Useful AVL Data for Meaningful Purchase Decisions

It is easier to make good purchasing decisions when armed with timely, relevant information. As such, manufacturers, rep firms and systems integrators alike put a lot of effort into promoting the features and benefits of their products and systems before the sale. What’s missing, though, is arming those same users with useful information so they can […]

Useful AVL Data for Meaningful Purchase Decisions

Vendors, Market Development Funds and the Faith Market

Manufacturers want to help systems integrators sell their products so they provide funds to help co-promote the equipment with the vendor. It’s been this way for as long as I can remember, whether it is called “co-op funds” or “market development funds” (MDF) or “channel funding,” the idea is to influence the sale towards the […]

Vendors, Market Development Funds and the Faith Market

Churches, IoT and Fully Integrated AVL

In sales, your best client is likely the one who buys repeatedly and recommends you consistently. For a long time, I had two of my best clients fit this description while I was in sales; one was a large airline, the other was a large church. What these two organizations had in common was a […]

Churches, IoT and Fully Integrated AVL

Agile Marketing for the AVL Industry

Reaching the house of worship market with your marketing message requires a new set of marketing skills and tools that have been widely adopted by software technology companies, but relatively few that I’m aware of in the Audio, Video, Lighting (AVL) manufacturing and distribution firms. To take full advantage of the combination of social, search, […]

Agile Marketing for the AVL Industry

Trends and Data Point to Church Market Opportunities

To prepare for the future trends in the house of worship market as it pertains to Audio/Video/Lighting (AVL) technology, one must glean insights from the past. There may be no better way to do that than to survey the technical staff of churches actively involved in AVL technical production, which was done earlier in 2016 […]

Trends and Data Point to Church Market Opportunities

Top House of Worship Ads of 2016

In the third year of this round up of my pick for the Top House of Worship Ads, 2016’s contenders were few and set far apart from the white noise of bland and ineffective advertising that continues to saturate the church technology vertical market. If anything, it seemed to me that there might have been […]

Top House of Worship Ads of 2016

Four Future Trends for the House of Worship Market

By aggregating trends from the past, we have a significant indicator of future trends and shifts in the House of Worship market. The word cloud graphic for this article lists the top 25 recurring words from all of the previous columns written here about the church market on rAVE, and they are an excellent look […]

Four Future Trends for the House of Worship Market

The New Church Market: Not Your Grandma’s Church

Do you think of the typical church buying audio, video and lighting (AVL) technology as the old church down the street with a few cars parked in front of it on any given Sunday? Or has your firm yet experienced the technology shift that’s happening in the House of Worship market in churches that are […]

The New Church Market: Not Your Grandma’s Church

The Four Uses of 4K Video in Churches

I made a prediction in 2014 here at rAVe that 4K video would start to become the normative in large, multi-site churches by 2020. I think I’ll still be accurate with that prediction, though I’m now dividing that future-glance into current realities and applications where 4K — at least in part — can be a […]

The Four Uses of 4K Video in Churches

House of Worship: Mistakes Will Happen

The house of worship market is like any concert venue when it comes to the impact of real-time mistakes in front of a live audience. Years ago, I had a humiliating experience that shaped how I taught church tech teams and later designed audio, video, and lighting (AVL) systems. This true story illustrates how a […]

House of Worship: Mistakes Will Happen

Contracting Staff for Three Months at Churches

In my experience, churches need professional training over time to grow their volunteer tech teams. Selling contracted professional services for extended times helps address this huge need in the house of worship market. On-Site Training for Three Months 1) Mentoring by a Pro — There’s something powerful about being invited and asked to participate in something […]

Contracting Staff for Three Months at Churches

The Church Market for AVL in Two Words — Big Opportunity

Compared to huge government contracts or big commercial deals, the church market may not seem nearly as compelling for manufacturers and systems integrators selling audio, video, and lighting technology. And while there won’t be $50MM dollar AVL deals in the House of Worship space, there also won’t be the massive complexity and low margins of […]

The Church Market for AVL in Two Words — Big Opportunity

Where’s the Video in the Audio, Video, and Lighting Industry?

I suppose if the Cobbler’s kids had no shoes, then I shouldn’t be surprised that the Audio, Video, and Lighting (AVL) industry doesn’t use video well to reach potential customers. And yet, here in the 21st century, I am surprised and disappointed in the spotty to non-existent use of video as a content marketing medium […]

Where’s the Video in the Audio, Video, and Lighting Industry?

Selling Insights and Technology to Churches

In even the smallest of churches, the decision to purchase complex solutions is handled by a small group. In some denominations, this is a leadership staff, in others, a volunteer committee. Aware of this truth, vendors often try to bring consensus to these groups through price, benefits or a crisp value proposition. But time and […]

Selling Insights and Technology to Churches

Not Just Reaching — Engaging with Church Buyers

There has not been a time in history when it has been simultaneously easier for any brand to reach far larger audiences than ever before and exceedingly more difficult to cut through the noise to share your message. The democratization of the Internet has been the single greatest advancement of the 21st century, but with […]

Not Just Reaching — Engaging with Church Buyers

Marketing Content to the House of Worship Market

If the products you sell are well suited for the church market, how are you using content marketing to close the distance between product awareness and a product purchase? Targeted content goes beyond the typical product features and benefits and instead identifies with the church buyer. Content is the currency companies use to communicate stories […]

Marketing Content to the House of Worship Market

More than 50% of American Churches Will Buy Projectors or Flat-Panels in the Next Year

According to respondents in TFCinfo’s latest market research study, more than half of U.S. churches are looking to purchase and expand upon their projection and video display systems. With over 350,000 churches and houses of worship (HOW) in the US, many of them already heavy users of audiovisual equipment, it is clear to see the […]

More than 50% of American Churches Will Buy Projectors or Flat-Panels in the Next Year

Manufacturer Training at Church Conferences

Having both attended and exhibited at churches conferences and expos, I’ve learned that while a vendor may have the coolest/best/newest technology on display on the show floor, there’s nothing more compelling to church influencers and buyers than a great training or education session off of the show floor to drive quality leads. The reason is […]

Manufacturer Training at Church Conferences

Churches — The Art of the Sale

Almost all manufacturers and systems integrators have had at least some experience selling to churches, though those who have mastered the art of the sale to the house of worship market are surprisingly few. I’m going to share my two decades of sales experience in this oft-misunderstood vertical niche and help you know when a […]

Churches — The Art of the Sale

For House of Worship, Know Thy Audience

I continue to hear from people who read about the house of worship market here on rAVe and are looking for ways to differentiate their offerings. For manufacturers and systems integrators alike, I recommend starting with the one problem to solve for churches. The problem is not insufficient or inadequate technology. Churches don’t need more […]

For House of Worship, Know Thy Audience

VITEC Partners With Renewed Vision for Worship Solution

VITEC today announced that its House of Worship Streaming Solution is now integrated with Renewed Vision ProVideoServer (PVS), a four-channel HD video server. This partnership furthers the capabilities of VITEC’s end-to-end streaming solutions by adding recording, playback, and time-slip capabilities, allowing churches with multiple campuses to tailor their broadcast services to the needs of their […]

VITEC Partners With Renewed Vision for Worship Solution

Solve One Problem for Churches

To ensure your technology solution ends up in more churches, you simply must solve the one problem all churches have. And to do that, you’ll need to understand why, exactly, they’re having the problem in the first place. It’s not that technology hasn’t been widely adopted, or that the exponential increase in performance coupled with […]

Solve One Problem for Churches

Church Attendance Surging, Pushing HOW Market Growth

New research on the church market revealed a stunning stat that will further increase sales of AVL gear: Nearly 14,000 churches now average between 500 and 1,800 attendees each weekend. That is in addition to another 3,000 churches that average over 2,000 in weekly attendance. With more attendance comes more services, more venues, and even […]

Church Attendance Surging, Pushing HOW Market Growth

Predicting the Future of Video in Churches

Back in 2002, I wrote a widely-publicized article about all churches needing to make the move to 16:9 aspect ratio widescreen. Nearly 15 years later, it turns out I was right — well, almost right. I saw dimly into the future of church video technology and was ahead of the curve in predicting the future of […]

Predicting the Future of Video in Churches

Attendance Growth Surging to Mid-Size Churches

A new 2015 study showing attendance at mid-size churches growing rapidly is big news for a vertical market known mostly for the extremes of tiny and massive congregations. This study confirms my own anecdotal findings that have been presented here on rAVe for years, suggesting a shift for the House of Worship (HOW) market towards […]

Attendance Growth Surging to Mid-Size Churches

Contemporary Research Introduces the QMOD-SDI-HDMI HDTV Modulator

Contemporary Research just released the QMOD-SDI HDMI Modulator-IPTV Encoder. The QMOD-SDI HDMI is a totally new product aimed at Houses of Worship, combining the two most popular applications – an SDI input for the live sanctuary video, and an HDMI input for digital signage. Small to medium-sized sites can now support both applications with one […]

Contemporary Research Introduces the QMOD-SDI-HDMI HDTV Modulator

It’s Time to Upgrade Church Video Systems

Like the sound systems of old, large screen displays have undergone a major change that would benefit churches with lower cost of ownership and far greater visual support. And, also like old sound systems, it’s time for an upgrade. Especially when it will be less expensive and more effective within even the next five years. […]

It’s Time to Upgrade Church Video Systems

Cost Savings vs. Stewardship: Tech Buying in Churches

There is a saying that churches buy a sound system three times. The first is the one the building “comes with” that was most likely designed by the general contractor or a local music store. A well-meaning but ill-experienced volunteer who adds some new equipment typically installs the second system. The third system is usually […]

Cost Savings vs. Stewardship: Tech Buying in Churches

Throwing Good Money at Bad Advertising

The writer inside of me knows that people want helpful insight and good advice. It also knows that ticking off potential advertisers for rAVe isn’t a good idea. Sometimes, the two are at odds. I also believe that telling the truth, kindly, is possible. And it is with this good intention that I focus this […]

Throwing Good Money at Bad Advertising

Top House of Worship Ads of 2015

Each year, I look for the most effective ads of A/V/L gear targeting the House of Worship (HOW) market. I can tell you that, once again, the vast majority (greater than 99 percent – I’ve looked through hundreds of terrible examples) of the current ads for the HOW technology market are either A) too niche […]

Top House of Worship Ads of 2015

Is the Church Market Profitable for You?

Is the church market profitable for you? Or is it the ‘elephant in the room’ that your sales and marketing teams don’t know how to address? This market, which will likely spend over a billion dollars in 2016 on Audio, Video, Lighting (AVL) technology and infrastructure, seems to be harder than other verticals for many […]

Is the Church Market Profitable for You?

Where and How to Reach Churches

Reaching the right church decision-maker with your technology solutions for AVL is obviously important; what’s less obvious is exactly how and where to reach them. I’ve included a starting list of potential places to reach churches online as well as the kind of messaging your firm should focus on in order to maximize your qualified […]

Where and How to Reach Churches