Maybe I am mis understanding but Im not suggesting anything like that site. I would 1st explore color combinations & what is most pleasing to the eye.... and some of this in conditioning. Id rely on women to provide me with color combos.....there just better at it. And make sure these women are very stylish & upscale..... they will be able to direct you toward a classier feel. Men can give you direction toward a more masculine feel. This is a very right brained calling & we men are not as good at color selection, style etc.
Good advice. No, I was saying the site is about as obnoxious as the link I gave. I am not suggesting to make it like that site. Sometimes people attempt to be too much of something or other and it comes across as obnoxious and/or overbearing. I'd tweak it a lot. I can't tell how someone can make it look better, but most people can pick out when it looks sort of bad.
Yea I know.....this would be difficult for anyone acting like the lone Ranger attempting to mesh content, merchandising, web building etc. Look, maybe take a look at the thread I just posted about a modern Methodist church in my state.....Dr Fowler has an army of women who constantly flow ideas & opinions past him & he has built a pretty successful church. The Web Site flows well & has a color scheme like Red, White & Blue....but the reds are more muted & the blue is more vibrant (more cobalt) & then they employ a gold for their pull down menus....it just is pleasing to the eye & it flows. Oh & Havensdad---He is a Doctor & he pulls in more money than any other Methodist church, Baptist Church, RCC in a 2 county area. :smilewinkgrin:
To me it is like this, if a person is asked to look at something and the person asking wants to get the truth, here's what I think should happen: If they immediately respond with 'Wow, that's sweet!' you can be fairly certain you've made a winner. If they are starting to give pointers, they really don't think it is all that great.
And if you have to keep explaining the intentions of your site, and for all the stuff you sell, your point isn't getting across and perhaps you need to listen to the advice being given to you.
I think you are going to turn off well over half your target audience. Those churches that know Christianity is being "watered down" are already doing something about it. Those that don't won't spend ten seconds on your web site. They'll be offended, and not buy.
Tone it down. Let them know in a positive way that you offer solid Christian teaching illustrations and help them along the way to biblical truth without telling them they are part of the problem.
That would be true if everyone agreed. However, since I redid the site (about halfway through this thread), I have received quite a few affirmations, both here, in messages outside, and on Social Media.
When people start pointing me to exactly the type of patterns and colors I want to avoid...well, I am not going to listen to that. I want something ostentatious. If you don't like Yellow, you are not going to like my site, because I, and the kind of people I am marketing to, LOVE yellow. We love bright, overbearing coloring. I am GOING FOR a bright, sunny type of site. If you don't like that, you are not going to like the page. But that is what directed marketing is all about.
There is plenty of stuff out there for that half. I am not marketing to them...there are just too many competitors. I am marketing to the other half, who are sick and tired of the acceptance of squishy theology and "toning down" on the other side...
If they are offended, I am not marketing to them. I could be just like those people who are part of the problem, yes. I don't want to be.
I understand where you're coming from, and I applaud it. I just think those churches that are true bible-believing and -preaching churches already have their sources for these products. No offense. You have to attract those who are beginning to "see the light" and need help getting there in order to be successful in the ministry marketplace. (Sad to use terms like that, but there it is.)
Isn't this why he is soliciting advise. see HD thinks I'm trying to torpedo him....I'm not....I happen to agree with much of his platform & I dont even have a problem with the guy making money & providing for his family....more power to him. My preference however In my Religious Family & Society Affiliations, which are different however. We, as you know, prefer to stay small community orientated--- but even those guys could use some marketing assistance to spread the gospel. I like a guy like Pastor/Elder David Montgomery who has written for us items that he has agreed to put on the INTERNET.... Like "Doctrines for Dummies"....he also publishes. So does my friend & pastor down in Kentucky....mostly historical references to Old Regular Baptists. Here he does something he loves, provides a service & supplements his income (he is a high school teacher).
Actually, the ones I know of, don't. They complain at Pastors meetings that there is no place to get them.
Hence, the reason for the site.
My purpose is not to market to those who are "on the fence." There are already watered down products for them. My purpose is to market to people who are already convinced, and have nowhere to turn.
Frankly, I am not even sure where the "offense" part is coming in....the opening page has nothing that anyone could find offensive. Are you referring to the T Shirts?
Hey, I took your advice, and nixed the black background on the Churchflavor site.... I used boxes with white and black (and now Gina is complaining...cannot please everyone!) Does it look better?
Sure. I think disagreement to him means you're the one who is wrong. Pointing out some unwise stuff brings an attack of accusations. Quite defensive IMO and somewhat callow as well.
Why is it sad? Your right, but let me play devils advocate....lets say some of that target market doesnt like your .... lets call it "Flow"? What do you do, risk PO them? Perhaps thats your choice but I would prefer to strive to make it appealing so that they are not initially turned off....my own objective would be to get them to read & drill down to content so they buy into it. But thats HD's call not mine. He will have to make his choice.
Rob.....he is looking for it to be edgy. HD, do you have an age bracket targeted? If not then my suggestion for a font should be something bolder. Here is why. I'm 56 YO & your print on the right (White on Black) is hard for me to read. So you decide. Thats my 2 cents.
Not defensive. Why am I not allowed to disagree with a person? You are the one getting defensive..."He doesn't agree with me! how dare him"...
Listen, when people criticize the color, I listen, and decide whether that I should follow their advice. I am not going to agree with everyone, particularly when people are disagreeing with each other (you criticized my fonts in the boxes...but most of the feedback I have gotten, has been that the Font is great, different, and appealing...so am I supposed to discount all of that, for your opinion? Just asking) When you say, "I don't like the yellow" I discount that, because it is purely opinion. Some people don't like yellow. Some people like the boring colors on Baptist Board. Personally, when I am surfing the web to buy something, and I see colors like Baptist Board has, I avoid the site...if the site is plain, and toned down, its just not my style, and the stuff on their probably won't be, either.
As far as the CONTENT goes, I didn't ask anyone for their opinion. I asked about the site, not whether or not a shirt is O.K. I think political correctness and "Hallmark Christianity" is leading to the destruction of modern society. I think people being "offended" at everything, and taking themselves too seriously, needs to be confronted head on. If you don't agree with me, fine. But I am not going to change my mind, just because you tell me to.