Every pastor knows that Easter and Christmas are two Sundays that are most likely to attract the unchurched and the de-churched to attend. You probably have given thought to your Easter services already, since we’re just a few weeks away.
Between now and Easter you’ll probably
brainstorm ideas
decorate the Sanctuary
rehearse special music or programs
recruit prayer warriors
pray God does something great
But have you built systems to capture what God does? Or will your guests who walk through your door that Sunday… walk back out until next Easter? What can you do to keep from wasting the big day? Here are four ideas you need to think about in advance:
1. Capture their information.
As I’ve written before, one of the biggest regrets I have about some of my early outreach efforts, was that I didn’t know the power of harvesting information. Without the ability to continue the conversation, those one-time guests… slip through your fingers. One of the best ways to show concern and care is to get someone’s info and keep the conversation going. When you get someone’s info, you’re practicing what Seth Godin calls Permission Marketing
. It’s the permission to continue the conversation, to build trust. Whether it’s a pastoral visit, a text, a phone call, or a personal note, you’re working on the relationship.
And if you’re going to keep working on it, the core of a guest follow-up strategy is your connection card.
If you need one designed for you, why don’t you let me do it?
How?
One week from today, I am launching “7 Steps to a Killer Guest Follow-Up System” coaching!
It’s a 60-day coaching program that teaches you how to keep more of your guests and follow up with them effectively. That coaching program includes:
an e-book that will walk you through the steps for setting up a guest follow-up
10-minute weekly coaching videos on each step
1 hour weekly assignments until you’re up and rolling
helpful checklists & volunteer job descriptions
Tons of done-for-you resources you can edit
Your very own guest follow-up card
and lots more!
CLICK HERE to be notified as SOON as it’s available!
2. Give them something to come back for.
I know that God has to draw them to Jesus… but He may want to use your plan to do it! So plan to give them every reason to come back!
Start a new series on Easter, or the Sunday after. Announce it on Easter.
Have promotional materials available for that next series.
Schedule a church dinner the following week.
Do a 30-day Church Attendance Challenge.
This is going to take pre-planning. Look over the graphic designs (paid and free) on CreationSwap.com. Get someone to design a postcard or series graphic for you on Fiverr. Get it printed up in advance with GotPrint.com or VistaPrint.com.
3. Follow up on them intentionally.
What kind of contact do you have with your 1st time guests through the week after they visit? For many churches, the basic plan is, “Give them a generic pencil, and tell them we hope they come back soon.”
You’re going to need a more intentional, on-purpose plan. How about one that:
Captures their information consistently.
Follows up with multiple touches – email, letter, gift, phone call, text
Tracks what you’ve done and keeps people from getting “lost”
Helps you follow up for 4 straight weeks, whether they return or not!
That’s what my “7 Steps to a Killer Guest Follow-Up System” Coaching teaches you to do… and tons of the work is already done for you!
4. Have something ready for those who decide to follow Jesus.
This is something I used to do better. Lately, I’ve dropped the ball, and it’s time for me to pick it back and up and run. So I’m in the process of re-working our New Believer Packet. When I’m done, it will include:
A Bible in a readable translation (not everyone has one!)
a letter from the pastor
an encouraging message on DVD
a helpful booklet on getting started as a Christian
It doesn’t have to be perfect. But you should have a plan!
If you believe that God is going to answer your prayers and send the rain, shouldn’t you bring an umbrella?
If you believe that God is going to send the rain, shouldn’t you bring an umbrella?