Planning church events with high attendance. If you are a pastor or church leader, planning church events is part of your job. Fellowship events. Mission events. Seasonal events. And more. Here’s how to maximize attendance when you do.
Planning church events with high attendance. There is a secret ingredient in planning church events that fuels high attendance.
It lurks beneath your congregational landscape like a giant underground spring. An awaiting gold mine. Gushing oil field. But just like other speculative ventures, you must prospect for it.
And you can’t always know for sure when you will hit pay dirt. You observe. Evaluate the landscape. Look for signs. Make educated guesses. Then pick a spot and dig. Sometimes it’s a dry well. But you might hit a gusher.
And what is the secret ingredient in planning church events that I’m talking about?
Felt needs.
Felt needs are generally represented in areas like career, relationships, health, kids, and finances to name a few. Church events planned around these areas often attract interest. For example, every church study I’ve ever planned on the topic of relationships has drawn a crowd. Especially among single adults.
So let’s get psychoanalytical for a moment.
Planning church events with high attendance. Felt needs are often what people think they need, not what they really need.
Of course you know that. So do advertisers and marketers. And they exploit it by convincing you that you absolutely do need something… the product/service they’re selling.
Think Beanie Babies, Energy drinks, Pet Rocks, Low Carb Diet, and the Hula Hoop.
Advertisers sold consumers on the idea their lives would improve with these products. People bought it…literally. And pay attention to how advertisers elicit emotion in their ads. Why?
Because when emotions are ramped up, rational decision-making shuts down. People buy on impulse because it feels right and good. Not because it is right or good.
How many times have you bought something and later asked yourself: What was I thinking? And the answer is, you weren’t. You acted on impulse.
Tap into the most popular felt need to attract a crowd.
And the winner is self-improvement.
It affects every area of our lives and drives how we spend our time and money. Because it’s important to have the right…
Car
Clothes
Hairstyle
Cell phone
Breath
It motivates people that sign-up for church programs and events too. Yes, I know. They should sign-up because they want to engage spiritually, but that’s not always the reality.
Often it’s because they expect or hope to get something from the event. So when planning church events, focus your marketing message on benefits. Because you need to convince the reader it will add something positive to their life.
But wait, you say. What about when people serve from altruistic motives?
Those who truly follow Jesus will serve sacrificially in his name. But for some, it’s about giving back to feel good about themselves rather than a genuine love for Christ.
Of course, felt needs can be exactly what they appear on the surface. The person buying exercise equipment simply wants to promote better health. At the same time, felt needs can be symptoms of a deeper problem.
Someone registering for an exercise class struggles with gluttony. And the gluttony is due to anxiety… caused by stress… related to problems at work. I know, don’t over analyze everything. But keep in mind that people are complex and felt needs can be the symptom you see on the surface while the real issue is buried under layers you have to peel away.
So the next time you’re planning a church event, ask yourself what felt need it addresses and form your promotional message around it. If attendance skyrockets, it’s likely you hit the mother lode.
Chip Tudor is an author, blogger and professional writer. He publishes books, humorous Christian drama, and thought provoking blogs from a Christian worldview.This blog is originally published here.
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Some people claim Jesus was a great salesman. But I think he was the worst marketer ever.
I’ve been a professional copywriter for 25 years. I’ve written the words…
Simple… Easy… and convenient…
Probably, like a bazillion times in every form of media invented. Except maybe stone tablets.
I’ve been a follower of Jesus Christ even longer. Not just a once a week church goer. But one who studies and applies his teachings to everyday life and leads my family on the same path.
Okay, I regularly fail in my efforts. Still, I press on with an intentional, Spirit-led focus.
So when I read material that extols Jesus as a great marketer or salesman, I don’t get it. I think he was terrible at marketing.
The worst marketer ever
Why?
Because nothing about my life as a Christ-follower has been simple, easy or convenient. Nor did Jesus use those words in his marketing efforts. Or try to persuade people to follow him.
He proposed the opposite.
Sure. Christianity offers one really attractive benefit statement—the hope of eternal life. But it’s an open ended invitation. You can always play the odds, risk it and put that decision off to the last minute.
Beat the buzzer, as they say in sports. And enjoy the best of both worlds. But that’s a separate discussion.
Bad Recruiting Statements By The Worst Marketer Ever
Here are some of Jesus’ marketing statements recorded in scripture:
Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. –Matthew 10:37
Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. –Matthew 24:9
Then he said to them all: Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. –Luke 9:23
In the same way, those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples. –Luke 14:33
The point being…
Following Jesus involves costs.
Wow. Really? Well, sign me right up.
But wait, there’s more!
Sorry, couldn’t help myself.
There’s also, no simple, provable and easy answer on why you should sign up for it. I think God planned it that way.
For me, it has been a challenging journey with some costs. Fortunately, not the ultimate cost some have paid.
Why Follow The Worst Marketer Ever?
On the positive side, I’ve enjoyed some of God’s pretty cool promises.
So why spend a professional career as a marketer myself? Why persuade people to buy products and services that are simple, easy, and convenient and live a life following someone whose marketing message offers the opposite?
Because there’s something undeniably compelling about Jesus. Something authentic, real and genuine. Something that tells me following him is worth it. That he’s worth it.
And it demands a response. First, a decision of belief. Followed by acts of faith.
Internally Marketing Church Events increases your event attendance. Even though ministry is about more than achieving a high attendance at events. More people means more opportunity for ministry. So here’s how to increase your numbers.
Internally marketing church events. Standing out from other voices.
Larger churches offer multiple ministries and therefore, more engagement opportunities for the people who attend them. And for the people who plan and lead these events, this means you must compete for the attention of your prospective attenders.
Because just like the world outside of church life, people set priorities and make choices on where and how to spend their time. And even though your event has the noble intention of contributing to their spiritual welfare, it doesn’t mean they’ll automatically flock to it.
Therefore, you have to persuade people to attend your event with messaging that stands out from the other church ministries.
Internally marketing church events. Knowing and speaking realistically to your audience.
In a large congregation there are many people with a variety of needs. So who exactly are you trying to reach? Is that target audience clear in your mind?
Smaller churches tend to plan events with a general focus and for the entire congregation. But in a large church setting, your events should have a more specific purpose, audience, and message in mind.
And don’t assume people people intuitively know the event is for their spiritual good and want to attend. Instead, market to them as consumers. In other words: WHAT’S IN IT FOR ME?
So position your marketing message from their viewpoint. How will they benefit? Be concise and use bullet points. Especially if you only have 30-50 words in a church bulletin. Your target audience may respond altruistically to a cause, but they still look for an intrinsic benefit.
So don’t recruit church ushers with this announcement:
We desperately need church ushers for our 9:30am and 10:30am church services to hand out bulletins, collect the offering, and seat people. If interested, call the church office.
Strive for a positive, upbeat message that focuses on them.
Do you like meeting new people? Enjoy helping others? Skilled in the art of friendly conversation? Our church ushers often make the first impression on guests. And we’d like it to be a great one! Is that you?
Then join us as you…
Greet people at the sanctuary door
Help them find seats
Take up the offering
Internally marketing church events. Partner with other ministries rather than compete.
As much as possible, support and work with other ministries rather than compete against them. For example, plan a Men’s event alongside a children’s event. And encourage men to attend your event and take their kids to the children’s event.
Then position them as the family hero in your marketing message.
Give Mom a break. Take your kids to this Children’s ministry event and then come to this great Men’s event!
Plan your topic or theme around something that’s relevant to their stage of life. Then promote the event through men’s, women’s and children’s ministries. Why women’s ministry?
Because wives pay attention to announcements more than their husbands and will often champion an event they believe will benefit their spouse and also presents something attractive to them—a night off from the kids.
It benefits the Children’s ministry too. Because now, parents encourage their kid’s involvement. So the two events feed and support one another and present a win-win for everyone.
There are other internal church marketing strategies and methods that will improve your church event attendance. Check out Elements of Internal Church Marketing on Amazon.
It outlines a complete strategy to plan purposefully, market successfully and produce quality church events that attract participants and make a spiritual impact.
About Chip Tudor:
Chip Tudor is an author, blogger and professional writer. He publishes books, humorous Christian drama, and thought provoking blogs from a Christian worldview.This blog is originally published here.
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