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1. Start Greeting Visitors in The Parking Lot
First-time visitors won’t know where to park. And, spaces may be hard to come by on Easter Sunday. Regardless of the size of the church, directional signage and visitor parking signs are necessary to help visitors. Also, if you have a large parking facility, it may be helpful to have volunteers out there to assist the elderly, disabled, and families with young children.
2. Have Greeters at Every Door
The value of a friendly hello is invaluable when visitors are entering a church they have never attended before. While preparing for Easter service, meet with your volunteers before Easter to discuss the importance of exhibiting a warm and inviting presence. Make sure they are well-informed about your church and where things are located so they can better serve your visitors. If you have multiple Easter activities planned, consider using online registration forms to easily let your members sign up and to streamline your volunteer registration process.
3. Set Up a Visitor Center Near the Entries
Walking into a new place can be overwhelming. Give visitors a starting place by setting up a central location where visitors can learn more about your church, ask where things are located, or talk with someone about their faith. It doesn’t have to be elaborate, but the center should always have a person staffing it and should include information about your church. A Visitor Center is also a good place to set up a child check-in station for your children’s ministry. Visitors will love knowing that their kids are safe and that they will receive text updates if anything happens.
4. Have Ushers in the Worship Area
When your visitors make it to the worship center, have ushers there to help them quickly find a seat. Because they’ve never been there before, visitors may be tempted to sit far away and stay to themselves. Ushers can help them find a good seat so they’ll be able to see and hear everything. They can also introduce visitors to members sitting around them to help them feel more at home.
5. Clearly Identify Staff and Volunteers
Don’t make your visitors guess who your staff and volunteer members are. Have your staff and volunteers wear nametags, matching t-shirts, or lanyards to make them easily identifiable. This makes them more approachable to new visitors who may have questions or need help.
6. Encourage Your Congregation to Connect with Visitors
Visitors are more likely to return to a friendly church than one where they feel unwelcomed. So, take the time to remind members before Easter Sunday to be hospitable and start up a conversation with visitors when they see them.
7. Explain the Parts of Your Service That Guests May Not Understand
All churches do things a bit differently. And, it’s unlikely that your guests are going to know what’s going on at all times. Take the time to explain different parts of your service, such as Easter communion, so your guests don’t feel left out.
8. Host a Meet and Greet
After service, invite visitors to meet your church staff. This gives them the chance to learn names and make connections. Also, it provides an opportunity to ask any questions they have about the church, Easter, or Christianity in general.
9. Keep Contact Cards Short and Simple
Contact cards often ask for too much information. This makes visitors unlikely to read them and even less likely to fill them out. Try asking for just a name and email address. Additional information can be collected later on. Let the guests know in the service that they will receive a follow-up email and they can decide how much interaction they want from there.
10. Reach Out the Next Day
Make sure to follow up quickly with your visitors. In an email, thank your visitors for choosing to celebrate Easter with your church and make sure to invite them back. Then ask if they would like any additional follow-up, such as a visit, phone call, or more information about a specific ministry. Using a simple Church Management system, like easyTithe Plus, allows you to send out emails and text messages to specific groups easily and even lets you track their interactions.
Need help preparing for Easter? easyTithe Plus offers a simple, powerful church management solution to help track attendance and organize your visitor information. Visit easyTithe Plus today for your 30-day Free Trial!
