When your church receives first-time visitors, you want to be sure they always feel welcome. Here are five tried-and-true ways to do exactly that and encourage them to return.
Make First-time Visitors Feel Welcome with Preferred Parking
The moment first-time visitors turn into your parking lot, they can feel anxious. To ease the anxiety, help them with the first choice of the day: Figuring out where to park.
If possible, provide new guests with preferred parking spots, near the front door. Then create signage near the entrance directing them to it. Alert parking attendants can help, pointing them to the designated spaces with ease.
Make First-time Visitors Feel Welcome with Dedicated Greeters
Train specific greeters to stand near the doors used by visitors and welcome them to the service with open arms. When first arriving, visitors may want to know about the children’s church options, where to find the main sanctuary, and where the bathrooms are located. Trained greeters can anticipate and answer these questions, and even provide a gift in the process.
Make First-time Visitors Feel Welcome with a Gift
Putting together a Welcome Kit for new visitors is a great way to break the ice, sow into their lives, and exchange information. Welcome Kits can include not only information about the church and its ministries, but also a nice souvenir guests can take home. Whether it’s a water bottle, candy, a Bible or another friendly item, a gift is always a perfect way to start the relationship.
Make First-time Visitors Feel Welcome from the Platform
Nothing makes quite as big an impact as what’s spoken from the platform. Have the executive pastor or another ministry leader take a moment to welcome first-time visitors. Having them raise their hand is a non-threatening way to help their neighbors see they’re there so they can say hello.
Make First-time Visitors Feel Welcome Later, Too
After visitors leave, the conversation doesn’t have to stop. A follow up email, a call from a ministry leader or even a pastoral visit can go a long way to making people feel welcome. Taking time to continue the conversation and pray together is a personal touch that won’t be forgotten.
Growing by Welcoming
When you make first-time visitors feel welcome, your church will almost immediately reap the benefits of growing its congregation—and the body of Christ.
And if you’re looking for new ways to make visitors feel welcome in your church, including an entire list of great items to include in your Welcome Kit, download our ebook, How to Make Visitors Feel Welcome now!
