10 WAYS TO HAVE RECORD ATTENDANCE (AND IMPACT) AT YOUR CHURCH CHRISTMAS SERVICES

Transcription

1 10 WAYS TO HAVE RECORD ATTENDANCE (AND IMPACT) AT YOUR CHURCH CHRISTMAS SERVICES BY 1

2 10 WAYS TO HAVE RECORD ATTENDANCE (AND IMPACT) AT YOUR CHURCH CHRISTMAS SERVICES 91% of Americans celebrate Christmas and 47% of Americans will attend a service on Christmas week according to a 2010 Lifeway Study. That represents a 260% increase from those that typically attend church on a given week (18%). What s even more interesting is that 63% of Americans think Christmas should include a visit to church. So what happens to the 25% of people that say they should attend a church service but don t actually attend one? Here are the 10 best tips to maximize the attendance and impact of church Christmas services: Multiply the Impact Welcome Everyone PAGE 3 PAGE 13 Make Info Accessible Recognize Your Limits PAGE 5 PAGE 15 Personal Invitations Embrace Traditions PAGE 7 PAGE 17 Social Media Cheer Promote Next Steps PAGE 9 PAGE 19 Leverage Facebook Be Gospel Focused PAGE 11 PAGE 21 2

3 MULTIPLY THE IMPACT 1 WITH MULTIPLE SERVICES ACROSS MULTIPLE DAYS One of the best ways to have more impact with a Christmas service is to replicate it across multiple days and times. 3

4 MULTIPLY THE IMPACT WITH MULTIPLE SERVICES ACROSS MULTIPLE DAYS One of the best ways to have more impact with a Christmas service is to replicate it across multiple days and times. Many people work longer hours during the holidays or decide to leave town early to visit family. With multiple services to choose from, it provides more opportunities for people with busy work and travel schedules to still attend a Christmas service. All of the effort that it takes to plan a special Christmas service can be multiplied by replicating it across several days and times. Larger churches that regularly have several services already know the benefits to having more than one service. However, it can often be intimidating for a church with one service to consider having two Christmas services. INSTEAD OF FOCUSING ON THE FEARS OF HAVING MULTIPLE CHRISTMAS SERVICES, EMPHASIZE THE BENEFITS OF HAVING TWO OR MORE SERVICES. Regular volunteers will be able to serve at one service and attend the other with their family. And church members will be able to invite guests to come at a time that is most convenient for them. It s a win-win! For those that have to serve at both services, such as ministry leaders, musicians and vocalists, provide catered food or something special as an extra way to show appreciation. 4

5 MAKE INFO ACCESSIBLE 2 BY POSTING CHRISTMAS SERVICE INFO EVERYWHERE Once the details of the Christmas services are set, make sure the information is readily available in all of church s communication channels. 5

6 MAKE INFO ACCESSIBLE BY POSTING CHRISTMAS SERVICE INFO EVERYWHERE Once the details of the Christmas services are set, make sure the information is readily available in all of the church s communication channels. WEBSITE Christmas service information should be easy to find on the church homepage and events calendar. Include details about children s ministry and activities along with other unique aspects of the Christmas services. Be sure to answer all of the foundational questions: Who? What? Where? When? Why? Then include other information that might be helpful for someone visiting the church for the first time. Consider adding photos from past years or videos that will give guests a sense for what to expect and build anticipation. SOCIAL MEDIA Schedule regular posts on the church s social media accounts that link to all of the details and provide reminders to members to invite a friend. Use the church s list and newsletter to send reminders and encourage members to volunteer for one of the services. Make sure it doesn t get lost in the clutter and send a separate specifically about the Christmas services to ensure the maximum number of people see it. CHURCH SIGN If the church has an outdoor sign or if a temporary one can be placed near the road, post the church Christmas service times two to three weeks in advance so that people driving by can see the information and be reminded. Since people will be passing by at a high speed, the less information the better. Just provide enough to peek their interest and then provide a website address with all of the information. MAILER Even though snail mail is old-fashioned, people still look through it. If the church has a specific community they are trying to reach, send a mailer to those nearby that invites them to attend one of the Christmas services. Design the card with those in the community in mind. Be sure to send it three weeks in advance to ensure it arrives in plenty of time. There is nothing worse than receiving a promo card after the event has already passed. PHONE RECORDINGS Update the church s phone recording to include the Christmas service information so that if someone calls during off hours, they will be able to get the service time information and be re-directed to the church website that contains more information. 6

7 PERSONAL INVITATIONS 3 BY MEMBERS TO THEIR FAMILY AND FRIENDS One of the best ways to increase church attendance for Christmas services is to encourage members to personally invite family, friends, neighbors and co-workers. Word of mouth is still the best marketing strategy. 7

8 PERSONAL INVITATIONS BY MEMBERS TO THEIR FAMILY AND FRIENDS One of the best ways to increase church attendance for Christmas services is to encourage members to personally invite family, friends, neighbors and co-workers. Word of mouth is still the best marketing strategy. Consider handing out invite cards to church members. Encourage them to keep the cards with them as a reminder to invite their friends and co-workers. EVEN IF THEY DON T ACTUALLY USE THE INVITE CARD WHEN THEY ARE INVITING SOMEONE, HAVING IT AROUND THEIR CAR, HOUSE OR WORKPLACE WILL REMIND THEM TO INVITE PEOPLE. Plus if they have a great conversation with someone and invite someone to attend, they can give them the card afterwards. 8

9 SOCIAL MEDIA CHEER 4 SPREAD SOME AROUND The possibilities for spreading social media cheer are nearly endless. Be creative and leverage social media in some way. 9

10 SOCIAL MEDIA CHEER SPREAD SOME AROUND The possibilities for spreading social media cheer are nearly endless. Be creative and leverage social media in some way. PERSONALIZED VIDEO INVITES One year we created a special video invitation that people in our church could send to their friends that would place their friend s name in the video. This was very successful and provided an easy way for people to invite friends to our Christmas services with custom URLs. SHAREABLE SOCIAL MEDIA GRAPHICS Shareable graphics that include the church name, christmas theme, service times, and website address are great tools for people to share with their friends on social media. Christmas themed Scripture verses on top of images with the church logo can be effective too. INTERACTIVE SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS Engage the church s followers on social media with interactive social media posts. Here are a few ideas: Ask the followers questions, ask them to post photos of something related to their Christmas traditions, create polls or have a social media contest with a prize. PHOTO BACKDROP AT CHURCH Create a visually appealing scene or backdrop and include the church s name in a clever way. Then have signage that informs people they will be entered into a contest if they take a photo in front of the backdrop, post it on social media and tag the church. Make sure it is setup in the lobby several weeks leading up to Christmas and encourage people to share their photos. FREE EBOOK DOWNLOAD Design a free ebook related to Christmas and make it available for download on the church website. The ebook might be about Christmas traditions, activities, recipes or even a devotional for the Christmas season. When someone goes to the page to download it, just prompt them for their address so it can be sent to them. Create a nurture campaign that will send several s encouraging them to utilize the ebook and reminding them of the Christmas services. FREE SONG GIVEAWAY If the church has Christmas songs that have been recorded, consider making one available for free. Share it on social media and direct people to a page where they provide their address to receive the song. Create a nurture campaign and remind them of the Christmas services. Be sure to have the necessary permission and licenses to legally give the song recording away. 10 The possibilities of leveraging social media to engage a community are endless. Share your best idea on social media so we can inspire each other. On Twitter or post on the Johnny Flash Productions Facebook page.

11 LEVERAGE FACEBOOK 5 TARGETED ADS & REMARKETING Facebook has created numerous ways to do very targeted advertising on their site without breaking the bank. 11

12 LEVERAGE FACEBOOK TARGETED ADS AND REMARKETING Facebook provides numerous ways to create very targeted advertising on their site without breaking the bank. It s possible to only target users within a few miles of the church that are most similar to the types of people that attend the church. There is also a feature called the Facebook pixel which can be embedded on the church website so that the church can market only to the people on Facebook that have been to the church s website. RETARGETING THOSE PEOPLE DRAMATICALLY LOWERS THE COST OF ADVERTISING AND INCREASES THE LIKELIHOOD THOSE PEOPLE MOST INTERESTED IN THE CHURCH WILL ATTEND. Learn more from the Facebook Pixel Implementation Guide: bit.ly/thefbpixelguide 12

13 WELCOME EVERYONE 6 DESIGN CHRISTMAS SERVICES WITH GUESTS IN MIND I talk with church leaders all of the time and they all say their church is welcoming and would welcome whoever comes in the doors. While I m sure they mean that with all sincerity, the reality is that many churches have a very insider way of operating. 13

14 WELCOME EVERYONE DESIGN CHRISTMAS SERVICES WITH GUESTS IN MIND I talk with church leaders all of the time and they all say their church is welcoming and would welcome whoever comes in the doors. While I m sure they mean that with all sincerity, the reality is that many churches have a very insider way of operating. Churches expect guests to know the lingo and the way they operate or at least be able to figure it out. However, often times churches could make it easier for guests by clearing up the confusion. Here are a few areas to consider: PARKING Make sure there is plenty of parking and there are volunteers directing cars to maximize parking efficiently. The parking volunteers serve as the first face guests will see and should be friendly and helpful. If parking is limited, consider asking regular guests to park further away or in a satellite parking lot and provide a shuttle for them to get to the church. HOSPITALITY Beyond the parking lot, there should be plenty of friendly greeters at the doors and key locations throughout the building to assist guests. Volunteers who serve regularly in this way should be able to spot who looks like they are attending for the first time and who is a regular attender. When they see someone that may need assistance, they can offer to assist them. SIGNAGE Imagine visiting a shopping mall for the very first time. In order to find a specific store, the signage and maps would be the first thing consulted in order to understand the layout. After going there several times, it would no longer be necessary to consult the map or signage but the signage remains in place for other new people that will shop there for the first time. In the same way, make sure there is very clear signage for first time visitors. Make it easy for them to find Children s Ministry, the restrooms, the worship center, the information desk and other places they will be trying to go for the first time. SEATING Since there will be an increased number of people attending the Christmas services, make sure there is a contingency plan for overflow seating. Leverage ushers to help ensure that all the seats are utilized. Some churches will even close off, dim or drape the back seats so that people are forced to sit in the front seats first. Then open the back seats for those straggling in late. SPECIAL ELEMENTS Plan creative elements that will engage people with different learning styles and tastes in the Christmas experience. Think about the transitions and rehearse them to make sure they are smooth, efficient and distraction free. There s nothing worse after a creative element or special moment in the service than an awkward or long transition. 14

15 RECOGNIZE YOUR LIMITS 7 BUDGET, TALENT, TIME AND VOLUNTEERS Every church has various limits, so it s important to plan something that will maximize the resources available without putting a huge strain on them. 15

16 RECOGNIZE YOUR LIMITS BUDGET, TALENT, TIME, AND VOLUNTEERS The Christmas season is usually a very busy time for church staff, volunteers, members and the community. Although there are many things that can be done to make the Christmas services amazing, be sure to recognize the limits. Every church has various limits (budget,, talent, time, volunteers, etc.), so it s important to plan something that will maximize the resources available without putting a huge strain on them. WHAT IS WITHIN REASON FOR ONE CHURCH MAY BE TOO TAXING ON ANOTHER CHURCH TO PULL OFF. BE YOURSELF. Make sure you know your limits and those of your team. Give team members opportunities to re-charge or sub-out to keep them from stressing out. 16

17 EMBRACE TRADITIONS 8 CHANGE THINGS UP FROM THE TYPICAL SERVICE Church leaders often stress about how different or not different their Christmas services are from their normal worship services. 17

18 EMBRACE TRADITIONS CHANGE THINGS UP FROM THE TYPICAL SERVICE. Church leaders often stress about how different or not different their Christmas services are from their normal worship services. Christmas is a unique time of year and it s okay to embrace traditions during this time. Whether that s singing hymns, doing an acoustic set, lighting candles or {insert your Christmas tradition here}, it s okay to change things up. CONSIDER CREATING NEW TRADITIONS THAT WORK IN OLD TRADITIONS TO BUILD MOMENTUM AND ENTHUSIASM. 18

19 PROMOTE NEXT STEPS 9 UTILIZE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE VISITORS For many people attending the Christmas service, this will be the only opportunity the church has to easily communicate with them face to face. 19

20 PROMOTE NEXT STEPS UTILIZE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE VISITORS For many people attending the Christmas service, this will be the only opportunity the church has to easily communicate with them face to face. THERE S A GOOD POSSIBILITY VISITORS WILL CHOOSE TO ATTEND A CHRISTMAS SERVICE AND NOT COME BACK THE NEXT WEEK. So encourage the next step in their journey. Whether that s accepting Christ in the service, coming back next week for a new series that relates to them, or taking some other small step to nurture their faith journey, be sure to be intentional about promoting those next step opportunities. Especially think about those that are far from God that will show up at a Christmas service because of the invitation of a family member or friend. How will the church help them grow in their walk toward Jesus beyond hearing a sermon? 20

21 BE GOSPEL FOCUSED KEEP JESUS AT THE CENTER OF IT ALL All of these tips are great, if the main thing stays the main thing

22 BE GOSPEL FOCUSED KEEP JESUS AT THE CENTER OF IT ALL All of these tips are great, if the main thing stays the main thing. Don t let the extra planning and programming water down the Gospel message or squeeze out time for God. Christmas is about a Savior coming down to earth because we are all in need of Him. Don t let the underlying message of Christ be missed because of the other things going on. Remember to have times of prayer when planning, preparing and rehearsing. Think about the experience that is being creating and the priority different elements have within the Christmas service. PRIORITIZE PEOPLE OVER PROGRAMS. EMPHASIZE ENGAGEMENT OVER ENTERTAINMENT. SHARE STORIES & TELL TRUTH. Most of all, keep God s love at the center. His name is Jesus. 22

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