How To Make Your Church How To Make Your Church Guest FriendlyGuest Friendly

Things to be Covered in this Things to be Covered in this SeminarSeminar

1. Principles to help you create an inviting environment for first-time guests

2. How to ''wow'' first-time guests into wanting to come back

3. How to turn first-time guests into second-time guests

4. How to turn second-time guests into regular attenders and then fully-engaged members

5. How to drastically increase the number of guests who give you their contact information

6. How to get people to turn in a Connection Card

Hebrews 13:1Hebrews 13:1

““Let brotherly love continue. Let brotherly love continue. Do not forget to entertain Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some strangers, for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained have unwittingly entertained angels. Remember the prisoners angels. Remember the prisoners as if chained with them—those as if chained with them—those who are mistreated—since you who are mistreated—since you yourselves are in the body also.”yourselves are in the body also.”

IS 99.9% GOOD IS 99.9% GOOD ENOUGH? ENOUGH? What is an Acceptable Level of Quality What is an Acceptable Level of Quality Performance? Performance? If 99.9% is the Goal Then… If 99.9% is the Goal Then…• Twelve babies will be given to the wrong Twelve babies will be given to the wrong

parents each day in every major city. parents each day in every major city. • 200,000 drug prescriptions will be filled 200,000 drug prescriptions will be filled

incorrectly in the next 12 months.incorrectly in the next 12 months.• 107 incorrect medical procedures will be 107 incorrect medical procedures will be

performed by the end of the day today.performed by the end of the day today.– Since 99.9 % is not good enough for Since 99.9 % is not good enough for

parents, pharmacists and doctors, it is parents, pharmacists and doctors, it is not good enough for churches either.not good enough for churches either.

FACT #1:FACT #1:

• Your church cannot grow without Your church cannot grow without GuestGuest..

FACT #2:FACT #2:

• Your church cannot grow if your Guest Your church cannot grow if your Guest don’tdon’t comecome backback. .

THE QUESTION:THE QUESTION:

What are you doing every What are you doing every Sunday to make sure your Sunday to make sure your GuestGuest returnreturn??

Archbishop William Temple Archbishop William Temple said,said,

““The church is the only The church is the only cooperative society in the cooperative society in the world that exists for the world that exists for the benefit of its non-benefit of its non-members.”members.”

Getting Ready Getting Ready for for Company Company

What is the What is the difference difference between a between a visitorvisitor and a and a guestguest??

It is the difference It is the difference between never between never

missing another missing another Sunday or never Sunday or never

coming back.coming back.

Getting Ready for Getting Ready for CompanyCompany

A.A. ON THE OUTSIDEON THE OUTSIDE

Did you know?Did you know?

Researchers say that church Researchers say that church guests decide whether or not to guests decide whether or not to return return

to the church they are visiting to the church they are visiting

in the in the first tenfirst ten toto twelvetwelve minutesminutes upon entering the church upon entering the church campus. campus.

So, what happens in the So, what happens in the first twelve minutes?first twelve minutes?• They see your facilitiesThey see your facilities• They meet your peopleThey meet your people• They decide whether or not you can They decide whether or not you can

meet their needsmeet their needs• They decide whether or not to come They decide whether or not to come

backbackBefore they have heard the music or Before they have heard the music or

sermonsermon

A. Your church campus must:A. Your church campus must:

• Have Have directionaldirectional signage in parking signage in parking areas and outside of buildingsareas and outside of buildings

• Be well Be well landscapedlandscaped• Be clean, and well maintainedBe clean, and well maintained• Be inviting cosmeticallyBe inviting cosmetically

B. Parking Lot/Guest B. Parking Lot/Guest ParkingParking

•Adequate numberAdequate number(about 5%) (about 5%) of of guest parking spacesguest parking spaces

•Easy to Easy to identifyidentify and and locatelocate

•Must be your best parking Must be your best parking spacesspaces

•Must have Must have greetersgreeters

C. Your Greeters…C. Your Greeters…

•Should wear name tagsShould wear name tags

•Should be Should be friendlyfriendly

•Should understand the value of Should understand the value of this ministrythis ministry

•Should escort guests to the Should escort guests to the welcome/information centerwelcome/information center

•Should introduce guests by nameShould introduce guests by name

The Value of a SmileThe Value of a Smile Holiday Inn interviewed 5,000 people to fill Holiday Inn interviewed 5,000 people to fill

500 positions that were needed to open a 500 positions that were needed to open a new facility. When the hotel managers new facility. When the hotel managers interviewed these candidates, they interviewed these candidates, they excluded anybody who smiled fewer than excluded anybody who smiled fewer than four times during the course of their four times during the course of their interview. This standard was applied to interview. This standard was applied to every available job and to every every available job and to every prospective employee. prospective employee.

How many of your church members How many of your church members would qualify for a job at Holiday Inn? would qualify for a job at Holiday Inn?

Transitioning Our Transitioning Our GuestsGuests

Parking Lot Greeters should escort all Parking Lot Greeters should escort all guests from the parking lot to the guests from the parking lot to the Welcome/Information Center. Welcome/Information Center.

This time is extremely valuable and This time is extremely valuable and should be used to discover the should be used to discover the interests and needs of the guests interests and needs of the guests which the church can meet.which the church can meet.

Getting Ready for Getting Ready for

GuestsGuests

B. ON THE INSIDEB. ON THE INSIDE

The The Welcome/Information Welcome/Information Center Center

At the Welcome/Information At the Welcome/Information Center, all guests must be Center, all guests must be welcomed and receive welcomed and receive information.information.

What type of What type of information?information?• Church newsletterChurch newsletter

• Information on upcoming events for all agesInformation on upcoming events for all ages

• Information on Information on allall ministriesministries

• Information about discipleship/Sunday Information about discipleship/Sunday School classesSchool classes

• Information on Information on recreationalrecreational opportunitiesopportunities

• Information on the staff and who to call for Information on the staff and who to call for whatwhat

• Campus MapCampus Map

Parking Lot Greeters then Parking Lot Greeters then escort the guests to a Sunday escort the guests to a Sunday School class, nursery, youth School class, nursery, youth area or to the Worship Center.area or to the Worship Center.

There, the guest must be There, the guest must be introduced to the class introduced to the class greeters, teacher or usher by greeters, teacher or usher by name.name.

The NurseryThe Nursery

The Nursery area must be The Nursery area must be

cleanclean, , brightbright, , cheerfulcheerful, ,

and and securesecure..

Acknowledging Guests Acknowledging Guests

During WorshipDuring Worship

How we acknowledge our How we acknowledge our guests during a worship service guests during a worship service can either make them feel can either make them feel welcomed or embarrassed.welcomed or embarrassed.

How to make your How to make your guests guests

feel valued feel valued• Include – do not Include – do not excludeexclude. Act like every . Act like every person is a first time guest.person is a first time guest.

• Everyone who gives an announcement, Everyone who gives an announcement, sings, speaks, etc. must be introduced or sings, speaks, etc. must be introduced or introduce themselves.introduce themselves.

• When you acknowledge your guests, allow When you acknowledge your guests, allow them some anonymity.them some anonymity.

• Teach your people to value their guests. Teach your people to value their guests. • Ask your guest to fill out as much Ask your guest to fill out as much

information on the communication card as information on the communication card as they feel comfortable givingthey feel comfortable giving

Following Up and Following Up and Following Through Following Through

Herb Miller gives the following statistics Herb Miller gives the following statistics for following up:for following up:

85% of guests return if visited in 36 hours85% of guests return if visited in 36 hours60% of guests return if visited in 72 hours60% of guests return if visited in 72 hours15% of guests return if visited in 7 days.15% of guests return if visited in 7 days.

If the pastor makes the first visit instead If the pastor makes the first visit instead of a lay person the percentage is cut in of a lay person the percentage is cut in half.half.

Following Up and Following Up and Following Through Following Through

Immediate Follow-Up Idea: Immediate Follow-Up Idea: Doorstep VisitDoorstep Visit• Print a directional map from the church to Print a directional map from the church to

First time Guest homes.First time Guest homes.• Deliver a Gift Bag as a “Thank You for Deliver a Gift Bag as a “Thank You for

visiting” gesture.visiting” gesture.• Make it a Doorstep Visit. Make it a Doorstep Visit. Say something like Say something like

this this “My name is Steve Pearson and this is Sam “My name is Steve Pearson and this is Sam Smith from First Baptist Church and we’re not Smith from First Baptist Church and we’re not coming in but we wanted to come by and say coming in but we wanted to come by and say thank you for visiting FBC and here is a small gift thank you for visiting FBC and here is a small gift from the Church.”from the Church.”

Following Up and Following Up and Following Through Following Through

Immediate Follow-Up Idea: Immediate Follow-Up Idea: Gift Bag at WCGift Bag at WC• Entice first time guest to fill out the Entice first time guest to fill out the

communication card by telling them to turn communication card by telling them to turn in the Communication card to the Welcome in the Communication card to the Welcome Center for a free gift. Center for a free gift.

• The free gift could be a gift bag, Music CD The free gift could be a gift bag, Music CD or a book.or a book.

• Thank them for visiting and invite them Thank them for visiting and invite them back for something specific. back for something specific. (Age group Event) (Age group Event)

Most Churches consider themselves to Most Churches consider themselves to be very friendly. The truth is they are, be very friendly. The truth is they are, but usually to themselves. It is but usually to themselves. It is important for all Churches to do their important for all Churches to do their best to make sure that every guest best to make sure that every guest feels loved and welcomed. feels loved and welcomed.

As you incorporate these and your As you incorporate these and your own ideas into the life and ministry of own ideas into the life and ministry of your church you will be well on your your church you will be well on your way to becoming a Guest Friendly way to becoming a Guest Friendly Church.Church.