Shows
Let's Get Practical#144 The Church Just Became Flat#144 The Church Just Became Flat
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Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/girardier/message2020-03-1307 minLet's Get Practical#143 Someone Hit the Cultural Fast Forward Button#143 Someone Hit the Cultural Fast Forward Button
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Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/girardier/message2020-03-1209 minLet's Get Practical#142 Communicating about the Coronavirus#142 Communicating about the Coronavirus
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Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/girardier/message2020-03-1208 minLet's Get Practical#141 The Myth of Creating a Balanced Life#141 The Myth of Creating a Balanced Life
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Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/girardier/message2020-03-1006 minLet's Get Practical#140 Three Quick Tips for Working Remote#140 Three Quick Tips for Working Remote
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Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/girardier/message2020-03-0905 minLet's Get Practical#139 How to Find the Right Project Management Tool #139 How to Find the Right Project Management Tool
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Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/girardier/message2020-03-0611 minLet's Get Practical#138 When to Hire a Full Time Communications Person#138 When to Hire a Full Time Communications Person
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Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/girardier/message2020-03-0507 minLet's Get Practical#137 Why It’s Time to Look for a New Job#137 Why It’s Time to Look for a New Job
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Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/girardier/message2020-03-0409 minLet's Get Practical#136 What I Wish I Knew Before I Started#136 What I Wish I Knew Before I Started
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Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/girardier/message2020-03-0307 minLet's Get Practical#135 The Formula for Creating Great Content#135 The Formula for Creating Great Content
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Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/girardier/message2020-03-0207 minLet's Get Practical#134 Let's Get Uncomfortable#134 Let's Get Uncomfortable
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Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/girardier/message2020-03-0107 minLet's Get Practical#133 Why We Build Landing Pages for Facebook Ads#133 Why We Build Landing Pages for Facebook Ads
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Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/girardier/message2020-02-2710 minLet's Get Practical#132 Effective Sermon Bumpers#132 Effective Sermon Bumpers
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Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/girardier/message2020-02-2608 minLet's Get Practical#130 How to Talk About Giving#130 How to Talk About Giving
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Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/girardier/message2020-02-2409 minLet's Get Practical#129 It's Not What You Say, It's What You Do#129 It's Not What You Say, It's What You Do
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Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/girardier/message2020-02-2106 minLet's Get Practical#128 Why the Medium is the Message#128 Why the Medium is the Message
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Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/girardier/message2020-02-2008 minLet's Get Practical#127 Some Surprising Insights from Text Messaging#127 Some Surprising Insights from Text Messaging
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Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/girardier/message2020-02-1909 minLet's Get Practical#126 Three Key Reasons Your Social Media is Not Working#126 Three Key Reasons Your Social Media is Not Working
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Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/girardier/message2020-02-1809 minLet's Get Practical#125 You Should be Fired#125 You Should be Fired
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Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/girardier/message2020-02-1410 minLet's Get Practical#124 How to Deal with Technophobic Staff#124 How to Deal with Technophobic Staff
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Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/girardier/message2020-02-1308 minLet's Get Practical#123 I've Got a Bad Idea#123 I've Got a Bad Idea
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Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/girardier/message2020-02-1207 minLet's Get Practical#122 How to Double Your Email Open Rates#122 How to Double Your Email Open Rates
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Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/girardier/message2020-02-1110 minLet's Get Practical#121 February Resource Recommendations#121 February Resource Recommendations
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Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/girardier/message2020-02-1008 minLet's Get Practical#120 Dealing with Digital Exhaust#120 Dealing with Digital Exhaust
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Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/girardier/message2020-02-0713 minLet's Get Practical#119 Should Your Church Use TikTok#119 Should Your Church Use TikTok
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Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/girardier/message2020-02-0611 minLet's Get Practical#118 Two Simple Ways to Avoid Creative Burnout#118 Two Simple Ways to Avoid Creative Burnout
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Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/girardier/message2020-02-0509 minLet's Get Practical#117 Four Easter Marketing Ideas for Your ChurchFour Easter Marketing Ideas for Your Church
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Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/girardier/message2020-02-0409 minLet's Get Practical#116 Three Quick Steps to Managing YourselfLet's talk about managing ourselves...
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Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/girardier/message2020-02-0309 minLet's Get Practical#115 Personal vs Church Social Media Accounts---
Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/girardier/message2019-11-2509 minLet's Get Practical#114 Dealing with Rogue Ministries---
Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/girardier/message2019-11-1807 minLet's Get Practical#113 Defining Your Visual Brand---
Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/girardier/message2019-11-1113 minLet's Get Practical#112 Why Your Church is Running Out of Content---
Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/girardier/message2019-11-0410 minLet's Get Practical#111: The Four Skills You Need to Succeed as a Church CommunicatorWhat does it take to be a church communicator? Do you need to know to code or design websites? Or should you be a master at giving presentations? What are the essential skills that you need? That's what I'll cover in today's episode.Here’s peak inside this episode:Why technical skills don't matterThe four skills you needHow these skill compliment each other
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Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/girardier/message2019-09-3008 minLet's Get Practical#110: Why You should Create a Brand GuideOne of the my favorite things about church communications is that you get see everything that's going on inside your church. You're like an air traffic controller. You see when everything is taking off and landing. However, with that view you often see when things aren't the way they're supposed to be. Whether it's the wrong font or color or a misuse of your church's logo, you'll see it all. So who do you keep up with it all? How do you make sure that everything flows smoothly?That's what I'll cover in today's episode.2019-09-2307 minLet's Get Practical#109: How to Deal with Sub-brandsEvery ministry wants their own logo. So how do you with all of these ministries wanting to create their own brand? If you're not careful of all these logos can your brand seem like the ads on the outside of a nascar. I believe there's a way around this thorny issue. That's what I'll cover in today's episode.Here’s peak inside this episode:What a sub-brand isTwo schools of thought on brandingWhat path I suggest for you
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Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/girardier/message2019-09-1610 minLet's Get Practical#108: How to Convince Your Boss to Give You MoneyOne of the ugly truths of church communications is that money is required to do the job. However, most of us don't have massive budgets and we're barely scraping by with what we've got. So how do you get more money and freedom to do what you need to do? That's what I'll cover in today's episode.Here’s peak inside this episode:Why you need to learn how to do thisThe two types of leaders you're working withHow to communicate to those leaders
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Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/girardier/message2019-09-0909 min
Let's Get Practical0069: How to Never Run Out of Social Media ContentWelcome to Episode 69 of the _[Ask Darrel](http://darrelgirardier.com/askdarrel/ "The Ask Darrel Podcast")_ podcast. On this episode we're going to talk about how to never run out of social media content.
At some point you might run out of social media content. Or at least you _think_ you've run out of social media content. So today, we're going to talk about four ways you can avoid running out of social media content.
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Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/girardier/message2016-11-1409 min
Let's Get Practical0068: Reaching Generation ZWelcome to Episode 68 of the _[Ask Darrel](http://darrelgirardier.com/askdarrel/ "The Ask Darrel Podcast")_ podcast. On this episode we're going to talk about reaching Generation Z.
Now let's be clear Generation Z is different than Generation Y, and we need to know the difference in order to reach them. That's one of the many topics we're going to cover in today's episode.
Resources Mentioned:
[Generation Z](http://generationz.com.au)
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Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/girardier/message2016-11-0715 min
Let's Get Practical0067: Four Lessons from Vine's CollapseWelcome to Episode 67 of the _[Ask Darrel](http://darrelgirardier.com/askdarrel/ "The Ask Darrel Podcast")_ podcast. On this episode we're going to talk about demise of the social network Vine.
While Vine was popular at it's peak, it couldn't keep it up with Snapchat and all the competitors who dealt with short video format. So what lessons can we learn from this? Listen to this episode to find out.
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Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/girardier/message2016-10-3109 min
Let's Get Practical0066: The Communicator’s Fall Reading ListWelcome to Episode 66 of the _[Ask Darrel](http://darrelgirardier.com/askdarrel/ "The Ask Darrel Podcast")_ podcast. On this episode I'm giving you my fall reading list of books you should check out.
I know not everyone loves to read, but you can't grow as a communicator or leader if you're not willing to read. On this episode, I walk you through a list of books that have personally impacted me and how I communicate.
Also, don't forget that the That Church Conference is coming up. If you want to watch the whole thing via live stream, just head over [here...2016-08-2413 min
Let's Get Practical0065: Design Tools for the Cash StrappedWelcome to Episode 65 of the _[Ask Darrel](http://darrelgirardier.com/askdarrel/ "The Ask Darrel Podcast")_ podcast. On this episode we're going to talk about design tools for those of us on a budget.
Adobe Creative Suite is the standard when it comes to design tools for most of us in the communications world. However, it does come with a price tag and for a lot of us, that price tag is too much for our church budgets.
However, there are some solid alternatives that can come pretty close to some of Adobe Creative Suite's main features (i.e. photo editing...2016-08-1614 min
Let's Get Practical0064: How to Use Facebook Live for Your ChurchHello... I'm Darrel Girardier and I'm the Digital Strategy Director for Brentwood Baptist Church. This podcast is about church communications from a practical standpoint. It’s about what works and what doesn’t. It’s about helping you cut through all of the clutter and noise, and getting straight to the point. No interviews, no hour-long murder mysteries or sports talk. Just me getting straight to the point.
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Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/girardier/message2016-07-2611 min
Let's Get Practical0062: Best Practices for Hiring a FreelancerHello... I'm Darrel Girardier and I'm the Digital Strategy Director for Brentwood Baptist Church. This podcast is about church communications from a practical standpoint. It’s about what works and what doesn’t. It’s about helping you cut through all of the clutter and noise, and getting straight to the point. No interviews, no hour-long murder mysteries or sports talk. Just me getting straight to the point.
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Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/girardier/message2016-06-2713 min
Let's Get Practical0061: Securing Your SystemHello... I'm Darrel Girardier and I'm the Digital Strategy Director for Brentwood Baptist Church. This podcast is about church communications from a practical standpoint. It’s about what works and what doesn’t. It’s about helping you cut through all of the clutter and noise, and getting straight to the point. No interviews, no hour-long murder mysteries or sports talk. Just me getting straight to the point.
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Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/girardier/message2016-06-2010 min
Let's Get Practical0060: Dealing with Being OverwhelmedHello... I'm Darrel Girardier and I'm the Digital Strategy Director for Brentwood Baptist Church. This podcast is about church communications from a practical standpoint. It’s about what works and what doesn’t. It’s about helping you cut through all of the clutter and noise, and getting straight to the point. No interviews, no hour-long murder mysteries or sports talk. Just me getting straight to the point.
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Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/girardier/message2016-06-1317 min
Let's Get Practical0059: How to Rebrand an Exisiting MinistryHello... I'm Darrel Girardier and I'm the Digital Strategy Director for Brentwood Baptist Church. This podcast is about church communications from a practical standpoint. It’s about what works and what doesn’t. It’s about helping you cut through all of the clutter and noise, and getting straight to the point. No interviews, no hour-long murder mysteries or sports talk. Just me getting straight to the point.
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Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/girardier/message2016-05-3113 min
Let's Get Practical0058: My First 3 Years on Church StaffHello... I'm Darrel Girardier and I'm the Digital Strategy Director for Brentwood Baptist Church. This podcast is about church communications from a practical standpoint. It’s about what works and what doesn’t. It’s about helping you cut through all of the clutter and noise, and getting straight to the point. No interviews, no hour-long murder mysteries or sports talk. Just me getting straight to the point.
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Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/girardier/message2016-05-2313 min
Let's Get Practical0057: Politics and Your ChurchHello... I'm Darrel Girardier and I'm the Digital Strategy Director for Brentwood Baptist Church. This podcast is about church communications from a practical standpoint. It’s about what works and what doesn’t. It’s about helping you cut through all of the clutter and noise, and getting straight to the point. No interviews, no hour-long murder mysteries or sports talk. Just me getting straight to the point.
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Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/girardier/message2016-05-1010 min
Let's Get Practical0056: How to Get a Job in Social MediaHello... I'm Darrel Girardier and I'm the Digital Strategy Director for Brentwood Baptist Church. This podcast is about church communications from a practical standpoint. It’s about what works and what doesn’t. It’s about helping you cut through all of the clutter and noise, and getting straight to the point. No interviews, no hour-long murder mysteries or sports talk. Just me getting straight to the point.
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Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/girardier/message2016-05-0213 min
Let's Get Practical0055: Why We Don't Have a Mobile AppHello... I'm Darrel Girardier and I'm the Digital Strategy Director for Brentwood Baptist Church. This podcast is about church communications from a practical standpoint. It’s about what works and what doesn’t. It’s about helping you cut through all of the clutter and noise, and getting straight to the point. No interviews, no hour-long murder mysteries or sports talk. Just me getting straight to the point.
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Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/girardier/message2016-04-1708 min
Let's Get Practical0054: How to Spot Bad Advice on Social MediaOn this episode we're talking about how to spot bad advice on social media.
Sign up today my weekly newsletter! [Click here](http://eepurl.com/6m9v9) to join.
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Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/girardier/message2016-04-1108 min
Let's Get Practical0053: Building Consistency on Social MediaOn this episode we're talking about how to maintain consistency across all ministries when it comes to social media.
Sign up today my weekly newsletter! [Click here](http://eepurl.com/6m9v9) to join.
We're now on iTunes! [Click here](https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-ask-darrel-podcast/id980727799?mt=2) to subscribe.
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Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/girardier/message2016-04-0415 min
Let's Get Practical0052: How to Pitch a DesignOn this episode we're talking about how to pitch a design to a ministry or a minister.
Join The Church Communications Facebook Group! [Click here](https://www.facebook.com/groups/churchcomm/) to join.
We're now on iTunes! [Click here](https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-ask-darrel-podcast/id980727799?mt=2) to subscribe.
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Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/girardier/message2016-03-2814 min
Let's Get Practical0051: Live from NRBThis episode is a live recording from NRB. We're talking about the disruption of communications through social media channels. Note, if you want to skip past all the ads, head to about the 11 minute marker.
Join The Church Communications Facebook Group! [Click here](https://www.facebook.com/groups/churchcomm/) to join.
We're now on iTunes! [Click here](https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-ask-darrel-podcast/id980727799?mt=2) to subscribe.
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Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/girardier/message2016-03-2147 min
Let's Get Practical0050: A Conversation with Katie AllredOn this episode, we're talking to the one and only Katie Allred!
Join The Church Communications Facebook Group! [Click here](https://www.facebook.com/groups/churchcomm/) to join.
We're now on iTunes! [Click here](https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-ask-darrel-podcast/id980727799?mt=2) to subscribe.
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Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/girardier/message2016-03-1437 min
Let's Get Practical0049: Building a Digital Content StrategyOn this episode we're talking about how to build a digital content strategy for your church. [Click here for the show notes.](https://www.darrelgirardier.com/building-a-digital-content-strategy)
Join The Church Communications Facebook Group! [Click here](https://www.facebook.com/groups/churchcomm/) to join.
We're now on iTunes! [Click here](https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-ask-darrel-podcast/id980727799?mt=2) to subscribe.
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Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/girardier/message2016-03-0717 min
Let's Get Practical0048: Facebook's New EmojisOn this episode we're talking about Facebook's new emojis and what they mean for you and your church!
Join The Church Communications Facebook Group! [Click here](https://www.facebook.com/groups/churchcomm/) to join.
We're now on iTunes! [Click here](https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-ask-darrel-podcast/id980727799?mt=2) to subscribe.
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Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/girardier/message2016-02-2907 min
Let's Get Practical0046: How to Manage Multiple Instagram AccountsOn this episode I walk you through how to handle multiple Instagram accounts and how to automate your workflow so that you don't have to duplicate work.
Join The Church Communications Facebook Group! [Click here](https://www.facebook.com/groups/churchcomm/) to join.
We're now on iTunes! [Click here](https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-ask-darrel-podcast/id980727799?mt=2) to subscribe.
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Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/girardier/message2016-02-1508 min
Let's Get Practical0045: How to Brand a MinistryOn this episode we talk about the process of branding a ministry. I'll walk you through the key questions you need ask and why branding is more than just a logo.
Join The Church Communications Facebook Group! [Click here](https://www.facebook.com/groups/churchcomm/) to join.
We're now on iTunes! [Click here](https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-ask-darrel-podcast/id980727799?mt=2) to subscribe.
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Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/girardier/message2016-02-0812 min
Let's Get Practical0044: The Future of Social Media and the ChurchOn this episode I get a little bit philosophical about the future of social media the church. What is the future online campuses? How can we prepare for the future? We cover this and more on episode #44.
Join The Church Communications Facebook Group! [Click here](https://www.facebook.com/groups/churchcomm/) to join.
We're now on iTunes! [Click here](https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-ask-darrel-podcast/id980727799?mt=2) to subscribe.
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Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/girardier/message2016-02-0112 min
Let's Get Practical0043: Hootsuite vs Sprout SocialPreviously, I [did an episode on my thoughts on Hootsuite vs Buffer.](http://darrelgirardier.com/episode-9-hootesuite-vs-buffer-which-one-should-you-use/). Today, I've been asked about my thoughts between Hootsuite and Sprout Social. Both tools are great, however I think one of them is better geared towards churches. Check out the episode to find which one.
Join The Church Communications Facebook Group! [Click here](https://www.facebook.com/groups/churchcomm/) to join.
We're now on iTunes! [Click here](https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-ask-darrel-podcast/id980727799?mt=2) to subscribe.
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Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/girardier/message2016-01-2509 min
Let's Get Practical0042: Rethinking SnapchatPreviously, I d[id an episode on my thoughts on Snapchat](http://darrelgirardier.com/episode-22-should-my-church-use-snapchat/). At first, I was not impressed. However, after spending more time with Snapchat, I'm starting to see the value for churches. While, I still don't think Snapchat is for everyone, I do think it's worth a look.
Join The Church Communications Facebook Group! [Click here](https://www.facebook.com/groups/churchcomm/) to join.
We're now on iTunes! [Click here](https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-ask-darrel-podcast/id980727799?mt=2) to subscribe.
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Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/girardier/message2016-01-1809 min
Let's Get Practical0041: Building a Communications WorkflowToday on the podcast, I'm going to walk you how to create a communications workflow for your church. This is a two part process that can help reduce stress and clarify expectations. Also it is great way to determine where your team is spending their time.
Join The Church Communications Facebook Group! [Click here](https://www.facebook.com/groups/churchcomm/) to join.
We're now on iTunes! [Click here](https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-ask-darrel-podcast/id980727799?mt=2) to subscribe.
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Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/girardier/message2016-01-1113 min
Let's Get Practical0040: Productivity Secrets of Social Media ManagersToday on the podcast, we're going to talk what it takes to stay productive while running social media. It's easy to get overwhelmed with social media especially if you have other responsibilities in your job description. However, there are some things you can do be productive and still run social media at the same time.
Join The Church Communications Facebook Group! [Click here](https://www.facebook.com/groups/churchcomm/) to join.
We're now on iTunes! [Click here](https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-ask-darrel-podcast/id980727799?mt=2) to subscribe.
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Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/girardier/message2016-01-0408 min
Let's Get Practical0039: Dealing with Failure on Social MediaToday on the podcast, we're dealing with failure. Yes, there are moments when things don't go right, plans don't work out and everything doesn't go your way. Those moments can be tough and can wear you down if you don't have the right mindset. So let's talk about how you can overcome failure and recover from mistakes.
Join The Church Communications Facebook Group! [Click here](https://www.facebook.com/groups/churchcomm/) to join.
We're now on iTunes! [Click here](https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-ask-darrel-podcast/id980727799?mt=2) to subscribe.
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Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/girardier...2015-12-2807 min
Let's Get Practical0038: My Top Five Tools for Social MediaWhat tools do you need to succeed at social media on daily basis? Today, on the podcast we talk about the five tools I use on a daily basis to get things done on social media.
Join The Church Communications Facebook Group! [Click here](https://www.facebook.com/groups/churchcomm/) to join.
We're now on iTunes! [Click here](https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-ask-darrel-podcast/id980727799?mt=2) to subscribe.
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Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/girardier/message2015-12-2111 min
Let's Get Practical0037: The Best Host for Your Church WebsiteSetting up a church website can be a daunting task. There are a lot of options out there and if you don't have the technical chops you can easily get lost.
Today on the podcast, we're going to talk about some of the different options you have to host your church website. We'll cover the pros and cons of each, plus I'll give you my recommendation for a host that is COMPLETELY FREE!
Join The Church Communications Facebook Group! [Click here](https://www.facebook.com/groups/churchcomm/) to join.
We're now on iTunes! [Click here](https://itunes.apple.com/us...2015-12-1413 min
Let's Get Practical0036: Are Facebook Ads a Good Idea?Should your church pay for advertising? Well, I think it depends on your goals and how well you can measure success. That's why I like Facebook Ads. It's easy to define your goals (Facebook's process helps you determine that) and you can also measure success.
Today on the podcast, we're going to talk about the types of Facebook Ads you can run and how to get the most out of them. I also share a little bit about our experience running ads and what's worked for us.
Join The Church Communications Facebook Group! [Click here](https://www.facebook.com/groups...2015-12-0712 min
Let's Get Practical0035: What to Do When Your Social Media Account Is HackedGetting your social media accounts hacked can be a nightmare. However, there are few things you can do to prevent getting hacked. Today, we talk about how to protect yourself and what to do when you've been hacked.
Join The Church Communications Facebook Group! [Click here](https://www.facebook.com/groups/churchcomm/) to join.
We're now on iTunes! [Click here](https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-ask-darrel-podcast/id980727799?mt=2) to subscribe.
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Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/girardier/message2015-11-3013 min
Let's Get Practical0034: How Do I Say to No to a Communications Request?Saying "no" is not easy, but it's necessary in order to survive when you running communications for your church. If you don't say no, you end up committing to too many messages and you can flood your congregation with too much information.
Today we're going to walk through how to avoid this. We're going to learn about tactics and strategies that will help alleviate the pain of saying the word "no".
Join The Church Communications Facebook Group! [Click here](https://www.facebook.com/groups/churchcomm/) to join.
We're now on iTunes! [Click here](https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-ask-darrel-podcast...2015-11-2312 min
Let's Get Practical0033: How to Create an Awesome Email StrategyOkay, so I know email is not the latest craze. However, email is an extremely effective tool for communicating to your congregation. If you can create the right strategy, an email campaign can be more effective than a social media campaign..
One of the things I like about the the email is the fact that with the right tools, I can see who opened the email and acted on the call to action. For me, this is a very effective way to measure how we communicate and whether or not our message is getting through.
We're now on iTunes! [Click...2015-11-1613 min
Let's Get Practical0032: How to Supercharge Your Christmas Social MediaChristmas is on the way! So it's time we sat down and talked about how to make your social media the best it can be during the Christmas season.
I believe Christmas presents a unique opportunity on social media. Not only is it a season that revolves around the birth of our Savior, it also gives us the opportunity to show a different side of the church. One that is fun and goofy.
If you're struggling to figure out what to do for your Christmas social media, then this is the podcast for you. In this episode, I'll walk you...2015-11-0911 min
Let's Get Practical0031: Choosing a Texting Service for Your ChurchToday's topic is something that I had to address recently with my church:
_How do you choose a testing service for your church? Why would you need to use one?_
Texting. It's not exactly as exciting as Snapchat or Periscope, but it's an extremely effective tool for reaching your congregation. You don't have to deal with Facebook news feeds or email filters. Instead, you can reach your congregation in a quick and effective manner.
In this episode, we'll talk about why you should use a texting service and how you should go about choosing one. I'll talk about the service...2015-11-0212 min
Let's Get Practical0030: Best Practices for Instagram PhotosToday's question comes from listener Tom Lelyo:
_Given instagram's new image formats, what are the best practices?_
Horizontal images! It's funny how something so simple can cause an uproar. However, I'm glad that we now have a few more options for video and images on Instagram.
In this episode, I'll walk you through what the best practices are for Instagram images and videos. We'll also talk about three additional apps that are a part of the Instagram family.
We're now on iTunes! [Click here](https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-ask-darrel-podcast/id980727799?mt=2) to subscribe.
---
Send in a voice...2015-10-2611 min
Let's Get Practical0029: How to Take a Digital SabbaticalIf you're running social media or communications for your church, it's easy get caught up in emails, notifications, and the constant stream of social media updates. However for a lot of us, we never take the time to slow down and ask the hard question about whether or not we need to take a step back from all of this. Today on [Ask Darrel](http://darrelgirardier.com/askdarrel/), we're going to dive into how to take a digital sabbatical and what the best practices are for you to enjoy this time away from the digital world.
We're now on iTunes...2015-10-1910 min
Let's Get Practical0028: How to Run Social Media on a Part-Time BasisToday's question is something that a number of us deal with:
_How do you run social media for your church when it’s not your full-time job?_
Majority of us who run social media for our church are either volunteers or it's just one of the many responsibilities that we oversee. You might be the student or children's minister,or a volunteer who just happens to understand how to use Instagram. Either way, you've been tapped as your church's social media expert.
Today, we're going to explore the tension between running social media and handling all of your other responsibilities. Ho...2015-10-1213 min
Let's Get Practical0027: How to Run an Effective Social Media Planning SessionToday's question comes from listener Carrie Evans:
_You mentioned in a post about social media that you have monthly content meetings. What does a typical meeting look like?_
Meetings. I can't stand them but they're necessary because you can't do everything on Slack. So in order to keep our web content and social media on point, we have a monthly content meeting.
In this episode, I'll walk you through what we cover during the meeting and what tools we use to make that meeting run smoothly.
We're now on iTunes! [Click here](https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-ask-darrel-podcast/id980727799...2015-10-0511 min
Let's Get Practical0026: Should You Follow Everyone Back on Social Media?Today's question is one of the top three questions I get when I'm coaching a church or a pastor starting out on social media:
_Should I Follow everyone back on social media?_
For some people, this is a hot topic. There are people who are adamant that you should follow everyone back. Then there are some who are much more cautious in term of they're following.
In this episode, I'll share my thoughts as well some experiments I ran on Twitter. With those experiments, I learned some valuable lessons that that you could apply your social media accounts as well.
...2015-09-3011 min
Let's Get Practical0025: How to Build an Online CommunityToday's question comes from Josh Pidgley:
_Should I ever delete peoples comments/posts on our pages?_
Today, we’re going to talk about how to build an online community. Why? Well, if you can build an online community then you can reap some pretty awesome benefits. One of which is a community that helps self-police negative comments on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
In this episode, I’ll walk you through the three E’s of creating an online community. If you can Equip, Empower and Encourage your audience, you can create something really special for your church..
We're now on iTunes...2015-09-2111 min
Let's Get Practical0024: How to Deal with Trolls and Negative CommentsToday's question comes from Ben Borman:
_How do you handle negative comments on church social media? Not inflammatory, but voicing opinions in a negative way._
It's time we talked about internet trolls and negative comments. Since the internet allows practically anything to be published online, you sometimes have to deal with negative content. In this episode, we talk about how to deal with these issues.
We're now on iTunes! [Click here](https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-ask-darrel-podcast/id980727799?mt=2) to subscribe.
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Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/girardier/message2015-09-1411 min
Let's Get Practical0022: Should My Church Use Snapchat?Today's question comes from a conference I spoke at earlier this year:
_Should my church use Snapchat?_
Snapchat... I've made it pretty clear that I'm not a big fan of this social media network. However, I know that Snapchat continues to grow at pretty rapid pace, so at some point it's worth looking at. So while, I'm not crazy about Snapchat, it's still worth discussing whether or not your church should being using Snapchat.
We're now on iTunes! [Click here](https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-ask-darrel-podcast/id980727799?mt=2) to subscribe.
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Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm...2015-08-2411 min
Let's Get Practical0021: YouTube vs Vimeo Which One Should You Use?Today's question comes from listener Jordan White:
_YouTube... should videos be posted under a user and "user/churchname"? Or a channel linked to a business page?_
Of course this question spawned a whole different set of questions. This led me to answering the question about YouTube vs Vimeo. Which one should you choose? The answer might not be as clear as you think. (Don't worry, I do answer Jordan's question.)
We're now on iTunes! [Click here](https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-ask-darrel-podcast/id980727799?mt=2) to subscribe.
---
Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/girardier/message2015-08-1711 min
Let's Get Practical0020: 13 Ways to Rock Instagram like a ProToday's question comes from my mid-year evaluation. When looking through my content for 2015, it seems that Instagram is by far the most popular topic. So, I think it's time we had a talk about how to get the most out of Instagram. So today's question is...
_How can my church get the most out of Instagram?_
Instagram continues to grow at a rapid pace. In my mind, it really has displaced Twitter as the #2 social media network that I think believe churches should be invested in.
We're now on iTunes! [Click here](https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-ask-darrel-podcast/id980727799...2015-08-1016 min
Let's Get Practical0019: Copyrights for Photos and VideosToday's episode is composed of two questions from multiple listeners :
_1. Can I take photos of our church's kids and post them on Facebook?_
_1. Can I download videos from sites like YouTube and upload them to our Facebook page?_
DISCLAIMER: The information in this episode does not constitute legal advice. The listener is advised to check for changes to current law and to consult with a qualified attorney on any legal issue.
This is an area that most churches ignore. Most of the time churches aren't aware of the law. In other cases churches ignore the law for fear of doing...2015-08-0311 min
Let's Get Practical0018: Should Your Church Have Multiple Facebook Pages?Today's question comes from listener Kristy Henry:
_How do you handle multiple Facebook pages for your church? Do you allow each ministry to have their own page?_
This is a tough question. It's tough because you want your ministries to engage on social media, but also represent your church well. In this episode we'll talk about the conversations that you need to have, and what you need to do to ensure your church is represented well on Facebook.
We're now on iTunes! [Click here](https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-ask-darrel-podcast/id980727799?mt=2) to subscribe.
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Send in a voice...2015-07-2711 min
Let's Get Practical0017: How to Get Your Pastor on Social MediaToday we're talking about of the top questions that I get asked.
_How do I get my pastor involved on social media?_
This episode is part my story of how I got started as a digital strategist and part how we work with our pastor on social media. If you're interested in getting your pastor on social media, then this is the episode for you.
We're on iTunes! [Click here](https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-ask-darrel-podcast/id980727799?mt=2) to subscribe.
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Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/girardier/message2015-07-2017 min
Let's Get Practical0016: How to Use Facebook EventsToday's question comes from listener Andrew:
_Hey Darrel! I run social media at my church and was just wondering your thoughts on good event advertising for Facebook. We’ve been creating image posts to promote events, then boosting them for greater engagement, but lately we’ve been considering using Facebook’s “events” feature instead. What do you suggest?_
This episode is a rundown of some tips and tricks you can do to promote your events with Facebook events. We’ll cover seven key things you can do to increase your church’s exposure with Facebook events and seven things that Facebook has p...2015-07-1311 min
Let's Get Practical0015: How to Write for the InternetWriting for the web isn't flashy, but it's a fundamental skill that everyone needs to develop. Writing for the web is different than writing a college paper or any other piece of academic work. However, many of have been trained on how to write for an education setting, but not for the web. In today's episode we talk about key two key things you need to think through when writing for the web.
We're now on iTunes! [Click here](https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-ask-darrel-podcast/id980727799?mt=2) to subscribe.
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Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/girardier...2015-07-0609 min
Let's Get Practical0014: What Should Your Church Be Paying for Graphic Design?Today's question comes from listener Kevin Rutledge:
_How much should my church be paying for graphic design?_
This is a great question! While there's no standard fee chart for graphic design, there are some things to think through when paying for graphic design. We'll cover that in this episode and talk a little bit about 99 Designs.
We're now on iTunes! [Click here](https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-ask-darrel-podcast/id980727799?mt=2) to subscribe.
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Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/girardier/message2015-06-2909 min
Let's Get Practical0013: When Is the Best Time to Post on Social Media?Today's question comes from a conference I recently spoke at:
_When is the best time to post on social media?_
While there's no perfect time to post on social media, there are some things that you need to consider when posting on social media. In this episode, I’ll cover what I've found the best times are to post on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
We're now on iTunes! [Click here](https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-ask-darrel-podcast/id980727799?mt=2) to subscribe.
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Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/girardier/message2015-06-2211 min
Let's Get Practical0012: How to Run Social Media on a Tight BudgetToday's question comes from multiple people:
_How can I run social media on a tight budget?_
If you’re like most churches, you’ve got a really small communications budget and your social media budget is probably even smaller. However, there are some things that you can do to either significantly reduce your budget or do things for free. In this episode, I’ll cover how to keep your budget small and get more out of your dollar.
We're now on iTunes! [Click here](https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-ask-darrel-podcast/id980727799?mt=2) to subscribe.
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Send in a voice messag...2015-06-1414 min
Let's Get Practical0011: Designing Graphics for Social MediaToday's question comes from [Amy Smith](http://twitter.com/runlikeagirl):
_Are people more impressed and more likely to engage in a creative graphic or a more clean, branded look to the graphic? My goal is to create an attention grabber infused with our culture and still maintain the viewer's discernment of our brand. I'm just seeing other churches execute this, some with a more creative style and other very clean. Which is more effective on social media?
We're now on iTunes! [Click here](https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-ask-darrel-podcast/id980727799?mt=2) to subscribe._
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Send in a voice message...2015-06-0710 min
Let's Get Practical0010: How Do You Get Senior Adults Involved in Social Media?Today's question comes from Blake Norris Battin: What is the best way to introduce and use Facebook in an Episcopal parish with demographics skewed older?
Getting senior adults to join Facebook or any other social network is not a simple task. In this episode I'm going to share some of my successes and failures trying to get our church's older audience to join Facebook. I'll also share what I would do differently if I was starting from scratch.
We're now on iTunes! [Click here](https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-ask-darrel-podcast/id980727799?mt=2) to subscribe.
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Send in a voice...2015-06-0108 min
Let's Get Practical0009: Hootsuite vs. Buffer Which One Should You Use?Today's question comes from Andy Hammond: I'm currently using Buffer for my church, should I look at using Hootesuite? In this episode, we cover the difference between Hootesuite and Buffer and which one might be best for your church. We're now on iTunes! [Click here](https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-ask-darrel-podcast/id980727799?mt=2) to subscribe.
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Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/girardier/message2015-05-2412 min
Let's Get Practical0008: How Does a Small Pastor Use Social Media to Disciple His Church?Today's question comes from John Finkelde: How does a small church pastor use social media to disciple church? In this episode, we cover the Taught vs Caught framework for discipling people online. We're now on iTunes! [Click here](https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-ask-darrel-podcast/id980727799?mt=2) to subscribe.
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Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/girardier/message2015-05-1708 min
Let's Get Practical0007: How Can Churches Stay Relevant Online During National Events?Today's question comes from Zaryland Ervin: How can churches stay relevant online during national events? In this episode, we cover six things churches must do to stay relevant during national events. We're now on iTunes! [Click here](https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-ask-darrel-podcast/id980727799?mt=2) to subscribe.
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Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/girardier/message2015-05-1011 min
Let's Get Practical0006: What to Look for in a Volunteer When They Don't Have ExperienceToday's question comes from Nathan Holder: What to look for in volunteer when they don’t have experience. In this episode, we cover three essential elements to needed in a great communications volunteer. We're now on iTunes! [Click here](https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-ask-darrel-podcast/id980727799?mt=2) to subscribe.
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Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/girardier/message2015-05-0310 min
Let's Get Practical0005: What Problems Do You Most Frequently See Churches Trying to Solve?Today's question comes from Stephen Morrissey: What Problems Do You Most Frequently See Churches Trying to Solve? In this episode, we cover four key areas online that churches struggle with trying to solve? We're now on iTunes! [Click here](https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-ask-darrel-podcast/id980727799?mt=2) to subscribe.
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Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/girardier/message2015-04-2609 min
Let's Get Practical0004: How Do You Develop Your Church's Social Media Strategy?Today's question comes from John Amos: How Do You Develop Your Church's Social Media Strategy? In this episode, we cover four essential elements to creating your church's social media strategy. We're now on iTunes! [Click here](https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-ask-darrel-podcast/id980727799?mt=2) to subscribe.
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Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/girardier/message2015-04-1910 min
Let's Get Practical#1 How to Help Your Church Leadership Change StrategyWelcome to Episode 1 of the Ask Darrel podcast. In this first episode, we talk about to help your church leadership change strategy. [Click here to get the show notes.](http://darrelgirardier.com/episode-1-how-to-help-your-church-leadership-change-strategy/)
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Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/girardier/message2015-03-2711 min