Having new visitors at church is always exciting. It’s an opportunity to display Christ’s love and create an atmosphere where guests feel valued and at home. While this is a wonderful moment for church leaders and members, it can often feel intimidating for the visitor. In this blog, we’ll explore practical ways to make their first-time experience unforgettable and help you warmly welcome visitors to church in a way that makes them feel truly at ease.
Plan your visit church guide
Before visitors step foot into your church, it’s important to give them an option to plan their visit. This is a common strategy that amusement parks, museums, and even popular vacation spots have on their website. It’s pretty much a page that has information that visitors are frequently looking for. On Six Flags Plan Your Visit page, they have links to: park hours, park map, directions, lodging, etc. Instead of having to search their entire website or be on hold with customer service, they can access everything they need on one page.
Here are some things to have on a church’s plan your visit page:
- Welcome video - People want to feel like they belong at your church. There’s no better way of doing this than having a friendly, inviting video that briefly explains who your church is and what to expect when visiting.
- Service details - One of the main things people want to know about your church is the service times and the address. You need to have this as close to the top of the page as possible. If users can’t access this information quickly, they will leave your church’s website quickly. Make sure to have a Google Maps link to your address too.
- What to expect - People want to know what going to your church will be like. It’s important to provide information like: what to wear, style of worship, denomination, length of service, etc.
- Kid’s ministry information - Families want to be at a church where their kids will enjoy. Because of this, you need to have information about what to expect. Include information like: age ranges, check-in procedures, safety measures, etc.
- FAQs - Most people will have questions, so you should have a frequently asked questions section on the page too.
- Important links - Another thing people want to know is information about the church. They want to know about the pastor and the beliefs of the church. You can include any other important links that might be useful for visitors too.
- Pictures - People want to see the environment of the church. They want to see the faces of people who go there. Please avoid using stock photos. Display real authentic high-quality pictures.
- Visitor Form - Having a visitor form is a great way to get visitors’ information and stay in contact with them. You should send a follow-up message to them after they submit the form. This lets the visitor know that you care about them and increases the chances of them actually visiting your church.
Make a great first impression
What visitors see first will most likely be the deciding factor if they choose to go back to your church. You must make an effort to have a great first impression on every platform your church is on. While the first impression of your physical location is important, you can’t forget about the digital experience for visitors. Oftentimes people will visit your church’s website, social media pages, and YouTube channel before ever stepping foot in your church’s building.
Create a good first impression online
- Use high-quality photos of people - Your church website and social media pages should be filled with photos of people from your actual church who are smiling and interacting with other people.
- Have a well-designed website - Your church website needs to be: user-friendly, mobile-responsive, fast, and have a consistent style that matches your church's brand.
- Have an organized sermon library - Some people may want to watch a sermon from the pastor before visiting your church. Make sure they are easy to find and are posted consistently.
- Have an active Google Business Profile - Local SEO is what makes visitors find your church online. Make sure your church is using its Google Business Profile. Google ranks you higher in the search results when your church is consistently getting reviews, uploading photos, and posting updates.
Create a good first impression in person
- Have a parking team to direct people to empty spaces - There’s nothing more frustrating than trying to find a parking spot. Make the task easier by directing people to the empty spaces.
- Have a team of greeters at the front door - Greet every person who enters your church with a smile and a friendly welcome.
- Have signage that stands out - Use bright bold colors that display where the sanctuary, kids area, restrooms, and first-time visitors booth are.
- Have greeters by the sanctuary door - Greeters by the sanctuary can welcome people and help visitors find a place to sit.
- Don’t put visitors on the spot - Have a friendly welcome speech during the service but please don’t make visitors stand up or raise their hand. This makes a lot of people uncomfortable and may cause them not to come back.
- Give something to the visitors - Whether it’s a free lunch or a gift bag, have something to give your visitors. People love free stuff and they will greatly appreciate it. Give them something regardless of if they fill out a connect card.
Make the connect card process easy
Most churches ask for a boatload of information when it comes to filling out connect cards. Because of this, a lot of people don’t fill the connect cards out. Why not make the process easy and have a card with a simple QR code? On the card it can say, ‘Connect with us,’ or ‘Learn more about us’. Give it a bright color so it can stand out. Also, remove the church jargon. While this is a section about connect cards, most visitors won’t know what a connect card is. Just say something like this, “Scan the QR code to learn more about our church and connect with us!” The QR code can go to a page on your website that has a welcome video and a very short form. The only information you should ask for is their name, email, and maybe a ‘how can we pray for you’ question. Information like address, date of birth, gender, etc, can be obtained over time through other avenues like: giving online, attending events, childcare registrations, etc. Making it simple like this will cause your church to have an increase in connect card completions.
Give gifts that visitors want
When it comes to giving gifts to first-time visitors, churches often miss the mark. You need to put yourself in the visitor's shoes. What value are they getting from being a first-time visitor? Is a coffee mug or a shirt with your church’s logo on it valuable to a visitor who is still trying to determine if they even like your church? Maybe..maybe not? Why not offer a gift that people want? It doesn’t have to be expensive either.
Inexpensive gifts for church visitors
- Food gift card - Who doesn’t like free food? I don’t know about you, but free food always puts a smile on my face.
- Gas card - Saving money on gas is always a win.
- Movie pass - Even though most people stream now, people still enjoy the movie theater experience.
- Treats - Cookies, candy, doughnuts, cupcakes; I can keep going. People love treats.
- Book or journal - Give your visitors something that has meaning and will last like a bible or notebook.
Whatever gift you choose, make sure to mention it during service. On the connect card you can say something like: Scan this QR code to receive a free Chick-fil-A gift card. You can also have people holding signs that say, ‘Free Gift for Visitors’.
Follow up with visitors
The number one goal for your church is to make first-time visitors feel valued and loved. The number two goal for your church is to follow up with them. You can only do this if they filled out the connect card.
Ways to follow up with visitors
- Give them a phone call - This method is old school but thoughtful. It’s probably not the most effective in this day and age though.
- Send them a thank you letter - This method is also thoughtful. It can be very time-consuming though. It’s also very one-sided. All communication ceases after they receive the letter.
- Send a text message - This method will get the highest response rate since everyone is always by their phone.
- Send an email - Emails are still very effective. It’s not as effective as a text message, but it’s probably the next best choice.
Automate your follow up
I know that doesn’t sound that genuine, but it can save you a lot of time. You can actually make the follow-up messages personal by including the visitor's first name in the automation. Mention in the message how you appreciated seeing them at church and ask them how they enjoyed the service. You can also ask them to leave a review of your experience on Google or Yelp. This can help improve your local SEO and allow more visitors to find your church.
Doing these things can turn first-time guests into permanent members. Remember to be consistent and truly love on all visitors that come to your church. They are more than a number; they are your neighbor.
Evan Smith is the owner of Two Ten Creatives, a creative design company specifically for churches. He strategically finds ways to bring more visitors to churches by designing church websites and focusing on local SEO. He is a follower of Jesus, a husband, and a father.
