Marketing Tips – Some Thoughts
Recently, I came across a set of t-shirt marketing tips from Grok, and to be honest, some of them really didn’t sit right with me.
One suggestion was to post shirts with captions like “Share if you love Jesus” or “Jesus will be sad if you don’t share.” Honestly? That kind of messaging is manipulative and doesn’t reflect the heart of the gospel. Yes, it might get a 60% share rate—but at what cost? We share the truth of God’s Word because it’s life-giving, not because we’re trying to earn His love or trick others into spreading content.
Another tip recommended getting YouTube pastors to promote our shirts at the end of their sermons. That crosses a line. Our mission has never been to turn the gospel into a sales pitch. We’re not here to sell Jesus—and we never want to be the reason someone wonders if a preacher is sincere or just selling merch. That kind of thing feels like something Jesus might have flipped a table over.
Grok also suggested direct marketing—Facebook ads, Google ads, YouTube, etc. That’s a solid idea for the right time. I’ve run Google ads in a past role and know how much time it takes to stay on trend. Right now, our priority is creating more shirt designs and building a strong foundation for the business before diving into that world.
Where I do plan to focus is micro-influencer partnerships. This felt like wise counsel: connect with like-minded content creators—those just starting their podcasts, blogs, or other platforms—with around 10,000 followers (give or take). But the key is alignment. We need to know each other’s mission. They should understand what Patriot Prayer Tees is all about—and I need to understand where they stand as well. That way, we can build a partnership that’s authentic, uplifting, and beneficial for both sides.