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Following Up on First-Time Guests

Following Up on First-Time Guests. Ken Braddy LifeWay Christian Resources Manager, Adult Ongoing Bible Studies (And recent first-time guest at multiple churches). Principles of Follow-Up. Principle #1 – You can be too aggressive in your follow-up.

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Following Up on First-Time Guests

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  1. Following Up on First-Time Guests Ken Braddy LifeWay Christian Resources Manager, Adult Ongoing Bible Studies (And recent first-time guest at multiple churches)

  2. Principles of Follow-Up

  3. Principle #1 – You can be too aggressive in your follow-up • Attenders at your church are on a “blinddate” – they don’t know what to expect and are often very anxious • Don’t ask them to “marry” your church too fast – that will ruin the “courtship”

  4. Principle #2 – Contact by church members is better than contact by staff A survey indicates that the impact of a home visit is reduced by approximately 50% when made by a church staff member rather than people from a Sunday School class! 5 Handles for Getting A Grip on Your Sunday School, p. 10

  5. Principle #3 – The sooner you make a visit, the more likely guests are to return • A survey indicates that: • If visited in the home within 36 hours, first-time guests return 85% of the time • If visited in the home within 72 hours, first-time guests return 60% of the time • If visited in the home 7 days after the initial visit, only 15% of first-time guests return the next week 5 Handles for Getting a Grip on Your Sunday School, p.10

  6. Principle #4 – Think of follow-up in terms of a marathon, not a sprint • The average family is now visiting a church (or churches) for 18 months before committing to join (Membership Matters, p.95) • Patience and follow-up are the keys to moving people from being attenders to being members

  7. Principle #5 – Sunday School classes must do the bulk of follow-up • Relationships are key to retaining people who visit • The more contact a guest has with his/her class of peers, the better the chance of retaining them • Between 65-90% of people first come to the church through the encouragement of a relationship (Membership Matters, p.48)

  8. Principle #6 – Get guests for a month and you may get them for life • 10% of all first-time guests will become members • 25% of all second-time guests will become members • 45% of all third-time guests will become members This applies if the visits are on consecutive Sunday mornings (Source: The Outreach Marketing Road Show, Dallas, TX, Sept. 2006)

  9. Purpose of Follow-up Stay focused on these 8 goals

  10. The 8 Goals of Follow-Up • Express thanks • Learn more about the family • Discover needs • Obtain feedback about the visit • Answer questions • Connect to a Sunday School class • Help the family discern God’s will for them • Share the gospel as the Holy Spirit leads

  11. Precursors to Follow-Up

  12. Precursors • Church websiteup to date • Brochures and publications • Information packets • Gift bags • Outreach leaders in classes and departments • A culture of outreach in Sunday School classes (all age groups!)

  13. Connection Insights

  14. Connection Insights • People connect people…programs don’t • Use the “3-minute Rule” • Visitors won’t initiate the assimilation process • Newcomers need 6 significant relationships to stick (if they don’t do this within the first 90 days, there’s an 85% chance they’ll leave) (Outreach Marketing Road Show, Dallas, TX. Sept. ’06)

  15. Connection Insights • Everybody needs to be involved in the connection process, not just the teacher or outreach leader • Watch for holes and missing links (which ministries are retaining guests and which are not?) • Retaining guests is hard work and there are no shortcuts! (Outreach Marketing Road Show, Dallas, TX. Sept. ’06)

  16. Follow-up Action Steps

  17. Possible Action Steps… • Sunday home visit by deacons (afternoon or evening…gift bag/info packet…quick visit) • Phone call from the pastorwithin48 hours after first visit • Letter from the pastor sent during first week after initial visit • Home visit made within 3 daysof first church visit (by SS class, preferably)

  18. Possible Action Steps… • Phone call from staff member or Sunday School Director • Contact from Sunday School classes (ongoing) • Invitation to lunch next Sunday • Invitation to New Member Class • Follow-up at 30, 60, and 90 days

  19. For Further Study… • High Expectations, Thom Rainer • Outreach Marketing Road Show • Finding Them, Keeping Them, McIntosh & Martin

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