Less Clutter. Less Noise.: Beyond Bulletins, Brochures and Bake Sales [Paperback]

Kem Meyer (Author)

Book Description

Release date: March 26, 2009

Simple Strategies for Getting the Word Out

Do you ever wonder why people today aren't getting your message? Maybe you can relate to how they feel--bombarded, skeptical, stressed, overloaded--looking for something amidst the pressure of life that will make a real difference. Your mission is as compelling as ever! But hitting people with more promotions, flyers and brochures isn't helping them find the good news.

What if you could break through the clutter and find the direct route to their hearts and minds? It's easier than you think.

With proven "now" communication strategies--practical solutions and principles that build trust instead of walls--you can make every aspect of a person's engagement with your church simple and more rewarding. Packed with short illustrations and real-life stories, this book is written for leaders in today's attention-deficit world, making it easy to grab, read and use anytime.

When you help clear the path, you help people take their next step toward Christ.

You'll find that less clutter, less noise speaks louder than anything.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Meyer takes a candid look at the stupid barriers that prevent progress and explains how to tear them down. By reading this book, evangelists in churches, non-profits, and businesses can learn to connect with the head, heart, and gut of their customers and employees and then change the world." --Guy Kawasaki, author of Reality Check and co-founder of Alltop.com

"Practical, insightful, even breathtaking at times. If your communications are failing to communicate, this book is a fabulous place to start." --Seth Godin, author of Tribes

"The greatest message ought to be communicated in the most memorable ways. And, Kem Meyer will show you how to do it. This book is both inspirational and practical. A must read for those who care about communicating the message of Christ in the most compelling way possible." --Mark Batterson, Lead Pastor, National Community Church and Author of In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day

About the Author

Kem used to think church was for out-of-touch people who just needed to "get a life." Now? She believes the local church is the hope of the world--it just needs some help. She believes it so much that after a 15-year career in corporate communications, Kem left the marketplace to join the staff team at Granger Community Church. As the church's Communications Director, Kem leads creative, information and technology teams to champion a clutter-free, cohesive and unified experience across departments and campuses.

While her faith is primary in her life and what drives her to achieve more, she doesn't believe in huddling inside church walls. She's an advocate for applying these same principles and insights in businesses, schools, not-for-profits or any organization struggling to find ways to get the word out and, simply, do better.

Join Kem on her blog: kemmeyer.com.

Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: thirty:one press (March 26, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0979589959
• ISBN-13: 978-0979589959
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 0.7 x 5.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (30 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #64,362 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #79 in Books > Christian Books & Bibles > Ministry & Church Leadership > Church Administration
  • #89 in Books > Religion & Spirituality > Other Religions, Practices & Sacred Texts > Ritual

More About the Author

Kem Meyer is the Communications Director at Granger Community Church. She leads creative, technology and digital media teams to champion clarity and flow across departments and campuses. Her marketplace career spanned 15 years and involved roles in the advertising, business consulting, technology and global financial services fields before joining the staff team at Granger Community Church in 2002. She is a blogger, speaker and author.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Cleaning My Clutter March 26, 2009

By R. Wegner

Format:Paperback

By Michelle Wegner

Kem wrote this book brilliantly. She held a conversational style, yet unveiled truths about communicating my message that I had simply never thought of before. With almost every single page I turned, I could think of someone I knew whose business, website, or ministry would be tremendously impacted by putting into practice the things that Kem has to say about simplifying and streamlining .

You should read this book if:

you want to increase the power of your voice by simplifying your message.

you want others to hear what you have to say, but don't think you are being heard through the noise

you are a blogger, a ministry leader, a web-designer, or business owner.

The biggest take-away idea I got from Kem's book is this: Your voice will actually be louder and clearer if you clean away the clutter that surrounds what you are trying to say. "More" is not better-usually ever.

This book is really a pretty spiritual book in that it challenged me to think about who I am at my core, what my message is, and how I am going to convey it to others.

If this book were free, I would gather up as many as I could and hand them out to just about every business owner, web-designer, blogger, or ministry leader I know. Definitely worth anyone's time.

13 of 15 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars I've seen your church. You need this book. April 6, 2009

By Tony Morgan

Format:Paperback

Here are four reasons why this book makes me smile:

1. I'm really proud of Kem. Not only because she's written this book, but because she's shaping how we communicate the Gospel more clearly in churches throughout the country.

2. I've watched Kem live out and lead through all the principles she writes about. She doesn't want you to change your message, but she will challenge you to deliver it differently.

3. Most churches are about more clutter and more noise especially when it comes to communications. I know churches of all shapes and sizes are going to benefit from this book.

4. It reminds me that Kem has my old snowblower. When I left Indiana for South Carolina, I walked my snowblower down the street to Kem's house. Now I have less clutter and less noise in my garage.

What if I told you there's a way to get more people to hear and respond to your message, and you can do it by spending less money? What if it created more time for you to focus on ministry? What if it made life easier for you and your team?

I know you. I've seen your church. I've seen your life. You need Less Clutter. Less Noise.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Much More than Simplification October 13, 2009

By Mitchell Skelton

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

The title for this book is, Less Clutter. Less Noise.: Beyond Bulletins, Brochures and Bake Sales It is authored by Kem Meyer, self styled as one who "used to think church was for out-of-touch people who just needed to "get a life." Now, after having left the business world, Kem is the Communications Director at Granger Community Church.

The main focus of this book is about how churches can be more effective in communicating to our members as well as to the world around us. You would think we would already be good at this, after all, as preachers it is our job to communicate! Realistically, we know that we fall short in this area and because of that our ministries suffer.

Ms. Meyer is a huge believer keeping things simple. At first I thought that her straightforward and practical style of communication was an effort at "dumbing down," actually, it is just the opposite. People are smart, people are also bombarded with tons of information on a daily basis, what about your message demands my attention? Here is a small sampling of Kem's minimalistic approach:

o The more elements you put on a page, the less important each element becomes.
o The more announcements you have from a platform, the less people hear. (I have always said the only announcement people hear is the one you didn't make. Think about it. Mitchell)
o The more brochures you add to the pile, the harder it is for people to find what they're looking for.
o Which communication vehicles in my church or organization are most effective and why? Which tools would not be missed if they were gone? Can I identify communication pieces that exist purely to serve the internal politics of the organization?

The ideas in this book will help you reevaluate how you and your church communicate in every facet of every ministry. Announcements, PowerPoint slides, bulletins, your website, email blasts, facebook, twitter, it all deserves your attention because realistically, it is probably not getting the attention it deserves.

If you are a minister, church secretary, elder, deacon, active church member, anyone who needs to communicate effectively in ministry then this book is a must read. It is also a very easy read, written in everyday language with tons of insightful illustrations that really drive home the message.