People Spots
Online
Produced by James W.
Moss, Sr., and Church Consultants
Provided as a service by New Life Ministries
Promoting a Special Event
by James W. Moss, Sr.Churches benefit by planning programs to attract enough people to fill the building. Most of the guests are visitors and not prospects. There are a variety of benefits to a full church. The corporate self-image of the church is boosted. There is a feeling of satisfaction from having done something successfully. A full church becomes a positive topic of conversation.
Portland Church had a program that packed the building. Myrtle Fleming said, "I can’t remember when there were so many people in church!" Harry Dobish responded, "Isn’t it wonderful to see so many people in church!" Elizabeth Markey added, "Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could have this many people at church every Sunday?" Sam Richards commented, "One of my best friends was in church tonight. He didn’t even know I attended here." These are a few of the comments heard at Portland Church that night.
People carry the exciting news throughout the community. Such efforts help to build a community identity. Residents note the activity at the building. Neighbors begin making observations about the state of the church. The increase in the number of cars in the parking lot is noted by those in the neighborhood.
The following are two such programs:
Old Fashioned Hymn Sing: Invite guest soloists and groups from eight to ten congregations. Strive for at least two guest choirs. Use as much talent as possible from the host church. It is not unusual to have sixty to seventy participants for such an event. Additional persons will accompany the musicians. Attendance is assured. Though much effort is expended in planning, there is little expense. The offering can be used for a special need or emphasis of the congregation.
Musical Concerts: Musical groups exist to present concerts. There is a wide variety of styles and accomplishment. Some groups develop a following that will attend when they sing. Reduce the risk by previewing a group in another concert. Develop firm understandings about the financial commitment. A part of the agreement must deal with the sale of tapes and CDs. As much as sixty percent of most groups’ income is from recording sales. It is almost impossible to break even on expenses if guaranteed fees are large and the auditorium is small. A group’s first appearance in an area seldom attracts a large attendance. If the same group appears more than once a year attendance declines because of overexposure.
This process could be used for an Anniversary Sunday or a Rally Day. It could be used for any Sunday you wish to encourage a good attendance. I know several churches that followed this process for the Sunday after Easter and had more in attendance on the Sunday after Easter than they did on Easter.
The Strategy
 | Set a date at least six months in advance. |
| Begin to mention the date of the event bi-weekly. |
| Have all program items confirmed 4 months in advance. |
| Begin weekly announcements 3 months in advance. |
| Send a letter 12 days before the event. The letter should be in a hand-addressed envelope. It should have a stamp. Nothing should be in the envelope but the letter of invitation. Should the event be on Sunday, the letter would go in the mail on Tuesday 12 days in advance. |
| From Tuesday to Thursday immediately before the Sunday event, each local person would receive a phone call inviting them to attend. A good phone person can easily make 20 such phone calls. |
There lots of positive touches in this effort.
The Results
For Sunday morning, it is hoped that attendance will be 20% above this year’s average. Attendance will be impacted for as much as six weeks. Sometimes the impact can be much more dramatic because of the number of touches.
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Additional Resources
| Public Relations by Jim Moss, Sr. |
| Public Relations Kit: Help from a Hospitality Perspective by Kristen Leverton Helbert and Dick Benner |
| Where to Find What: Promotion and Public Relations - links to resources on the Internet |
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Read about Jim's seminars and books.
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July 10, 2001. Volume 4, Issue 8. People Spots Online is prepared by James W. Moss, Sr., and Church Consultants. It is provided as a service by New Life Ministries, www.NewLifeMinistries-NLM.org. Articles may be duplicated and reproduced in any way. A new article is produced about every two weeks. To be added to a list to receive these messages directly by e-mail, send a request to churchconsultants@yahoo.com.