When assessing a church’s communications ministry, I often start by stepping into the building on a Sunday morning. I’m seeking the story of what makes your church unique. Where is your passion? How is your church engaged in the community? My goal is to ultimately determine how well your message conveys the answers to these questions.
Based on experience, the rack of church brochures is an effective gauge to measure the overall health of communications ministry at a church. With one quick glance, I’m able to see if a methodology is in place to oversee consistency, content, and messaging. Ultimately, your rack of brochures is telling a story to first time visitors: Continue Reading…
One of the greatest missed opportunities that churches overlook is with the online church shopper. Unfortunately, most churches aren’t paying attention to their website analytics. For most mainline American churches, traffic reports, or analytics, will tell you a story – a significant amount of your website traffic, in some cases most, is coming from the first time visitor seeking a new church home.
Let me first define what I mean by online church shopper. The typical online church shopper is either an individual or couple that has recently moved to a community and is seeking a new church home, or it’s an individual or couple who feels wronged or is unhappy with their current church and is seeking a new church home. Continue Reading…
For a number of years, I’ve been fascinated by the idea of how the work of web architects and building architects merge. Meaning, how do we translate the visual cues that the visitor may experience on your website to the physical architecture of your building? Cracking this nut creates an enormous opportunity for churches.
In 2007, I had the opportunity to sit-in on the keynote presentation at the IA Summit in Las Vegas. Joshua Prince-Ramus was the speaker, he’s an acclaimed architect who has worked on such buildings as the AT&T Performing Arts Center in Dallas and the Seattle Central Library. Prince-Ramus shared how he used data visualization analysis to develop the design for the Seattle Central Library project – meaning, the architectural blueprint of the building is the visual representation of data collected. Continue Reading…
A few years back, my father retired after 40 years of ministry. For much of his career he was responsible for evangelism at various churches around the country. A key tool that he relied on heavily was the first time visitor card. You know, that index-size-card stuffed in the back of the pew, or for some that slip of paper you use to take notes. Well, for many churches around the country, it’s the single-most important means of following up with first time visitors. And for the sake of this post, let’s include the first time visitor pads passed up-and-down pews each Sunday — a hybrid of the visitor card.
89% of people will not share their details with companies with which they do not have any relationship unless this is strictly necessary.
I remember my father bringing home a stack of first time visitor cards after each Sunday service. Throughout the week, he would meticulously call each person to invite them back to church and seek ways to assimilate them into the life of the congregation. Well, things have changed. In recent weeks, I’ve come to the conclusion that those churches still reliant on first time visitor cards are fighting an uphill battle.
Research from the fast.MAP / Direct Marketing Association (DMA) May 2010 Data Tracker revealed 89% of people will not share their details with companies with which they do not have any relationship unless this is strictly necessary. That’s not good news for churches hoping to connect with first time visitors.
As the demand for high quality data has grown so has the public’s skepticism, and the willingness to share the details of their life. Twenty years ago, we weren’t too concerned about sharing a phone number. Then came unsolicited phone calls and spam. Now we hold tight to our privacy. As we should.
It’s time to rethink the first time visitor card … and many forward thinking churches have already. Just beginning my hunt for a better mousetrap, I’m not convinced that the answer is a card, pad or other similar tool. I do know the answer lies in our willingness to first build a relationships of trust. Seekers, church shoppers, first time visitors, or whatever term you prefer — people are tired of church websites and advertising that over promises and under-delivers. It’s going to take sweat equity and radical evangelism.
How is your church rethinking the first time visitor card?
Image is available from the United States Library of Congress’s Prints and Photographs division under the digital ID ppmsca.03199.
Best described as a tech-toting evangelist for web and social media, Matt Carlisle consults with non-profits and faith groups to make the necessary changes to fully embrace new media.
When assessing a church’s communications ministry, I often start by stepping into the building on a Sunday morning. I’m seeking the story of what makes your church unique. Where is your passion? How is your church engaged in the community? My goal is to ultimately determine how well your message conveys the answers to these questions. 
One of the greatest missed opportunities that churches overlook is with the online church shopper. Unfortunately, most churches aren’t paying attention to their website analytics. For most mainline American churches, traffic reports, or analytics, will tell you a story – a significant amount of your website traffic, in some cases most, is coming from the first time visitor seeking a new church home.
