Easter is coming early this year. And most churches are anticipating a bump in attendance. Are you ready? What can you do to ensure your church is filled? And if it is, do you have a new visitor outreach plan for after Easter? You may think there is still time, but with preparation for Lent and your Easter services, it isn’t too early to start.
Start by thinking of ways to get people in your church to celebrate Easter. The most obvious is focusing on those who haven’t returned since the pandemic. Many may be ready and just waiting for an invite to come back to celebrate. Sending a text, email, or a note providing your church service times and other Lent and Easter activities may be just the nudge they need.
Another group to focus on for your Easter service is those who are most like your congregation. Those who live in the same neighborhoods. With children attending the same schools. People with the same level of education, occupation, and median family income as those already part of your church. This information is easy to plot using a product like MissionInsite. With reports like QuickInsite, you have access to significant current demographic information that will identify new potential members. All the reports utilize the most recent census data, current year estimates, and five and ten-year forecasts for population, households (including family households with children), age, and other information.
Growing your congregation is essential for your church’s vitality. And as your church grows, knowing who is in your seats enables you to connect. And speak to them in a relevant way.
“Every single church is unique because every congregation is different, and every geographic area is different… MissionInsite helps the congregation who generally have no idea about the makeup of the people around them get a glimpse of who’s there and the potential for ministry in their area.”
– Jim Goddard, United Methodist Minister and Consultant
Using data to reach individuals is a smart, cost-effective way to identify the most likely visitors for your Easter services. But you can’t stop there. Once these folks enter your door, you have to engage and encourage them to return. As mentioned above, having a relevant message is one way to have them keep coming back to your church. Another is the programs and ministries you offer. If you are targeting individuals who are “like” your congregation, you should already have ministries that serve their interests and needs. As your church grows, you’ll continue to use your data to identify and offer new ministries and programs to fit the needs of your new members.
Spring is a great time of year. People are ready to dig out from the Winter gloom. So, implementing activities to help with your outreach efforts is a smart way to keep your visitors coming back. And these programs are a fitting reason to keep connecting with these individuals. Make time this week to plan and implement your Easter outreach while you still have time. For additional ideas on activities you can offer in your church, check out 5 Spring Outreach Ideas for Church Events and Easter Outreach Ideas for Churches.
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