As you head into these final few weeks leading up to Easter just think of all the people who will be invited to your online and onsite experiences. Imagine all those people engaging and receiving personalized follow-up messages from you. Are you ready?
Transformation will happen through what you share. All you need is already in your hand.
Engage on Easter
When you are devising your Easter engagement and follow-up plan, think path, not menu. Create clear, actionable, rewarding steps. People need a path, not a menu.
Onsite
Think “fun.”
Break down a barrier by asking everyone fill out a connect card and up the purpose. You could say something like, “For every completed connect card we will donate $.50 to our local food bank.”
Or you can offer a draw prize with the connect card as an entry form.
Put a connect card on every seat, including ones that will not be used because of physical distancing.
Connect cards have space for first and last name, email, cell number.
Online
Ask questions and let people answer in a live chat.
Use a bottom scroll with simple, clear calls to action for people to text in or connect with a real person in your church.
Install a pop-up on your website and livestream so people can give you their email and receive a valuable piece of content that meets a truly felt need in the community.
Find every opportunity to give people a chance to raise a hand and say, “I am here,” and do everything you can to start, and sustain, a connection with people online.
Digital bulletins and connect cards are important tools to add to your mobile app, livestream and website.
Simply Texting Idea
If your church doesn’t have an app and you do have a mobile device, you can engage guests and your congregation onsite and online.
Text HELLO to a number. In a pinch, use your cell number. Tell people it’s the church’s text line. I used this method effectively. You can also get an inexpensive text line for your church.
Text WIN to get a chance at winning a prize.
Text JESUS as your decision to faith.
Text NEXT as a way for guests to learn about events and Next Steps.
With first-time guests, be sure you identify what next steps are for your attenders. The most obvious one is to simply invite them back to attend the following weekend.
Be sure to follow up with your guests to answer questions, pray for them, or connect them deeper with the congregation.
Followup After Easter
Imagine all of the new people who will attend your church, or watch your online services for the first time on Easter, and then receive personalized follow-up messages from you.
Get those folks that come to your service 2x a year to remember you and want to come back again.
There are many great follow-up strategies; choose one that works well for your church and your attendees.
Get access to Text in Church free for 14 days. Help more guests come back and encourage more people to grow in faith this Easter season.
Six Steps To Create Effective Connection
Act fast. The quicker you can follow up, the better. Commit to follow-up within 24-hours. The more time that passes between your guest’s visit and the follow-up, the less meaningful the connection becomes.
Engage in person. One of the best things you and your team can do is to meet visitors in person. Encourage your attendees to introduce their guests to your staff or key volunteers. Or, consider having a dedicated, well-marked place or time to connect with your attendees—new and regular.
Ask the right questions. Use the FORM method. FORM stands for: Family, Occupation, Recreation, and Method-of-contact. First, ask about your guest’s family. Second, talk about their occupation. Third, dive into what they like to do for fun. And, lastly, capture a method of contact, like a phone number or email address, to follow up with them later in the week.
Learn and use their name. The simplest way to make a great impression and show someone how much you value them is to learn and use their name. Create a place on your phone where you can record their name and a few details about them.
Be personal in your follow-up. When you use their name and recall details about your conversation, it shows that your follow-up is meant just for them. More work, but it is good work.
Don’t forget the kids! Kids LOVE getting stuff in the mail; it’s so special to them! Handwrite cards to new families. Ask volunteers to write cards to the new kids in their onsite and online classroom.
Praying for your best engaging Easter ever. Questions? Connect at bob@abnwt.com
Bob Jones is the founder of REVwords.com, an author, blogger, and coach with 39 years of pastoral experience. Bob is also an Advance Coach with the ABNWT Resource Centre. You can connect with Bob here.