‘Tis The Season for Outreach
‘Tis The Season for Outreach
As the holiday season nears, more people are searching online for church than at any other time. Christmas and Easter are the two most significant Christian holidays that garner a sharp increase in church attendance. The holiday season poses an incredible opportunity to invite new members and families to come worship and share the word of the Lord. This year there is an even more unique opportunity to invite new members in because everything is virtual. The virtual church experience lowers the barrier of entry by allowing these individuals to tune in from where they are most comfortable, and it rids them of any anxiety around going to service alone, previous church encounters, etc. Now, it is your job to use your digital presence and community to help reach these individuals and invite them in.
When starting to think about your holiday outreach strategy, you have to first understand who your audiences are. The influx of attendance around the holiday comes from two distinct groups of individuals -- existing members who only come to service a few times a year and new unchurched people. Then, you must understand that the primary goal of your outreach for these groups must differ, as well as the strategy used to reach them. For existing members, the goal should be to convert them to regular attendees and, for unchurched people, the goal should be to get them to visit and attend a service.
Outreach for existing members
There are tons of reasons why members don’t attend church consistently, but the key to converting them into consistent attendees is getting them engaged. When members are actively engaged in the church community, they feel more connected, valued, and purpose-filled, which leads to higher attendance rates. Since these individuals are already members, they are likely connected to the brand in some way and, you can leverage your church’s social media accounts and/or email marketing to re-engage them. Some creative ways to do this is by promoting small groups, showcasing worship sessions and sermons with videos, or sending personalized invitations.
Outreach for unchurched people
LifeWay Research conducted a study that shows of those who don’t attend church, 57% would attend a service if someone invited them. Your outreach efforts for this group should be focused on making them aware of your church and all it has to offer, as well as intentionally inviting these individuals. You want to make sure your website and social media effectively communicate your mission and other important information. Showing member testimonials, using hashtags, and providing information for people beginning their new life in Christ can help to enhance your digital presence. Another outreach idea is to run a campaign where you encourage existing members to invite three friends to a service.
The holiday season is a great time for your church to reach a significant amount of people, but you have to be intentional with your outreach efforts. Your church’s digital presence is going to be an instrumental part of your outreach strategy this year. Making sure your graphics are visually appealing and content is clear and concise is one part, but you also want to make sure you have an understanding of the tools and planning strategies you need to effectively execute. The Digital Church University Fall Masterclass Replay will provide you with everything you need to create powerhouse social media content for your church. Head over to digitalchurchuniversity.com/DCU-Fall-Masterclass-Series TODAY to catch up on the latest.