Christine Thomas
Communications and Digital Marketing Professional
About
The Person Behind The Work
My Story of Meaningful Work
I started Targeted Business Support in 2020 because I kept seeing the same problem: organizations doing meaningful, important work, but struggling to communicate it clearly to the people who needed to hear it.
So I built an agency to fix that.
Since then, I've served 60+ clients, churches, nonprofits, and small businesses, helping them build websites, develop communications strategies, write content, manage email campaigns, and create branding that actually reflects who they are.
In 2023, I became a founding member of Clayton Methodist Church and stepped into the role of part-time Director of Communications, managing the full communications function for a brand-new congregation from day one. That role has grown to include technology implementation, CRM workflow automation, staff training, SOP development, and the systems that help a church communicate well long after any single piece of content is published.
Ministry isn't my career backdrop. It's been my life for over 26 years, first as a founding member of Christ Community United Methodist Church, and now at Clayton Methodist. I bring that history, that commitment, and that love for the local church to everything I do.
AGENCY EXPERIENCE
Five Years of Client Communications Work Through Targeted Business Support
Through Targeted Business Support, I've served as a digital marketing consultant for organizations that didn't have one, managing strategy, content, design, technology, and execution simultaneously across multiple clients and industries.
- WordPress Website Design & Development: Designed and launched multiple WordPress websites, including the NC Conference of the Global Methodist Church's full conference site, handling strategy, content architecture, copywriting, SEO/AEO, and visual design. Currently leading the NC GMC Website Program, a conference-contracted initiative to build approximately 200 one-page Google Sites for small member churches across North Carolina. These congregations have limited or no online presence and cannot afford the ongoing costs of traditional website hosting. Building through Google Workspace for Nonprofits keeps the program cost-free for each church.
- Brand Voice & Messaging: Developed brand identity systems, voice guides, and messaging frameworks for churches, nonprofits, and small businesses.
- Email Marketing: Built and managed Mailchimp and MailerLite campaigns, newsletters, and audience-building systems for multiple client accounts simultaneously.
- Social Media Content: Created content strategies and monthly editorial calendars maintaining consistent brand voice across platforms for 50+ clients.
- Print & Promotional Materials: Designed event programs, flyers, church bulletins, promotional graphics, and branded communication materials.
- SEO & AEO: Applied Google Search Console insights, local SEO strategy, and answer engine optimization to improve how organizations are found online, through Google Search, AI-powered search, local listings, and owned digital channels.
- AI-Assisted Communications: Actively use and teach AI tools including Claude, ChatGPT, Gemini, Google AI Studio, and Perplexity, for content strategy, workflow building, and digital marketing, always with a thoughtful and professional approach.
- Communications Systems: Built editorial calendars, approval workflows, content templates, and organizational SOPs that allow communications to run efficiently with limited resources.
CHURCH SYSTEMS
Building Communications Systems That Actually Work
My most comprehensive systems work has happened inside the church, and it goes well beyond writing copy or designing bulletins. At Clayton Methodist Church, I've built the communications infrastructure from the ground up since the congregation's founding in 2023.
Full Communications System
I manage integrated communications across the church website, email marketing, social media, video announcements created using Canva Pro, Google Business Profile, and Realm Connect, ensuring every channel reflects the church's mission and voice consistently, week after week.
Realm Connect & Realm Growth Implementation
I led the full setup of Realm Connect and Realm Growth (ACS Technologies) for Clayton Methodist Church. This included configuring both platforms, managing audience segmentation between Realm Connect for internal church communications and Mailchimp retained for external-facing marketing, and building a new visitor follow-up workflow inside Realm Growth, an automated CRM engagement sequence that maintains consistent contact with first-time guests through the process of becoming church members. I then trained staff and volunteers to use both platforms confidently.
SOP Library & AI Training Program
I've written 10+ SOPs documenting key church communication processes and ministry operations. I developed and delivered a complete AI training program for our ministry council, including a live training session for 10-12 ministry leaders, a PowerPoint presentation explaining what SOPs are and why they matter in a church context, a step-by-step written guide, a how-to video I created showing exactly how to use a custom GPT I built specifically for SOP writing, and a master SOP on writing SOPs. All resources were uploaded into Realm Connect so they'd be permanently accessible to the full team, including several ministry leaders who had never used an AI tool before.
Church Communications Policy & Brand Voice
Developed a formal communications policy establishing standards, approval processes, and channel guidelines for all church communications, creating a consistent framework that operates independently of any one person.
In addition, I created a brand voice for communications for the inside and outside of our church. That brand voice ensures that all of our communications have a uniform messaging style.
GOOGLE E-E-A-T
I Know What It Takes to Show Up Online
From 2016 to 2021, I worked as a Social Media, Search Engine, and Internet Assessor for TELUS International, spending nearly six years evaluating websites, social media platforms, and search results using Google's own E-E-A-T quality framework: Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness.
That work gave me an inside understanding of how Google evaluates digital content, what makes a website credible, what gets it found, and what causes it to be passed over. I apply that knowledge directly to every website, content strategy, and SEO project I take on.
When I tell you a website is built to be trusted and found, I know exactly what that means, because I spent five years evaluating it for Google.
MINISTRY
26+ Years of Active Ministry Involvement
I'm a professing Christian and a founding member of Clayton Methodist Church, a Global Methodist congregation established in 2023. I serve as a praise team member, co-lead the Rhythm with a Reason dance ministry, which I've been involved with for 15+ years, and am one of the founding members who helped establish the congregation from the ground up.
Before Clayton Methodist, I was a founding member of Christ Community United Methodist Church, where I served actively for 26 years, including on the fundraising team that raised the funds to build the church's permanent facility, as a praise team member, and in multiple volunteer and ministry leadership roles.
Ministry is not my professional credential. It's my life. And it shapes everything about how I approach communications for the church.
CREDENTIALS
Education, Training & Certifications
University of Arkansas at Little Rock
TELUS International, 2016 to 2021
VALUES & FAITH
What Guides The Work
My faith is the foundation of how I show up professionally. I believe communication is a form of stewardship, the words we use, the stories we tell, and the way we invite people in all matter deeply.
I work with integrity. I keep confidences. I take initiative. And I genuinely care about the organizations and people I serve.
I'm deeply aligned with the mission of the NC Conference of the Global Methodist Church: Rooted in Christ. Called to Serve. Sent to Make Disciples. That's not language I read on a website. It's language I live by. I try my best to show up BOLDLY for Christ each and every day.
Take A Look At My Full Professional Background
"Commit to the Lord whatever you do and He will establish your plans." Proverbs 16:3
Portfolio site for Christine Thomas, Founder of Targeted Business Support