You did it! After investing significant time, prayer and effort into an upcoming ministry event, it is officially over. All the preparation you did paid off and it was a success. But are you really done? Is there anything more you can do? Yes, there is. It’s follow-up.
While the preparation and the event went great, one of the most important things you still need to do is to follow-up. Effective follow-up builds connections that can help people who came to your event or Church for the very first time into community, discipleship opportunities, and connection into your Church family.
Follow-up is a vital aspect of any event you do at your Church. Here are some ways you can follow-up digitally. Click To TweetThankfully, with today’s digital and online tools, follow-up no longer ends when an event does. It actually enables conversations to continue. Here are 5 digital follow-up ideas that will help you to genuinely care for people in your community 
(online or in-person) after they walk through your doors.
- Online Connection Cards. These are the cards (either online or in-person cards) that you encouraged people to fill out during the event. They include key information like names, emails, addresses, and phone numbers that enable you to contact them after the event. Import all information into your church database immediately following the event while outreach excitement remains fresh.
- Personalized Emails. Assign staff members or key ministry leaders lists of new attendees to email personalized notes within 48 hours of the event. Make sure you share with them how glad you were to have them visit, recap highlights/key messages from the event, invite conversation, and include next steps they can take.
- Text Message. When you collected the connection cards with their cell numbers and gain permissions to text them, send them a follow up text..just one. Don’t blast them with lots of things all at once. But give them the opportunity to take a next step of getting connected to add as ongoing church text message contacts after the event.
- Targeted Social Media Ads. After the event, create customized social media ads showcasing next steps specifically for the people who attended your event. It could be small groups to check out, classes or meet ups for getting to know Jesus and the church better, serving teams that need help, etc. Drive people to landing pages on your church website that makes taking their next step simple.
- Online Discipleship Opportunities. People may be ready to get connected to your Church and grow in their faith when they come to your event. The tis why you can provide question prompts that staff or volunteers can discuss via email to texts. Let people know how and where they can get involved.
Conclusion
People will visit your Church throughout the year, but it is during those big events that you do, that draw the most interest. People may not understand or feel equipped for “next steps” when they come. That is why follow-up from your Church is essential right after. Utilize multiple layers of online or in-person follow-up to establish genuine connections that help people seamlessly take their next best step forward spiritually. These five tools can enhance the post-event personalized care you can provide to your guests. Which one(s) will you use?
Before you finish reading this post, write down a quick action plan. How else can follow-up after a big event? Share them below or on social media.
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