simple and include a lot of white space and put color and creativity into the content - the slides you see just below the header.<br>
<br>
A few more things we did to simplify our site. We…<br>
<br>
- Reduced the number of items in each menu<br>
<br>
- Placed the consultation request form at the bottom of every page in our design, SEO and advertising sections (previously the bottom of each page had a link to a separate consultation request form)<br>
<br>
- Drastically reduced the number of items in the consultation request form.<br>
The results couldn't be more dramatic! The number of people completing the consultation request forms has more than tripled!<br>
<br>
Better Social Media Integration<br>
<br>
One other significant improvement made to the new site is the addition of the social media sharing buttons on the left side of every page. Not only is social media an important source of new visitors, but search engines are factoring Tweets, likes and +1s into their ranking algorithms, so it's important to encourage and facilitate as much Tweeting, liking, sharing and +1ing as we can.<br>
<br>
In fact, would you please take a moment to Tweet, like and +1 our homepage right now?<br>
<br>
We Covet Your Comments!<br>
<br>
While we're super excited about our new site, we also recognize that our opinions and our user experience on the site is secondary in importance to yours. Please tell us what you think of the new site - good and bad.<br>
<br>
- How does it look to you? Do you feel like we achieved simple and beautiful?<br>
<br>
- Can you immediately understand our "why" - our mission - when you first arrive on our site?<br>
<br>
- Are you able to quickly and easily find our way around our site?<br>
<br>
- Did you run across any problems? Any misspellings, broken links, confusing text?<br>
<br>
Thanks for taking a look at our new site! And thanks for the feedback!<br>
<br>
In His Service,<br>
Paul Steinbrueck, CEO<br>
OurChurch.Com</p>
]]> 
</description> 
<content:encoded> 
<![CDATA[ 
<p>View this announcement with color and graphics at:<br>
http://blog.ourchurch.com/2012/02/09/why-redesign-ourchurch-website-producing-results/<br>
<br>
OurChurch.Com is excited to announce the official launch of our newly redesigned website. The launch is a fitting segue between our "Start with Why" series of blog posts in January and our February theme of Web Design Month.<br>
<br>
Start With Why<br>
<br>
The "Start With Why" philosophy is that while most organizations start by telling you what they do an appeal to their audience's self-interest, inspiring leaders and organizations start by telling you why they do what they do and invite you to join their cause.<br>
<br>
OurChurch.Com believes in partnering with other Christian organizations to help them achieve their mission online. That's our cause. So, the OCC site was redesigned in several ways to "Start With Why."<br>
<br>
- The motto below our logo was changed from "Because the church is the people" to "Achieve your mission online.<br>
<br>
- On our homepage and the main page of each section of our site - web design, web hosting, search marketing and advertising services - we replaced content that promoted our services with graphics showing quotes from ministries who we have helped achieve their mission online.<br>
<br>
- Further down on the homepage, we added a "Why Choose OurChurch.Com" box and included our mission statement next to it.<br>
Simple and Beautiful<br>
<br>
We believe that the simpler a website is the better. However, we also wanted to include color and creativity in the site so that people interested in having us develop a custom designed website for them would immediately know we are capable of creating a stunning website for them. To achieve both simple and beautiful, we designed the site itself to be very simple and include a lot of white space and put color and creativity into the content - the slides you see just below the header.<br>
<br>
A few more things we did to simplify our site. We…<br>
<br>
- Reduced the number of items in each menu<br>
<br>
- Placed the consultation request form at the bottom of every page in our design, SEO and advertising sections (previously the bottom of each page had a link to a separate consultation request form)<br>
<br>
- Drastically reduced the number of items in the consultation request form.<br>
The results couldn't be more dramatic! The number of people completing the consultation request forms has more than tripled!<br>
<br>
Better Social Media Integration<br>
<br>
One other significant improvement made to the new site is the addition of the social media sharing buttons on the left side of every page. Not only is social media an important source of new visitors, but search engines are factoring Tweets, likes and +1s into their ranking algorithms, so it's important to encourage and facilitate as much Tweeting, liking, sharing and +1ing as we can.<br>
<br>
In fact, would you please take a moment to Tweet, like and +1 our homepage right now?<br>
<br>
We Covet Your Comments!<br>
<br>
While we're super excited about our new site, we also recognize that our opinions and our user experience on the site is secondary in importance to yours. Please tell us what you think of the new site - good and bad.<br>
<br>
- How does it look to you? Do you feel like we achieved simple and beautiful?<br>
<br>
- Can you immediately understand our "why" - our mission - when you first arrive on our site?<br>
<br>
- Are you able to quickly and easily find our way around our site?<br>
<br>
- Did you run across any problems? Any misspellings, broken links, confusing text?<br>
<br>
Thanks for taking a look at our new site! And thanks for the feedback!<br>
<br>
In His Service,<br>
Paul Steinbrueck, CEO<br>
OurChurch.Com</p>]]> 
</content:encoded> 
<wfw:commentRSS>http://forums.ourchurch.com/viewtopic.php?t=6716</wfw:commentRSS> 
</item> 
<item> 
<title>Web Design Month – Achieve Your Mission Online!</title> 
<link>http://forums.ourchurch.com/viewtopic.php?t=6714</link> 
<comments>http://forums.ourchurch.com/viewtopic.php?t=6714</comments> 
<pubDate>
Thu, 02 Feb 2012 18:07:58 -0500</pubDate> 
<dc:creator>pdstein</dc:creator> 
<category>news</category> 
<guid isPermaLink="false">http://forums.ourchurch.com/viewtopic.php?t=6714</guid> 
<description> 
<![CDATA[ 
<p>View this announcement with color and images on our blog:<br>
http://blog.ourchurch.com/2012/02/02/web-design-month-achieve-your-mission-onlin/<br>
<br>
Good day!<br>
<br>
OurChurch.Com's mission is to help you achieve your mission online. Having a well-designed website is absolutely essential to achieving your mission online. That's because a) your website is likely the hub of your communications, and b) the design of your website affects so many aspects of your site.<br>
<br>
The design of your website encompasses:<br>
<br>
- The way your site looks<br>
- How easy (or difficult) it is for visitors to find their way around<br>
- Functionality such as login, forms, calendar, blog, multimedia<br>
- The administrative interface for staff<br>
- The "behind the scenes" tags necessary to optimize it for search engines<br>
<br>
As you can see, web design is about much, much more than having a pretty site. There's a lot riding on it!<br>
<br>
So, we're devoting an entire month to helping you evaluate and improve the design of your website.<br>
<br>
1) Blogging About Design Issues<br>
<br>
As I mentioned earlier, our mission is to help you achieve your mission online. That's regardless of whether you use any of our services or not. We'll be blogging about design issues that may be giving people a bad impression of your organization, issues that could be frustrating your visitors and help you think through and prioritize steps that will bring your website more in alignment with your mission.<br>
<br>
2) Website Reviews<br>
<br>
If you'd like to take the general insight we offer here on Christian Web Trends and have it applied specifically to your website, we offer a comprehensive website review. The review includes evaluation of your site in 6 key areas:<br>
<br>
1. Appearance and layout<br>
2. Navigation and usability<br>
3. Purpose and goals<br>
4. Content<br>
5. Availability in search engines<br>
6. Interactivity and social media<br>
<br>
We provide you with a written evaluation very similar to the reviews web published here two years ago and include recommended action steps. Then we schedule a half hour phone call to go over the evaluation with you and answer any questions you might have. The cost of this comprehensive review is just $199. If you're interested, please complete the consultation request form to discuss the service further.<br>
<br>
3) Custom Web Design Services<br>
<br>
If you're at the point where you know you need a new website in order to accomplish your mission online, we would love to help you with that. Remember, our mission is not just to build websites but to help you achieve your God-given mission online. So we listen to understand who you are and what your mission is. Then we can custom design a site for you that has a look that conveys who you are as an organization and the specific functionality you need to accomplish your goals. See our web design portfolio for examples of the organizations we serve and then complete the consultation request form so we can set up a time to talk.<br>
<br>
4) Everything But the Kitchen Sink<br>
<br>
Lastly, one of the ways we help you achieve your mission online is by being available to help you with whatever you need - everything but the kitchen sink. If you need someone to fix up your current site, we can help with that. If you need custom programming or database integration, we can help with that. Domain registration, web hosting, SEO - you name it, we can do it all for you so that you have just one company to call anytime you want to do anything with your site.<br>
<br>
Whew! That's a lot going on this month. No matter how big your organization is and no matter what state your website is in now, we've got something that will help you take the next step towards achieving your mission online.<br>
<br>
In His Service,<br>
Paul Steinbrueck, CEO<br>
OurChurch.Com</p>
]]> 
</description> 
<content:encoded> 
<![CDATA[ 
<p>View this announcement with color and images on our blog:<br>
http://blog.ourchurch.com/2012/02/02/web-design-month-achieve-your-mission-onlin/<br>
<br>
Good day!<br>
<br>
OurChurch.Com's mission is to help you achieve your mission online. Having a well-designed website is absolutely essential to achieving your mission online. That's because a) your website is likely the hub of your communications, and b) the design of your website affects so many aspects of your site.<br>
<br>
The design of your website encompasses:<br>
<br>
- The way your site looks<br>
- How easy (or difficult) it is for visitors to find their way around<br>
- Functionality such as login, forms, calendar, blog, multimedia<br>
- The administrative interface for staff<br>
- The "behind the scenes" tags necessary to optimize it for search engines<br>
<br>
As you can see, web design is about much, much more than having a pretty site. There's a lot riding on it!<br>
<br>
So, we're devoting an entire month to helping you evaluate and improve the design of your website.<br>
<br>
1) Blogging About Design Issues<br>
<br>
As I mentioned earlier, our mission is to help you achieve your mission online. That's regardless of whether you use any of our services or not. We'll be blogging about design issues that may be giving people a bad impression of your organization, issues that could be frustrating your visitors and help you think through and prioritize steps that will bring your website more in alignment with your mission.<br>
<br>
2) Website Reviews<br>
<br>
If you'd like to take the general insight we offer here on Christian Web Trends and have it applied specifically to your website, we offer a comprehensive website review. The review includes evaluation of your site in 6 key areas:<br>
<br>
1. Appearance and layout<br>
2. Navigation and usability<br>
3. Purpose and goals<br>
4. Content<br>
5. Availability in search engines<br>
6. Interactivity and social media<br>
<br>
We provide you with a written evaluation very similar to the reviews web published here two years ago and include recommended action steps. Then we schedule a half hour phone call to go over the evaluation with you and answer any questions you might have. The cost of this comprehensive review is just $199. If you're interested, please complete the consultation request form to discuss the service further.<br>
<br>
3) Custom Web Design Services<br>
<br>
If you're at the point where you know you need a new website in order to accomplish your mission online, we would love to help you with that. Remember, our mission is not just to build websites but to help you achieve your God-given mission online. So we listen to understand who you are and what your mission is. Then we can custom design a site for you that has a look that conveys who you are as an organization and the specific functionality you need to accomplish your goals. See our web design portfolio for examples of the organizations we serve and then complete the consultation request form so we can set up a time to talk.<br>
<br>
4) Everything But the Kitchen Sink<br>
<br>
Lastly, one of the ways we help you achieve your mission online is by being available to help you with whatever you need - everything but the kitchen sink. If you need someone to fix up your current site, we can help with that. If you need custom programming or database integration, we can help with that. Domain registration, web hosting, SEO - you name it, we can do it all for you so that you have just one company to call anytime you want to do anything with your site.<br>
<br>
Whew! That's a lot going on this month. No matter how big your organization is and no matter what state your website is in now, we've got something that will help you take the next step towards achieving your mission online.<br>
<br>
In His Service,<br>
Paul Steinbrueck, CEO<br>
OurChurch.Com</p>]]> 
</content:encoded> 
<wfw:commentRSS>http://forums.ourchurch.com/viewtopic.php?t=6714</wfw:commentRSS> 
</item> 
<item> 
<title>Change in Support and Domain Registration Pricing</title> 
<link>http://forums.ourchurch.com/viewtopic.php?t=6698</link> 
<comments>http://forums.ourchurch.com/viewtopic.php?t=6698</comments> 
<pubDate>
Tue, 06 Dec 2011 20:35:54 -0500</pubDate> 
<dc:creator>pdstein</dc:creator> 
<category>news</category> 
<guid isPermaLink="false">http://forums.ourchurch.com/viewtopic.php?t=6698</guid> 
<description> 
<![CDATA[ 
<p>Hi OCC Webmaster,<br>
<br>
OurChurch.Com exists to help Christian organizations achieve their mission online.  One of the main ways we do this is by providing websites to all Christians regardless of their financial or technical resources with free, easy-to-build websites.<br>
<br>
We are proud of the fact that we are the only Christian website services company that provides free websites, and that these free sites help thousands and thousands of Christian organizations achieve their mission online.  Through some recent evaluations we've discovered that a majority of our support staff's time is going to provide support for free sites.  In order to provide our paying members with the best possible support and continue funding improvements of our web builder and other services, we've come to the conclusion that changes need to be made.<br>
<br>
We discussed the possibility of ending free sites altogether, but couldn't choose that option because of our commitment to providing services to as many Christians as possible regardless of financial or technical resources.  So, the best way for us to continue to provide free sites and allocate the necessary resources to support paying members and continue to improve services, we will no longer be providing phone or email support for free sites after December 14.<br>
<br>
Just to be clear, your website will continue operating as it currently does with the same pages, disk space and functionality, but after December 14 you'll need to refer to our very comprehensive knowledge base for any questions you may have.<br>
<br>
 If you'd like the help of our friendly, professional support staff by phone, chat, email or help desk, all you need to do is upgrade to any of our paid hosting packages, which start at less than $5 a month.  If you'd like to upgrade now, you can do that at http://www.ourchurch.com/edit/order2.php<br>
<br>
Domain Registration Pricing<br>
<br>
There are some other changes having to do with domain name registration we want you to be aware of.<br>
<br>
Over the last few years, the grand pubas at ICANN, the central organization for domain name registrations, have raised their prices several times.  Up until this point we have kept our domain registration price unchanged and continued to offer free domain registration with the purchase of a year of web hosting.  We've been doing this at a loss, however, with another round of ICANN price changes on the way, we've got to change our prices to be able to continue to provide you with the level of service you know and expect from OurChurch.Com<br>
<br>
Beginning January 1, the cost for 1 year of domain registration will increase from $9.95 to $14.95. We will also no longer offer free domain name registration when purchasing a year of web hosting, though we will continue to provide 2 free months of hosting (a 17% savings) when purchasing a year.  We're making these changes so we can continue to provide you with the convenience and simplicity of not having to worry about your domain name.  You'll be able to renew your domain name at the same time you renew your hosting or design services without any additional hassle.<br>
<br>
Before these changes go into effect, we're giving all our members one more opportunity to get in on the current prices.  If you purchase a year of web hosting by December 29, you can get your domain registration free for another year.  Or if you order a monthly hosting package by December 29, you can get a year of domain registration at the current price of $9.95 <br>
<br>
 Order here: http://www.ourchurch.com/edit/order2.php<br>
<br>
If you have an auto-payment established with OurChurch.Com for the hosting of your website, the above pricing with automatically take effect and your payment method on file will be charged on your renewal date.  This email acts as an official change of pricing and by continuing your hosting service with OurChurch.Com, you are agreeing to the updated pricing.<br>
<br>
If you have any questions, please let us know.<br>
<br>
Thanks for the opportunity to partner with you to accomplish your mission online.<br>
<br>
In His Service,<br>
Paul Steinbrueck<br>
OurChurch.Com</p>
]]> 
</description> 
<content:encoded> 
<![CDATA[ 
<p>Hi OCC Webmaster,<br>
<br>
OurChurch.Com exists to help Christian organizations achieve their mission online.  One of the main ways we do this is by providing websites to all Christians regardless of their financial or technical resources with free, easy-to-build websites.<br>
<br>
We are proud of the fact that we are the only Christian website services company that provides free websites, and that these free sites help thousands and thousands of Christian organizations achieve their mission online.  Through some recent evaluations we've discovered that a majority of our support staff's time is going to provide support for free sites.  In order to provide our paying members with the best possible support and continue funding improvements of our web builder and other services, we've come to the conclusion that changes need to be made.<br>
<br>
We discussed the possibility of ending free sites altogether, but couldn't choose that option because of our commitment to providing services to as many Christians as possible regardless of financial or technical resources.  So, the best way for us to continue to provide free sites and allocate the necessary resources to support paying members and continue to improve services, we will no longer be providing phone or email support for free sites after December 14.<br>
<br>
Just to be clear, your website will continue operating as it currently does with the same pages, disk space and functionality, but after December 14 you'll need to refer to our very comprehensive knowledge base for any questions you may have.<br>
<br>
 If you'd like the help of our friendly, professional support staff by phone, chat, email or help desk, all you need to do is upgrade to any of our paid hosting packages, which start at less than $5 a month.  If you'd like to upgrade now, you can do that at http://www.ourchurch.com/edit/order2.php<br>
<br>
Domain Registration Pricing<br>
<br>
There are some other changes having to do with domain name registration we want you to be aware of.<br>
<br>
Over the last few years, the grand pubas at ICANN, the central organization for domain name registrations, have raised their prices several times.  Up until this point we have kept our domain registration price unchanged and continued to offer free domain registration with the purchase of a year of web hosting.  We've been doing this at a loss, however, with another round of ICANN price changes on the way, we've got to change our prices to be able to continue to provide you with the level of service you know and expect from OurChurch.Com<br>
<br>
Beginning January 1, the cost for 1 year of domain registration will increase from $9.95 to $14.95. We will also no longer offer free domain name registration when purchasing a year of web hosting, though we will continue to provide 2 free months of hosting (a 17% savings) when purchasing a year.  We're making these changes so we can continue to provide you with the convenience and simplicity of not having to worry about your domain name.  You'll be able to renew your domain name at the same time you renew your hosting or design services without any additional hassle.<br>
<br>
Before these changes go into effect, we're giving all our members one more opportunity to get in on the current prices.  If you purchase a year of web hosting by December 29, you can get your domain registration free for another year.  Or if you order a monthly hosting package by December 29, you can get a year of domain registration at the current price of $9.95 <br>
<br>
 Order here: http://www.ourchurch.com/edit/order2.php<br>
<br>
If you have an auto-payment established with OurChurch.Com for the hosting of your website, the above pricing with automatically take effect and your payment method on file will be charged on your renewal date.  This email acts as an official change of pricing and by continuing your hosting service with OurChurch.Com, you are agreeing to the updated pricing.<br>
<br>
If you have any questions, please let us know.<br>
<br>
Thanks for the opportunity to partner with you to accomplish your mission online.<br>
<br>
In His Service,<br>
Paul Steinbrueck<br>
OurChurch.Com</p>]]> 
</content:encoded> 
<wfw:commentRSS>http://forums.ourchurch.com/viewtopic.php?t=6698</wfw:commentRSS> 
</item> 
<item> 
<title>Part 1 of the NE1 Web Builder Upgrade Trilogy</title> 
<link>http://forums.ourchurch.com/viewtopic.php?t=6654</link> 
<comments>http://forums.ourchurch.com/viewtopic.php?t=6654</comments> 
<pubDate>
Fri, 16 Sep 2011 00:07:02 -0500</pubDate> 
<dc:creator>pdstein</dc:creator> 
<category>news</category> 
<guid isPermaLink="false">http://forums.ourchurch.com/viewtopic.php?t=6654</guid> 
<description> 
<![CDATA[ 
<p>We hope you had a great summer!  While you were lounging around at the beach sipping daiquiris (non alcoholic, I'm sure) our team was hard at work creating a trilogy of improvements to the NE1 Web Builder.  Over the next week, we will be rolling part 1, which includes 4 major improvements.<br>
<br>
<b>1)  New Image Editor</b><br>
<br>
Currently, if you go into the asset manager and click the "edit" (pencil-like) icon next to an image, it launches a basic image editor that enables you to resize, crop, and rotate images.  We're ditching that image editor and replacing it with an awesome image editor provided by pixlr.com.  This image editor can do just about everything except file your taxes for you.  Use it to add text, reduce red eye, adjust brightness and contrast, make your boss look like he's posing in a fun house hall of mirrors, plus dozens of other filters and adjustments.  The most commonly used features are intuitive to use and there are video tutorials for the more advanced features.<br>
<br>
<b>2) New Gallery</b><br>
<br>
Big improvements are on the way for the image gallery as well.  The new version will enable you to:<br>
<br>
•	Change the order of images by simply dragging and dropping them where you want them<br>
•	Set the size of the thumbnails<br>
•	Set the number of images per page<br>
•	Set the number of images per row<br>
•	Hide the comments<br>
<br>
The Gallery module comes in the all Gold, Silver and Bronze [url=http://www.ourchurch.com/hosting/]hosting packages[/url], so if you've got a Free or Starter package now, you'll need to [url=http://www.ourchurch.com/edit/order2.php]upgrade[/url] to get the new gallery.<br>
<br>
<b>3) User Access Manager</b><br>
<br>
The User Access Manager is a completely new module that enables you set up multiple administrators for your website.  Not only that, but it enables you to determine exactly which pages and modules each person can edit.<br>
<br>
Want to give your senior pastor access to post to the blog but don't want him to be able to change the site template?  You got it!  Want to give teachers the ability to update pages just for their classes?  Your wish is our command!  Want to set up a second administrator and give them access to everything so you can go on vacation ignore all calls from your boss?  Done!<br>
<br>
The User Access Manager is gold.  Figuratively and literally.  It's available exclusively in the Gold package.<br>
<br>
<b>4) New Help Icons</b><br>
<br>
As if that wasn't enough to get you dancing a jig, you'll soon notice "Help" icons next to the title of every NE1 Admin page.  Click it, and it will magically take you to the help page for that admin function.<br>
<br>
<b>Rollout Schedule</b><br>
<br>
The plan is to begin rolling out these improvements Friday morning to NE1 sites in Gold, Silver, and Bronze hosting packages.  If all goes well, Free and Starter packages sites should begin seeing these goodies by the middle of next week.<br>
<br>
As always, if you have any questions or comments, [url=http://www.ourchurch.com/support/]give us a shout[/url].<br>
<br>
In His Service,<br>
Paul Steinbrueck<br>
OurChurch.Com</p>
]]> 
</description> 
<content:encoded> 
<![CDATA[ 
<p>We hope you had a great summer!  While you were lounging around at the beach sipping daiquiris (non alcoholic, I'm sure) our team was hard at work creating a trilogy of improvements to the NE1 Web Builder.  Over the next week, we will be rolling part 1, which includes 4 major improvements.<br>
<br>
<b>1)  New Image Editor</b><br>
<br>
Currently, if you go into the asset manager and click the "edit" (pencil-like) icon next to an image, it launches a basic image editor that enables you to resize, crop, and rotate images.  We're ditching that image editor and replacing it with an awesome image editor provided by pixlr.com.  This image editor can do just about everything except file your taxes for you.  Use it to add text, reduce red eye, adjust brightness and contrast, make your boss look like he's posing in a fun house hall of mirrors, plus dozens of other filters and adjustments.  The most commonly used features are intuitive to use and there are video tutorials for the more advanced features.<br>
<br>
<b>2) New Gallery</b><br>
<br>
Big improvements are on the way for the image gallery as well.  The new version will enable you to:<br>
<br>
•	Change the order of images by simply dragging and dropping them where you want them<br>
•	Set the size of the thumbnails<br>
•	Set the number of images per page<br>
•	Set the number of images per row<br>
•	Hide the comments<br>
<br>
The Gallery module comes in the all Gold, Silver and Bronze [url=http://www.ourchurch.com/hosting/]hosting packages[/url], so if you've got a Free or Starter package now, you'll need to [url=http://www.ourchurch.com/edit/order2.php]upgrade[/url] to get the new gallery.<br>
<br>
<b>3) User Access Manager</b><br>
<br>
The User Access Manager is a completely new module that enables you set up multiple administrators for your website.  Not only that, but it enables you to determine exactly which pages and modules each person can edit.<br>
<br>
Want to give your senior pastor access to post to the blog but don't want him to be able to change the site template?  You got it!  Want to give teachers the ability to update pages just for their classes?  Your wish is our command!  Want to set up a second administrator and give them access to everything so you can go on vacation ignore all calls from your boss?  Done!<br>
<br>
The User Access Manager is gold.  Figuratively and literally.  It's available exclusively in the Gold package.<br>
<br>
<b>4) New Help Icons</b><br>
<br>
As if that wasn't enough to get you dancing a jig, you'll soon notice "Help" icons next to the title of every NE1 Admin page.  Click it, and it will magically take you to the help page for that admin function.<br>
<br>
<b>Rollout Schedule</b><br>
<br>
The plan is to begin rolling out these improvements Friday morning to NE1 sites in Gold, Silver, and Bronze hosting packages.  If all goes well, Free and Starter packages sites should begin seeing these goodies by the middle of next week.<br>
<br>
As always, if you have any questions or comments, [url=http://www.ourchurch.com/support/]give us a shout[/url].<br>
<br>
In His Service,<br>
Paul Steinbrueck<br>
OurChurch.Com</p>]]> 
</content:encoded> 
<wfw:commentRSS>http://forums.ourchurch.com/viewtopic.php?t=6654</wfw:commentRSS> 
</item> 
<item> 
<title>Win Outspoken: Conversations on Church Communications</title> 
<link>http://forums.ourchurch.com/viewtopic.php?t=6653</link> 
<comments>http://forums.ourchurch.com/viewtopic.php?t=6653</comments> 
<pubDate>
Thu, 15 Sep 2011 23:57:43 -0500</pubDate> 
<dc:creator>pdstein</dc:creator> 
<category>news</category> 
<guid isPermaLink="false">http://forums.ourchurch.com/viewtopic.php?t=6653</guid> 
<description> 
<![CDATA[ 
<p>[url=http://blog.ourchurch.com/2011/09/15/win-a-copy-of-outspoken-conversations-on-church-communications-outspokenbook/]Read the HTML version of this announcement with color &amp; images[/url]<br>
<br>
Today we're reviewing, discussing, and giving away the book [url=http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/146373817X/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=liveintent-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=217145&amp;creative=399373&amp;creativeASIN=146373817X]Outspoken: Conversations on Church Communications[/url]. Keep reading to learn how you can win one of 3 copies we're giving away.<br>
<br>
Outspoken is a brand new book about church communications that's being released today. What makes Outspoken remarkable is that it's a compilation of insight from more than 60 church communications professionals including Jon Acuff, Phil Cooke, DJ Chuang, Steve Fogg, Charles Lee, Kem Meyer, Tony Morgan, John Saddington, Tony Steward, and Leonard Sweet. I'm excited to be a contributor as well.<br>
<br>
The book is published by The Center for Church Communications (known for its popular blog Church Marketing Sucks) and was edited and organized by its co-director Tim Schraeder. It covers all facets of church communications such as leadership, branding, design, words and stories, technology, creativity, and personal growth.<br>
<br>
This is a book every person that does church communications, web design, or marketing should read and keep within arm's reach at their desk. It's a great book for pastors too because they do and oversee a lot of church communications as well.<br>
<br>
<b>Get a Free Book</b><br>
<br>
Because all of us at OurChurch.Com and Christian Web Trends want to see churches communicate better, we're not only helping to spread the word about Outspoken, we're also going to give away 3 copies. All you have to do to win one is:<br>
<br>
1) Retweet this post or share it on Facebook, AND…<br>
<br>
2) Post a comment to [url=http://blog.ourchurch.com/2011/09/15/win-a-copy-of-outspoken-conversations-on-church-communications-outspokenbook/]this blog post[/url] with one bit of advice for church communicators or a question about church communications. (Include your Facebook or Twitter username in your comment so I can connect your comment to your share/tweet).<br>
<br>
Three people will be selected Friday, September 16, at 4 PM to receive a free copy of the book.<br>
<br>
If you'd like to double your chances of winning, share/comment once each day.<br>
<br>
In the mean time, you can [url=http://www.outspokenbook.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Outspoken-Sample.pdf]download a free preview[/url]  or [url=http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/146373817X/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=liveintent-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=217145&amp;creative=399373&amp;creativeASIN=146373817X]purchase Outspoken on Amazon[/url].</p>
]]> 
</description> 
<content:encoded> 
<![CDATA[ 
<p>[url=http://blog.ourchurch.com/2011/09/15/win-a-copy-of-outspoken-conversations-on-church-communications-outspokenbook/]Read the HTML version of this announcement with color &amp; images[/url]<br>
<br>
Today we're reviewing, discussing, and giving away the book [url=http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/146373817X/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=liveintent-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=217145&amp;creative=399373&amp;creativeASIN=146373817X]Outspoken: Conversations on Church Communications[/url]. Keep reading to learn how you can win one of 3 copies we're giving away.<br>
<br>
Outspoken is a brand new book about church communications that's being released today. What makes Outspoken remarkable is that it's a compilation of insight from more than 60 church communications professionals including Jon Acuff, Phil Cooke, DJ Chuang, Steve Fogg, Charles Lee, Kem Meyer, Tony Morgan, John Saddington, Tony Steward, and Leonard Sweet. I'm excited to be a contributor as well.<br>
<br>
The book is published by The Center for Church Communications (known for its popular blog Church Marketing Sucks) and was edited and organized by its co-director Tim Schraeder. It covers all facets of church communications such as leadership, branding, design, words and stories, technology, creativity, and personal growth.<br>
<br>
This is a book every person that does church communications, web design, or marketing should read and keep within arm's reach at their desk. It's a great book for pastors too because they do and oversee a lot of church communications as well.<br>
<br>
<b>Get a Free Book</b><br>
<br>
Because all of us at OurChurch.Com and Christian Web Trends want to see churches communicate better, we're not only helping to spread the word about Outspoken, we're also going to give away 3 copies. All you have to do to win one is:<br>
<br>
1) Retweet this post or share it on Facebook, AND…<br>
<br>
2) Post a comment to [url=http://blog.ourchurch.com/2011/09/15/win-a-copy-of-outspoken-conversations-on-church-communications-outspokenbook/]this blog post[/url] with one bit of advice for church communicators or a question about church communications. (Include your Facebook or Twitter username in your comment so I can connect your comment to your share/tweet).<br>
<br>
Three people will be selected Friday, September 16, at 4 PM to receive a free copy of the book.<br>
<br>
If you'd like to double your chances of winning, share/comment once each day.<br>
<br>
In the mean time, you can [url=http://www.outspokenbook.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Outspoken-Sample.pdf]download a free preview[/url]  or [url=http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/146373817X/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=liveintent-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=217145&amp;creative=399373&amp;creativeASIN=146373817X]purchase Outspoken on Amazon[/url].</p>]]> 
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<wfw:commentRSS>http://forums.ourchurch.com/viewtopic.php?t=6653</wfw:commentRSS> 
</item> 
<item> 
<title>OurChurch.Com Launches 50 Point Social Media Review Service</title> 
<link>http://forums.ourchurch.com/viewtopic.php?t=6583</link> 
<comments>http://forums.ourchurch.com/viewtopic.php?t=6583</comments> 
<pubDate>
Thu, 31 Mar 2011 17:35:01 -0500</pubDate> 
<dc:creator>pdstein</dc:creator> 
<category>news</category> 
<guid isPermaLink="false">http://forums.ourchurch.com/viewtopic.php?t=6583</guid> 
<description> 
<![CDATA[ 
<p>[url=http://blog.ourchurch.com/2011/03/10/ourchurch-com-launches-50-point-social-media-review-service/]View this announcement with graphics and HTML[/url]<br>
<br>
OurChurch.Com has launched a social media consulting service called The 50 Point Social Media Review, which provides organizations a comprehensive review of their social media profiles and operations and specific recommendations to make more effective use of social media tools like Facebook, Twitter, and a blog.<br>
<br>
Social media provides churches, ministries, and businesses an extraordinary new opportunity to connect and communicate more effectively with people inside and outside their organizations. Many organizations recognize social media's potential, but need help getting started or an experienced professional to look over their shoulder and let them know what they're doing right and how they could improve their efforts. That's what this service provides.<br>
<br>
With the 50 Point Social Media Review, you'll receive:<br>
<br>
- Full written report of the 50 point social media evaluation of your organization's<br>
--- website<br>
--- blog<br>
--- Facebook page<br>
--- Twitter profile<br>
--- The Facebook profile of your social media point person (CEO, senior pastor, communication director)<br>
--- The Twitter profile of your social media point person (CEO, senior pastor, communication director)<br>
<br>
- Prioritized recommendations for the next steps that will make your social media efforts more effective.<br>
<br>
- 30 minute private consultation to discuss the results and recommendation<br>
<br>
- Follow-up 30 days later to evaluate progress<br>
<br>
Cost of this service will be $299. However, for the next 7 days, you can receive this valuable service for just $199 using coupon code smlaunch.<br>
<br>
[url=http://www.ourchurch.com/consulting/social-media-consulting.php]Order the 50 Point Social Media Review now![/url]</p>
]]> 
</description> 
<content:encoded> 
<![CDATA[ 
<p>[url=http://blog.ourchurch.com/2011/03/10/ourchurch-com-launches-50-point-social-media-review-service/]View this announcement with graphics and HTML[/url]<br>
<br>
OurChurch.Com has launched a social media consulting service called The 50 Point Social Media Review, which provides organizations a comprehensive review of their social media profiles and operations and specific recommendations to make more effective use of social media tools like Facebook, Twitter, and a blog.<br>
<br>
Social media provides churches, ministries, and businesses an extraordinary new opportunity to connect and communicate more effectively with people inside and outside their organizations. Many organizations recognize social media's potential, but need help getting started or an experienced professional to look over their shoulder and let them know what they're doing right and how they could improve their efforts. That's what this service provides.<br>
<br>
With the 50 Point Social Media Review, you'll receive:<br>
<br>
- Full written report of the 50 point social media evaluation of your organization's<br>
--- website<br>
--- blog<br>
--- Facebook page<br>
--- Twitter profile<br>
--- The Facebook profile of your social media point person (CEO, senior pastor, communication director)<br>
--- The Twitter profile of your social media point person (CEO, senior pastor, communication director)<br>
<br>
- Prioritized recommendations for the next steps that will make your social media efforts more effective.<br>
<br>
- 30 minute private consultation to discuss the results and recommendation<br>
<br>
- Follow-up 30 days later to evaluate progress<br>
<br>
Cost of this service will be $299. However, for the next 7 days, you can receive this valuable service for just $199 using coupon code smlaunch.<br>
<br>
[url=http://www.ourchurch.com/consulting/social-media-consulting.php]Order the 50 Point Social Media Review now![/url]</p>]]> 
</content:encoded> 
<wfw:commentRSS>http://forums.ourchurch.com/viewtopic.php?t=6583</wfw:commentRSS> 
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<title>Social Media for Pastors and Church Planters Webinar</title> 
<link>http://forums.ourchurch.com/viewtopic.php?t=6570</link> 
<comments>http://forums.ourchurch.com/viewtopic.php?t=6570</comments> 
<pubDate>
Fri, 25 Feb 2011 14:50:26 -0500</pubDate> 
<dc:creator>pdstein</dc:creator> 
<category>news</category> 
<guid isPermaLink="false">http://forums.ourchurch.com/viewtopic.php?t=6570</guid> 
<description> 
<![CDATA[ 
<p>View this announcement with color and graphics at:<br>
http://blog.ourchurch.com/2011/02/23/webinar-social-media-for-pastors-and-church-planters/<br>
<br>
Chris Walker (of EvangelismCoach.org) and I are teaming up to present a webinar on Thursday, March 10, 2011 at 1:00 PM titled Social Media for Pastors and Church Planters.<br>
<br>
In this free 1 hour webinar you'll learn:<br>
<br>
- How to decide which social media sites are right for you and your church.<br>
- How to avoid social media faux pas that can drive people away from your church.<br>
- How to use social media to get better search rankings in Google.<br>
- How to use both a Facebook page and Facebook profile together for maximum effectiveness.<br>
<br>
[url=https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/845931811]Click to register for the webinar.[/url]<br>
<br>
There will be time for Q&amp;A at the end of the webinar, but what questions would you like to see addressed in the webinar?<br>
<br>
In His Service,<br>
Paul Steinbrueck<br>
OurChurch.Com</p>
]]> 
</description> 
<content:encoded> 
<![CDATA[ 
<p>View this announcement with color and graphics at:<br>
http://blog.ourchurch.com/2011/02/23/webinar-social-media-for-pastors-and-church-planters/<br>
<br>
Chris Walker (of EvangelismCoach.org) and I are teaming up to present a webinar on Thursday, March 10, 2011 at 1:00 PM titled Social Media for Pastors and Church Planters.<br>
<br>
In this free 1 hour webinar you'll learn:<br>
<br>
- How to decide which social media sites are right for you and your church.<br>
- How to avoid social media faux pas that can drive people away from your church.<br>
- How to use social media to get better search rankings in Google.<br>
- How to use both a Facebook page and Facebook profile together for maximum effectiveness.<br>
<br>
[url=https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/845931811]Click to register for the webinar.[/url]<br>
<br>
There will be time for Q&amp;A at the end of the webinar, but what questions would you like to see addressed in the webinar?<br>
<br>
In His Service,<br>
Paul Steinbrueck<br>
OurChurch.Com</p>]]> 
</content:encoded> 
<wfw:commentRSS>http://forums.ourchurch.com/viewtopic.php?t=6570</wfw:commentRSS> 
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<title>Sales Peeps, We’re Hiring. Join the OurChurch.Com Team</title> 
<link>http://forums.ourchurch.com/viewtopic.php?t=6569</link> 
<comments>http://forums.ourchurch.com/viewtopic.php?t=6569</comments> 
<pubDate>
Fri, 25 Feb 2011 14:46:08 -0500</pubDate> 
<dc:creator>pdstein</dc:creator> 
<category>news</category> 
<guid isPermaLink="false">http://forums.ourchurch.com/viewtopic.php?t=6569</guid> 
<description> 
<![CDATA[ 
<p>View this announcement with color and graphics at:<br>
http://blog.ourchurch.com/2011/02/22/sales-hiring-join-ourchurch-com-team/<br>
<br>
OurChurch.Com is looking for some awesome people who love God, love sales, and would love to make some money. Here are the details…<br>
<br>
Title: Web Solutions Sales<br>
<br>
Description: OurChurch.Com is a leading provider of web design, marketing, hosting, and advertising services to Christian individuals and organizations. We are seeking to add to our team experienced salespeople who are passionate about seeing Christian organizations connect and communicate more effectively using the Internet.<br>
<br>
Duties: This person will be responsible for contacting potential clients, analyzing their current internet presence and goals, and offering solutions to help them reach those goals. This is not a lead generating position but one that will be responsible for working with potential clients throughout the sales process.<br>
<br>
The job requires sales skills including the abilities cold call, email prospective clients, write proposals, follow up with leads, and close sales. This position requires excellent time management, self motivation, self discipline, and an outgoing personality.<br>
<br>
Knowledge and Experience: This person must have at least 3 years sales experience. Knowledge of website design, search engine marketing, hosting, and internet advertising are a plus. This person must also be able to learn details of OurChurch.Com's specific services with minimal assistance.<br>
<br>
Character: This person must be self-motivated and able to work from home with no direct supervision. He or she must have good communication skills and be able to communicate clearly both verbally and in written text. The individual must have a friendly, positive attitude, be very patient and not easily frustrated. He or she should view the position as more than just a job but as a ministry of Christian service helping other Christians in ministry.<br>
<br>
Hours: There is no specific number of hours required for this position; however, a minimum of 10 hours per week is required. The exact number of hours and when those hours are worked are up to the discretion of the salesperson. This position is commission only, so the number of hours one is able to dedicate to the position will directly impact the effectiveness and compensation of individual.<br>
<br>
Additional requirements: Individual must have a desktop or laptop computer and a broadband Internet connection. They must also have a quality phone line where they can make and receive calls. The phone can be a land line, VOIP, or cell phone.<br>
<br>
Location: Individual will work from their home. Working from home has many benefits, but the individual must be able to perform their job with minimal interruptions.<br>
<br>
Compensation: This position is commission only. Individual will receive 25% of all sales they close. Individual will be compensated as a contractor and will be responsible for their own federal income tax &amp; social security withholdings, and payroll taxes.<br>
<br>
Please email resumes with cover letter to jobs (at) ourchurch (dot) com.</p>
]]> 
</description> 
<content:encoded> 
<![CDATA[ 
<p>View this announcement with color and graphics at:<br>
http://blog.ourchurch.com/2011/02/22/sales-hiring-join-ourchurch-com-team/<br>
<br>
OurChurch.Com is looking for some awesome people who love God, love sales, and would love to make some money. Here are the details…<br>
<br>
Title: Web Solutions Sales<br>
<br>
Description: OurChurch.Com is a leading provider of web design, marketing, hosting, and advertising services to Christian individuals and organizations. We are seeking to add to our team experienced salespeople who are passionate about seeing Christian organizations connect and communicate more effectively using the Internet.<br>
<br>
Duties: This person will be responsible for contacting potential clients, analyzing their current internet presence and goals, and offering solutions to help them reach those goals. This is not a lead generating position but one that will be responsible for working with potential clients throughout the sales process.<br>
<br>
The job requires sales skills including the abilities cold call, email prospective clients, write proposals, follow up with leads, and close sales. This position requires excellent time management, self motivation, self discipline, and an outgoing personality.<br>
<br>
Knowledge and Experience: This person must have at least 3 years sales experience. Knowledge of website design, search engine marketing, hosting, and internet advertising are a plus. This person must also be able to learn details of OurChurch.Com's specific services with minimal assistance.<br>
<br>
Character: This person must be self-motivated and able to work from home with no direct supervision. He or she must have good communication skills and be able to communicate clearly both verbally and in written text. The individual must have a friendly, positive attitude, be very patient and not easily frustrated. He or she should view the position as more than just a job but as a ministry of Christian service helping other Christians in ministry.<br>
<br>
Hours: There is no specific number of hours required for this position; however, a minimum of 10 hours per week is required. The exact number of hours and when those hours are worked are up to the discretion of the salesperson. This position is commission only, so the number of hours one is able to dedicate to the position will directly impact the effectiveness and compensation of individual.<br>
<br>
Additional requirements: Individual must have a desktop or laptop computer and a broadband Internet connection. They must also have a quality phone line where they can make and receive calls. The phone can be a land line, VOIP, or cell phone.<br>
<br>
Location: Individual will work from their home. Working from home has many benefits, but the individual must be able to perform their job with minimal interruptions.<br>
<br>
Compensation: This position is commission only. Individual will receive 25% of all sales they close. Individual will be compensated as a contractor and will be responsible for their own federal income tax &amp; social security withholdings, and payroll taxes.<br>
<br>
Please email resumes with cover letter to jobs (at) ourchurch (dot) com.</p>]]> 
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<wfw:commentRSS>http://forums.ourchurch.com/viewtopic.php?t=6569</wfw:commentRSS> 
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