RELEVANT CHILDREN'S MINISTRY

Churches across the country hosted Fall Festivals this past week.

As a result, many churches saw first-time guest families walk through their doors. 

Now that the event is over the big questions is - How do I get them to return for a weekend service?  How do I engage them with our church and more importantly see them become followers of Christ?

Here's 6 steps that will help you effectively follow up with your Fall Festival guests.

1. Get their contact information. 
If you're going to follow up with them, you obviously have to get their contact information.  Have a plan in place for this.  It might be having them register to enter the event or a drawing for a giveaway during the fall festival or a photo booth where you take their picture and mail it to them later.

2. Give them a great experience.
Make sure your guests have a blast at the event.  If they have a bad experience, follow-up will be futile.

3. Send them an email.
Send them an email the day after the event.  Here's the email we sent out this year.

Dear Parent,

Thank you for being our guest at the 2013 Family Fall Festival. We hope you had a great time. Christ Fellowship is a family made up of people just like you and me, who come together to encourage and support each other on this journey called life.

One of the most exciting and challenging parts of life is being a parent. At Christ Fellowship, we want to help your kids learn more about God and discover the purpose He has for their lives.  We also desire to come alongside parents to provide parenting tools, resources, encouragement and support.

You can get more information about Christ Fellowship by visiting our website at www.goChristFellowship.com or by calling (561) 799-7600. We also invite you to be our guest at any of our weekend services. We're here for you and your family.

Hope to see you this weekend!

4. Send them a letter.
Another option is to send them a letter with the above information or send the email and then a letter the next week with different wording.

5. Call them.
A short...thank you for coming...if we can be of any service to you...phone call is appropriate.  I would encourage you to keep it light and not come across as pushy. 

6. Invite them to your next big event.
Add them to your mailing list and invite them to your next event.  Even if they don't show up for a church service the next weekend, you may see them return for another event.  Keep planting seeds...God will bring the fruit.

Each Friday, we'll be sharing one bright idea for Children's Ministry.

These will be practical, high-impact ideas that you can immediately put to use in your ministry.

Here's this week's bright idea...

Have an after party for first-time guest families after your weekend services. 

When guest families check-in before service, invite them to a brief after party that will take place after the service.

Have it in an easy-to-access, highly visible location.  Have someone directing them to the location  Have staff and key volunteers in the room.  Have light food or snacks.

Make it brief.  Let them come and go as they please.  The main purpose is to connect with your guests and jump start building a relationship with them.

Have information about your ministry and simple next steps they can take to get connected.

If you'll do this, you'll retain a lot more of your first-time guests and see them get connected into your ministry.

Got a bright idea?  We'd love to share your idea here next Friday.  Just email it to dalehudsoncm2@gmail.com.  One idea will be shared each week.