I remember when my first church had to get a new street sign made. It made perfect sense to consider at that time renaming our church and re-branding ourselves before building out a new permanent church sign.
Here is what our leadership team did and decided.
[Read more…] about Should You Rename Your Church?Today, Yvon Prehn allow me to share her guest post about your church website.
Yvon is an excellent writer and shares frequently on church communications – in fact, that is her ministry.
I’ve benefited much from my conversations with her and her regular newsletter provides all sorts of great snippets. She also runs a membership site that is extremely affordable for churches and ministries.
Today, if we have a question about anything, where do we look up information?
If we want hours of operation, products offered, staff bios?
If we want to know what movie is playing, what time a concert starts, what classes are offered at a college where do we do to find out?
Obviously, we go to the website.
It’s the same whether we are looking up information about what computer to buy or what church to attend.
We judge the organization, its people, and its products based on the website.
If the website gives us winter hours and it is spring; if the sale has been over for weeks or if the hours of operation are incorrect, we aren’t likely to visit the business or have confidence in it.
If the business is a franchise and the website is an obvious template, with little local personalization, we won’t think much about the technical skills (equated with competence overall) of the staff.
Again, we judge a church the same way.
Unfortunately many church websites don’t meet the minimal standards.
Though lost customers may be bad for a business, the consequences for a church are much more serious. Following is an example of what can happen and then some suggestions for change.
Read more:
The article goes on to give excellent tips to keeping up your church website.
In my experience, I still see a lot of churches that make dumb mistakes on their website – stuff that should easily be fixed:
Easter is right around the corner.
Does your church website reflect your Easter services?
Does it promote the post Easter sermon series to help your visitors decide to return?
This Easter, some people might want to visit your church.
This Holy Week, some out of town guests may want to visit your special services for holy week.
You don’t know who they are.
They don’t know where they want to go.
God has given these first time church visitors spiritual thirst that propels them to seek a church.
So what do they do?
They likely search the internet first to find a church website.
Take a good look at your church website.
Would a potential Easter visitor find the basic information needed to attend your services?
What if you are a brand new church with a near zero marketing budget? That is how Brandon A Cox started planting Grace Hills Church in Bentonville Arkansas. Read below as he shares some of what he is doing in social media to get visitors to come to his church.
This snippet on planting a church using social media comes from Paul Stienbruck’s article at the Ourchurch.Com Blog
In a recent blog post, Brandon wrote:
Sounds like a pretty good start.
Brandon included some great tips!
1) Start with a website
“It’s a content hub, of sorts. Sometimes your goal is to move people from social platforms to your site. Sometimes it’s the opposite. And sometimes they simply co-exist for different purposes, but having a hub on the web is essential.”
2) Use Facebook Pages Well
A few key tips:
3) Provide Easily Sharable Content
“You are a content-producing master! … We take our messages and break them into bite-sized pieces and share them as a daily devotional on both our website and our Facebook page… All of the content a church produces can be distributed to the volunteer army of people in the pews to equip them to share their faith, their church, and their story.”
You should really read on for their 5 things they are not doing.
– See more at the original post here.
He’s learned some great lessons.
If you are using social media in your church plant, what is a tip that you want to share? Add it to the comments below.
Then share this post with a tweet or plus one, inviting others to share their tips as well.
The fall ministry season is approaching in the US.
Perhaps it’s time to review the materials in your church welcome folder.
If you do not have a visitor packet ready, you are missing out a great opportunity to help newcomers find their way into your church family.
You can check out this list of 15 things to put in your folder, as well as some more ideas for visitor welcome packets.
Perhaps you’ve encountered an objection like this:
I think a folder like this or little marketing gifts is a bribe we are offering for people to come back. I feel like we don’t need to bribe people. Why do we feel the need to resort to the world’s tactics to bribe and entice people to embrace God?
1. Visitor Welcome Packets are not Bribes
They are a communication piece.
Your visitor folder shares information about your church, and perhaps includes a small token of appreciation for making the effort to come and visit.
If I visit a church, I’d like to know more information about it. I will not learn everything in my first visit.
This packet allows the church to communicate aspects of its program, how you can grow closer to Christ, how you can serve Jesus with us in the community, etc. . .
2. Welcome Folders a Useful Tool for your Visitor.
Just because similar ideas are used in business seminars does not mean we must dismiss it as a worldly tactic.
Speakers speak at business seminars too, so I’m not dismissing my preacher as a worldly tactic.
Rather, these folders become a useful tool for communicating important information about your church to people who are considering their involvement in the life of your church.
Think about your first time visitor for a moment:
Your welcome packet has the potential to answer those questions and in a way that a single Sunday morning service cannot.
These are packets that can be taken home and reviewed in the quietness of a morning, or in a family discussion over lunch.
The primary purpose of the church welcome folder is to communicate information about your church to the first time visitor.
This visitor may have never attended church before.
Your visitor may have been shopping for churches for the last 5 weeks prior to coming to yours.
It is simply a tool to help them in their decision making process, with the caveat that the Spirit of God can work in a person’s life no matter what you put in your visitor folder.
What about church visitor folders? Are they a useful tool?
Did you receive one that was helpful to you? What made it helpful?
If your church visitor doesn’t fill out a connection card, how can you follow up with them?
They have chosen not to fill your:
They have signaled that they wish to remain anonymous.
[Read more…] about How to Follow Up on the Anonymous Church Visitor
Church welcome packets are a great marketing tool to put in the hands of your first time visitors, particularly those who stay anonymous.
I recently put this question out some of the networks I am a part of:
What sorts of things do you put in your visitor welcome packet /folder to give to first time church visitors?
Here are some of the answers.
Add your helpful suggestion of ideas for church welcome packets in the comment field below.
Justin – When we create Welcome Packets for churches we recommend including information about your beliefs, a list of ministries/opportunities your schedule of services, and pictures of your pastor/staff.
Deborah – Hi Chris, We ask for info such as: Are you just visiting or looking for a new home church, or have a prayer request. Basic info, address, phone number etc. Would you like to be contacted by the pastor or home visit. Office hours, service and Sunday School times. Phone numbers etc.
Lawrence – The gospel of John, welcome notes with the pastor’s and church leader’s address and phone numbers to contact in case of needs, the church activities and motto. A gift token and hope to see you again note with Jesus love you.
Matthew – When I was at one church we made a DVD that had people if church talking about the missions vision and values of the church. We also showed pictures and videos of other things we did in the community.
Christopher – Tracts, a contact information sheet, and a church events schedule for the current month.
Nodela – We give our first time visitors gift bags that contain: visitors card to fill out and return, ministry brochure, church administrator business card, pen, pad, candy, monthly calendar, a thank you and invitation note card, prayer card written by my Bishop, a sermon CD and one of my Bishop’s books. On the outside of the bag I place a portion of our mission statement. I then follow up with more information about our ministry and then a “hello” note card for those that do not have a church home. Many have been receptive of this method and pleasantly surprised to receive it. Some have come back and purchased additional CDs or DVDs.
Richard – I’m partial to the Pocket Testament League’s Gospels of John which have the plan of salvation on the first few pages. They’re especially good for New believers Packets.
John – We used to put in a magnet with the church’s name and address and church times for the fridge. Some good candies (Wurthers), a $5 gift card to Tim Horton’s ( or Starbucks for some of you), and a church pen (only use good quality), and a simple short relevant tract.
Nick – I wish churches would include the pastor’s theological positions so you can determine at the front end if you’re a good fit.
Tom – Our packet includes the Folded Cover with Welcome on front, Church Name & Location, Inside: Information card for visitor to fill out and a Thank you card is mailed later for visit. Also, card inviting them to a Daily Telephone Scripture Message, A Bic Clic Stic pen. Many churches give imprinted pens to their visitors.
Lisa – From the perspective of someone who has visited many churches, I appreciate when the packet includes a current church newsletter (so I’m aware of events), a statement of the policies of the church, a bulletin, a name tag, and a snack (one church I went to, Sts. Martha and Mary Episcopal Church in Eagan, MN, offered a snack of M & M’s, perhaps a play on its initials).
Michael – Besides the usual items describing the church, CD of the message and some fun things like coffee mugs and pens with the church logo and some goodies one church includes a $5.00 visa card so the visitor could buy gas for a return visit. This church also hand delivered the welcome packet to the home the next day after the first visit
What sorts of things do you put in your church visitor welcome packet? Add your comments or ideas for church welcome packets below in the comment field.
