Visitors, pt. 3

OK, if the first step is visiting a worship service, what's the follow up?

This system is NOT in place yet, but here's where we're heading over the next few weeks...
(again, thanks to the book Fusion for helping me put some tags on this system)

1. Someone attends Connections, has a great first impression, enjoys the band, and thinks the speaker is at least tolerable, so they fill out the Connection Card and drop it off in with the Ushers after the service.
2. That person also decides to take us up on our offer for a free book, or other resource, at the Welcome table.
3. A day later they receive and email from the church thanking them for their visit and addressing any specific questions they may have had.
   
4. Before the next weekend they receive a note in the mail that invites them back, gives them information about the current series, and includes an unexpected gift-certificate for a local coffee shop.
5. The person will also receive a follow-up letter one month from their first visit if they have not returned.

If they visit a second time, and fill out the Connection Card again:

1. They will receive another email with detailed information on next steps at Connections and an invitation to meet with the Pastor.
2. They will receive another note in the mail with an invitation to a NEXT STEP gathering, our once-a-month opportunity to get a taste of our community and meet some other folks.
3. They will be placed on our all-church email list to receive our weekly update.
   

If they visit a third time:

1. We will place them in the "Regular Attender" category.
2. We will openly encourage them to join a Connection Group and step into a volunteer position.
   

As we mature as a church we will probably initiate some sort of a "membership" status or class. I'll discuss this in another entry. This step will involve the BIG ASK- inviting them to give financially to our mission.

But there you have it- what I hope to be a simple, efficient and of course, effective follow-up process that gives people enough space to check us out, with numerous opportunities to jump right in.

Of course this process DEPENDS on a few things:
First, that we keep attracting people to check out our worship experience.
Second, that people fill out and hand in a Connection Card.
Third, we actually follow these steps.

Then we see people go from:

• A first time visitor,
• To a "returner,"
• To a "regular" who begins to fully engage with Connections.