Your Christmas program is coming up soon and you've worked very hard. The rehearsals, the publicity, the late nights. It is essential that you take full advantage of this hard work. It would be a shame if all you have to show for it is some great photos!
What can we do?
First -- find someone to head up your follow-up program. I know that as a director you have many, many hats to fill, and it is tempting to take care of this yourself. But you know that as the time grows nearer you will be stretched very thin. You need an organizer that will take this bull by the horns and tame it! Talk to the pastor about this position. He will be in a position to advise you. Be sure to print off the ideas in this article and give it to him. He will have other ideas to add to the mix and together you can find the right person for the job.
Second -- it is essential to have an 'after program' reception. This is the time for the visitors to meet other members of your church on a social basis. Your pastor can mingle, shake hands and thank them for coming. You do not need to go to great expense. Simple coffee, punch and cookies is more than sufficient. Don't encumber the area with tables. Tables make mixing difficult. Make circles of chairs with an opening into the circle. People can go in and out and mix it up. Encourge your church members to not congregate with their normal crowd!!!! They MUST step out of their comfort zone and greet the visitors, ask them questions and get to know them. Consider taking 10 minutes during a service before to relate this to the congregation. If you have the opportunity you could even act out a situation or even role play. This is too important to leave alone.
Third- create a way to get names of visitors. A simple visitor card is one way, but some visitors may hesitate to fill one out. Make it more desireable by making it a give-a-way! What can you offer your visitor? The options are endless. Gift certificate to restaurants, oil changes, motel stays, ipods, bibles, teen work days, etc. Many stores will give discounted items to you or even donate for a notice in the bulliten, program or wall chart at the reception. Be sure to send a thank you later. These items are then given away at the reception using the visitor cards as the drawing card. Depending upon the number of items you have to give away you may or may not want to limit the give-a-ways to visitors only.
Fourth -- On the monday after the program send a "Thank you for Visiting Card" from the pastor to all visitors. With the card should be a list of service times and church programs.
Fifth -- On Wednesday or Thursday send a photo of the cast and crew, signed by the cast. This is not as difficult as it seems. With today's digital options you can have a cast and crew photo made (in costume) after one of the dress rehearsals. Count the visitor cards and make enough copies. Have the cast and crew sign the back and mail it to the visitor. With the right software you can even make this a postcard and save on envelope and postage costs. A postcard may not have enough room for all signatures.
Sixth -- YOU, director call each visitor and thank them personally for attending. Do this on the friday or saturday following the program. By this time they should have received both the pastor's and the cast's thank you notes.
Seventh -- Turn the visitor information over to your outreach director and he/she can begin the process of contacting them for bible studies or what have you.
Eighth -- keep the information on file for the next time you have an event - drama, music, missionary, whatever is out of the norm. Send invites and make phone calls to invite them to return.
These personal touches will make a huge difference in the reaction by the visitor. They will perceive you as a caring and loving church filled with individuals who go out of their way to make positve relationships - in otherwords - the kind of church they would want to be a part of!
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