This year, I feel like EVERYONE, from big to small ministries, was offering a Lent devotional.

Beginning in late January, I was bombarded with emails about them.

There were ones with certain themes, those meant for very specific audiences like those grieving or singles, and every format possible: books, video series, audio series, and in-person events.
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I almost bought several different ones. But after my Advent mishap, I ended up buying...
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...none of them.

(I actually still don't know what I'm doing for Lent.) ​
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But it means I reviewed a lot of devotionals for Lent.
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And here's what I discovered (which will help you whether you're selling a Lent devotional or not):
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When you're marketing something that has a lot of competition/similarities to others, the main thing that will sell people on yours versus others' is what makes yours different than everything else out there.

(In marketing, we call this your differentiator.)

In the Lent devotional example, it means recognizing that EVERYONE is trying to get everyone to buy their Lent journal right now.

So we can skip the generalities: For example, every Lent devotional (should) help you to enter into the season more deeply and prepare for Easter.

And most probably will help you to pray better or do one thing each day of Lent to grow closer to God.

None of those descriptors make me feel anything. I don't have a picture of what my life will look like on Easter Sunday morning as a result of having gone through this devotional.

But even more than that, as someone who was deciding between multiple devotionals, I found some of the sales pages either not having enough information or spending valuable marketing space promoting the things that didn't matter for "this versus that" decision making:

• How many pages it is
• What materials the book was made out of
• How it works practically
• The original illustrations
• High level "what": i.e. a Lenten devotional to help you enter deeper into the season or "reflections and prayers"

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That information isn't totally unnecessary. But they definitely aren't selling points.

What makes it a selling point or differentiator is saying how you're different in a way that matters to your audience.

And you don't necessarily have to say "We're better than [your competition] because x, y, and z." In fact, that kind of direct reference to our competition could backfire.

But it's simply determining how what makes you different helps your audience.

So is it meant for a very specific audience with a very specific problem?

How will the illustrations draw them deeper into prayer?

How does your specific style of doing things benefit them?

Why will your delivery method help them (i.e. it's audio so if they are super busy they can listen during their commute)?

And then very specifically, what will the transformation be like for them? Paint them a picture of what life will look for them on Easter Sunday after having gone through this devotional.

Jesus did this too. There were a lot of false messiahs at the time of Jesus because the people generally knew that the Messiah would come around that time.

And what does Jesus do? He looks very different than the warrior-like wannabe messiahs (all of whom eventually died out — literally and figuratively).

Not to mention the Sermon on the Mount where He differentiates Himself repeatedly by clarifying the law ("You have heard it said...but I say...").

Everything about Him — from His teachings to His healing to His love of those on the "outside" — differentiates and draws people to Him.

So when you're selling something in a competitive market, lean into what makes you different and watch as people are drawn to it specifically because of that difference.

Oh and if anyone knows of a great Lenten devotional, feel free to send it my way. 😉

For His greater glory,

Emily

Every religious order needs to do this. I know there's a few religious orders on my email list...everyone needs to do this!!! This "day in the life" was so brilliant of how they listed out their daily schedule with photos so that prospective candidates knew exactly what to expect, which is probably a huge question and even hold-up to entry. Read Day in the Life