Christmas Eve is one of the most attended services of the year.
For most churches, the night can be both exciting and chaotic.
And often, following up with your visitors gets lost in the shuffle.
That’s too bad because if we miss the follow-up, the odds of us turning visitors into disciples is cut dramatically.
But fear not. In today’s episode, we created a list of 7 tips to teach you exactly how to follow up with your Christmas Eve Visitors.
Table of contents
Give Them a Gift
Who doesn’t love a gift? It doesn’t have to be something big or expensive.
We’ve seen churches give away chocolate bars, Stainless Tumblers, Coffee Mugs.
I even saw one church offer to donate to another local charity in the visitor’s name.
It’s just about making a great first impression.
Visitors make up their minds very quickly about whether or not they will return for a second visit.
If we give them a gift right away, it can set the tone for their whole experience.
Thank Them In an Email
As soon as the service is over, make it your team’s mission to send an email to every first-time visitor. (You did get their information, right?)
IF you can send the email that night, it would be best.
Also, it’s best to send these emails from the pastor’s email address. It’s okay to have people help you get them out, but it will make a more significant impact if it’s from the pastor.
In that email, it can be short and sweet. You want to thank them for visiting, wish them a Merry Christmas, and ask for the next thing on our list.
Ask Them For Feedback
We have found that one of the best things to do in a follow-up email is to ask the visitor for feedback.
But not just any feedback.
You don’t want to ask them about the bad stuff. That can come later.
Right now, you are just asking about what they noticed first about your church.
Usually, this will help them remember a positive part of their experience. At the same time, it will help them to feel like they are being constructive and a part of the community.
Send A Card
A great next step is to send a handwritten card.
Emphasis on the handwritten. No one needs another piece of junk mail in their hands. That might turn visitors off.
Instead, a simple card from the pastor saying how thankful you are that they came out will go a long way if you get their address.
Once again, it’s okay to get help with this from your team. Pastors don’t always have the most legible handwriting.
Don’ Forget The Kids
If your visitors had kids, make sure to include them in your follow-up process.
We love the idea of sending them a card of their own.
We have seen churches get great results when they include a little surprise for the kids. Stickers work great.
Kids love to get mail addressed to them, and this will go a long way.
Build An Email Sequence
Every great follow-up process has an email sequence at its core.
Make it your goal to send five emails in the five weeks following someone’s visit.
Those emails are best if they come from the pastor’s email account, but you should be using a system like Mailchimp or constant contact to send them out.
Invite Them To Something Specific
In all of your communication, make it your goal to invite your visitor to the next step.
This can be a visitor’s lunch after church or a specific class your church is offering.
We have seen so many different events that work.
The main thing is that you have to be specific. Don’t make the mistake of casting out a generic invite.
“We hope to see you next week!” Is not an invite.
Try something more like “I’d like to personally invite you to join me at X. It’s happening on Sunday at 12:30. Do you think you can make it?”
Be specific, and you will see the number of people you connect with skyrocket.
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