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resolution of which could yield financial benefits? True it would be
a specialised marketing problem, to be handled with considerable skill,
discretion and empathy. Lester
(P6)
considers this at some length
and comments: "the Christian faith is largely a cerebral activity,... .
attempts to present the faith in other terms...have never provided
the kind of success the Church could confidently build upon." but
seems to think that something could and should be done, because "The
demand, in one form or another, is undoubtedly there". (McAulay
(T8)
cites examples of successful market promotion being done for charities.)
If it could be done for the Church it could have considerable financial
impact, but for want of adequate time, or available anterior research,
we can only note as McAulay does "People are born into it [the Church
of England] rather than having to join it" and move on.
3.5.4.4
What is the Church promoting?
Perhaps one move worth making is away from the concepts of the
potential market and towards the valuation placed on the Church by
that market segment which is being served. How do the regular and
irregular attenders decide how much to give? Perhaps inevitably we
again find ourselves short on information. The Diocesan Chairman
had "no knowledge of any research into why people give"
(C9)
and when
the point was raised in interviews it seemed to be touching on a
particularly sensitive area. It was not therefore always pursued, but
one line of thought that did emerge was that parishioners may be
genuinely unaware of what it costs to provide Church services, that
when that information is made available (e.g. by stewardship campaigns)
they will respond more favourably, but that they prefer to adjust in
slow stages rather than in sudden jumps. This line must be treated
with caution until it can be adequately researched, but it could be
the beginnings of adapting the product to the customer rather than
