A More Thoughtful Approach to Visitor Follow-Up
How do we give someone an opportunity to stay connected without being invasive? How do we ask for contact information in a culture where people are increasingly hesitant to give it? How do we build a process that still feels like genuine relationship rather than a marketing strategy?
It’s something worth figuring out before Christmas Eve (arguably the biggest “new visitor” services of the year). We’ve been considering some of these questions and challenges and wanted to start the conversation with the Ministry Forum community. Below is just a starting place for consideration - let us know what you think (have you considered a visitor follow up plan? what works in your context?)
1 Start with what follow-up means in your congregation
Most of us understand why someone might hesitate to hand over their name, email address or phone number. AND we don't want visitors to feel like they've entered a marketing funnel just because they came to our church once.
But being sensitive to these concerns doesn't mean neglecting to implement any strategy.
When someone chooses to attend a Sunday morning service or an event, they've already taken a meaningful step. Follow-up can just be an extension of the hospitality you've already offered: a way to help someone feel seen, remembered and invited back if they'd like to continue the relationship.
So, before thinking about systems like forms, QR codes or databases, decide what you're actually trying to accomplish.
Ask: For your congregation, what would good follow-up look like?
Some ideas: a personal email thanking someone for coming, an invitation to another event they might enjoy, adding them to your weekly email (with permission) so they can get a better sense of congregational life.
Be specific about the experience you're trying to create (and what next steps you want toe move them to). This will help you decide what information you need AND how to ask for it.
2 Give people a reason to stay connected
People probably aren't going to volunteer their email address simply because they're new. Rather than asking for contact information without context, connect the ask to something useful. If a parent comes to your Christmas pageant, you might mention another family event happening in January and ask if they'd like the details. If someone tells you they've recently moved to the neighbourhood, you might invite them to receive your weekly email. If someone mentions that they're looking for a church community, you might offer to send information about upcoming worship or opportunities to connect.
The language can be very simple:
“We have another family event coming up in January. Would you like me to email you the details?”
“If you'd like, I can add you to our weekly email so you know what's happening.”
“We'd love to see you again. Could I send you some information about what we're doing in January?”
In each case, the person knows why you're asking and what they're agreeing to receive. The email address isn't the relationship, it’s a tool that allows the relationship to continue.
3 Decide how you'll invite people to connect
Where are the places where someone could share their information:
a physical connect card in the back of the pew or hand out
an online form (using a simple link, or QR code on a bulletin, slide or sign)
an invitation to subscribe through your website
a conversation with someone from your welcome team
You may want more than one option. Someone who doesn't want to have a conversation after worship might be willing to scan a QR code. Someone else may never scan a QR code but will give their email address to the person they've just spent ten minutes talking with. Whatever you use, keep the ask simple. In most cases, you probably need a name and email address (a phone number can be optional…. but only if you are actually going to call or text them). You can learn more about someone later if the relationship continues (what ministries they could be interested in, address, prayer requests, family members etc.)
Take a look at whatever you're currently using and ask:
Is it obvious? Is it easy? Does someone know why we're asking? Have we told them what we'll do with their information?
If not, that's a good place to start.
4 Work with the people who already notice
Visitor follow-up should NOT begin with a form.
We've been talking with one of our Virtual Front Porch churches about creating a small team of “noticers.” Their role isn't to secure contact information from every unfamiliar face. It's to make sure new people aren't left standing alone while everyone else catches up with friends they've known for years.
Think about the people in your congregation who naturally notice when someone is new. They're warm without being overbearing, they introduce themselves, they ask good questions and listen well, they are natural connectors and relationship builders. You likely already have a few faces that have come to mind. Bring a few of them together before Christmas and talk about what good welcoming looks like in your context. You could work through a few simple scenarios together:
Someone tells you this is their first time at church in years. What might you say next?
A family mentions that they came because their children wanted to attend a Christmas service. Is there something coming up that would make sense to invite them to?
Someone is friendly but clearly isn't interested in a long conversation. How do you make them feel welcome without pushing for more?
You don't need a script for every interaction. The point is to help people become comfortable recognizing when a natural opportunity for continued connection presents itself (and also when it doesn't).
5 Build a simple system behind the relationship
Once you've thought through the relational side, make sure you have a process to support it. Start by deciding where all visitor information will live. Whether someone fills out a physical card, scans a QR code or gives their email address to a member of the welcome team, that information should eventually make its way to one consistent place and then assign responsibilities and expectations:
Who collects physical cards?
Who checks online submissions?
Who enters information into your system?
Who sends the follow-up?
How soon will that happen?
What happens if the person comes back?
Make sure the process fits your actual capacity. A small congregation may be perfectly well served by a Google Form, a spreadsheet and a personal email from the minister or a volunteer. Another church may already use Mailchimp or a church-management system and can build follow-up into what they're doing. Don't build a five-email automated welcome sequence because someone told you that's what successful churches do. Build the simplest system that your congregation can consistently and genuinely maintain.
BONUS Try it before Christmas Eve
Don't wait until December 24 to discover that the QR code doesn't work or nobody knows who is supposed to check the connect cards. Choose a few Sundays or upcoming events and test the process. Pay attention to where things get awkward or fall apart. Maybe nobody notices the connect card, or the form asks for too much info. Maybe your volunteers are comfortable welcoming people but unsure how to offer a next step. Maybe contact information gets collected but sits untouched for a week because responsibility wasn't clear. Fix those things now, and then try it again.
Christmas may bring people through your doors who haven't been there before—or who won't otherwise be there again for quite some time, so give them a good reason and an easy way to keep the conversation going!