This Easter you will get new people. People who God is bringing to your church so they can encounter Him and be saved.
How you follow up with new people is one of the most important factors playing into whether or not they will return. Don’t let anything get in the way of them coming back to you and coming back to God.
Here are 7 things you must do follow-up well with Easter visitors:
1) Capture information – You’ve got to have a way to get contact information or follow up is a non-starter. A traditional connection card could work, but kids sign-in sheets and/or contest sign-ups are likely to yield better results for visitors.
2) Create a pathway – Have a system on file (or on your ChMS) that defines the visitor journey. It should include the steps below in an order that makes sense for your congregation. Follow this pathway for EVERY NEW VISITOR!
3) Email – Send a standard welcome email with general information about your church. It’s a bit “spammy,” but it’s expected, non-threatening, and contains information they might want. Include links to events and connection points on your website. Be thinking, “What’s next for them?”
4) Phone call – If you have their phone number, call them. It’s “old-fashioned” but – now more than ever – it let’s people know you really do want to connect. Don’t make the call desperate. This is simply a follow-up to see if there is anything you can help them with. Be like a concierge with this call.
5) Secondary follow-up – Send another email about 2 weeks after their first visit with a targeted invitation to something that could pertain to them. An invite to a men’s or women’s event, a newcomer lunch, a youth event, anything that lets them know you remember who they are and are thinking about getting them involved.
6) Visitor survey – In the follow-up email, point them to an online survey or a Google/Facebook review that will let them tell you a little more about their experience. If they seem to have been displeased, skip the review offer and just get the honest feedback via the survey to improve your processes.
7) Gift – People love gifts. Consider sending a $5 gift card, a t-shirt, or something memorable to each new visitor. It’s the thought that counts.
Want to discover an even more thorough approach to get people completely connected at your church? Check out one of our most-downloaded Ministry Guides of all time: 6 Easy Steps for Visitor Follow-Up.
