Children’s Ministry Area
A couple of people (or scaled up depending on how large your church is), should be on the lookout for anyone who seems to not know what to do or where to go with their children. When they see these families, they need to take initiative and ask if they can help. Children’s check-in systems should be intuitive for those serving and for those who are visiting.
It’s vital for parents to see that the children’s area is safe, secure and organized.
Worship Center Entrance
This is likely the last connection point for visitors before the service begins. Make sure that they are greeted warmly and assisted in finding a spot to sit if the room is full.
Clear Signage
This goes for parking lot signage, outdoor signage (i.e., children’s ministry direction, worship center direction, student ministry direction, etc…) and interior signage. Be sure that it is clear for visitors to know where they are to take their children, students (if there is separate programming going on during main services), where the coffee is (this is BIG), where the worship center is and where the bathrooms are.
RELATED: How to Get Christmas Visitors to Come Back
3. During Service and Beyond
Start With Them in Mind
Take some time at the beginning of the service to acknowledge their presence. Welcome them, invite them to fill out the information card, and encourage them to take it to the table (more on that below) where they’ll receive a free gift bag.
Information Card
In order to create regulars, you’ll need to get their contact information. You need an information card or connection card or whatever you want to call it. For us, our connection card is on every chair and is encouraged to be filled out by everyone as it’s our way for people to get signed up for events, submit prayer requests and more.
If you want to follow up with visitors, you need to get their contact information.
Gift and Info Bag
Go all out with this! It will be the incentive for them to fill out their information card and turn it in. Blow them away with the value they receive from this bag.
We decided to include a $5 Panera Gift Card, a customized coffee mug with our colors and logo, an information folder explaining who we are, and a business card.
Below is what the inside of our information folder looks like (just to give you some ideas):
Dedicated Visitor Table
You’ll want to recruit a team of people to be at this table on a rotation so that you have coverage every week. Their job is to make sure that visitors fill out at least their name and email, engage with them as much as they are open to, and answer any questions they may have.
We call this our “Get Connected Table.” Whatever you decide to call it, be sure to get appropriate signage so that visitors know where to go without question.
