FOLLOW UP YOUR FALL FESTIVAL!
Are you one of the many churches doing some kind of fall festival within the next few weeks? Even as I stop to write this blog, I’m in the middle of writing a game plan for two churches on following up their fall festival outreach event. Why? This is prime-time visibility for seeding your Christmas Eve worship and reaching the ever-illusive young families.
Let me explain: Lots of families with kids are about to step onto your church property over the next two weeks. This is a good thing…’cuz its something that’s not happening that easily these days. So here are a few pointers to maximizing your fall event time with them:
1) Have door prizes that require one adult from each family to fill out a slip to win the prize. These slips turn into your follow up list.
2) Make sure you’re signing children into your fall festival activities. This gives you names and ages, providing the ability for the appropriate age-level ministries in your church to invite each child back to an exciting SS class or holiday kids’ event.
3) Create an “adults only” coffee cafe at your fall event. Place info about your “holiday happenings” on each table. Have your friendliest greeters “working the room” meeting and greeting your guests.
4) Within the 7 days after the event, send a “thank you for attending” note or card. Invite them to something else over the holidays.
5) Use these same contacts to send an invite to Christmas Eve service. they’ll be looking for a place to attend Christmas Eve and it might as well be your church.
Of course, all of this is predicated on the premise that your fall festival is done well and your church people are friendly, making guests WANT to give your church a second try.
Stephanie
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Stephanie Caro has been involved in ministry to youth and youth workers in the
local church since…well, a long time – 30+ years. Her humorous, straightforward
style keeps her busy presenting and coaching at conferences, training events,
camps, mission trips, retreats, churches, etc. Her latest books are, “Thriving Youth
Ministry in Smaller Churches” and “99 Thoughts for the Smaller Church Youth
Worker,” published by Group/Simply Youth Ministry. Stephanie is a contributing
author to several youth ministry resources in addition to her regular
column “Smaller Church Youth Ministry” in Group Magazine. Stephanie is a lead
consultant for Mark DeVries’ Youth Ministry Architects and the Director for their
new division, Small Church Ministry Architects. She and her hubby, Steve, live in Houston, TX. All 7 kids are grown and out – praise God!
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Just a suggestion, when I planned Trunk or Treat, or any other event in which I was handing out goodies, I created mailing labels with all of our program times on it… helps parents to know when to bring their kids to the next event, you can use this same idea for any other info you want to share. Just type in one label, copy and paste, then print, have volunteers slap ‘em on the candy or goodies, and away they go, quick easy and great way to advertise!
#3 = genius!