Easter is a special time of year for church congregations. While Sunday service may look vastly different from years passed, the Easter message is still meaningful to church members and visitors in need of faith, community, and encouragement during these difficult times. Make sure your message reaches those who need it by marketing to the masses using custom banners, custom signs and other creative, effective methods.
Safeguarding Your Sanctuary
In just over a year your congregation’s lives have drastically changed. From work to worship, no aspect of daily life has been unchanged by this pandemic. During this time of unfathomable loss, anxiety, and insecurity, more and more people are looking to connect with communities of faith.
Welcoming worshipers with open arms might not be prudent quite yet, but the CDC has issued a series of easy-to-follow guidelines so communities of faith can gather safely.
If your place of worship is considering opening its doors for Easter services this year, make sure your sanctuary meets safety standards. Metal A-frames at the entrances of your church will kindly remind your visitors to wear a mask. Place touch-free hand sanitizer dispensers in common areas and put floor decals throughout your campus to remind visitors to socially distance.
Age Before Youth
Elderly members are the most active in communities of faith with 37% of regular church attendees falling into this age range. Having options for these high-risk members is paramount to their continued support. Designate a limited seating service for high-risk and elderly visitors. Ensure your elderly members are aware of these new precautions. Mail them postcards with this information and place senior-centric sermon information on signs near your sanctuary.
Visibility Is Key
Creating a welcoming worship area is vital to building a congregation. Finding a new faith community can be intimidating. Doing it during a pandemic is a daunting task. If your goal is to increase church engagement, don’t make members and visitors search for information.
Marketing your new services and operational procedures doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive. From sending direct mailers to congregation members to displaying signs and banners which show service times and pertinent updates, there are a host of cost-effective ways to share your message with your community.
Display key information in a highly visual manner. Place feather flags and banners with your church’s service dates and times near main entrances and along your church campus sidewalk. Yard signs placed near roadways will inform motorists and passersby about upcoming events.
Be intentional and brief with the messages you print on signs. Visitors Welcome or Socially Distanced Easter Sermon are short but informative messages that people can easily see. If your church has a website or social media presence, include this information on your signage so people can learn more.
Keep Your Congregation Informed
Limit confusion about safety procedures and service times by keeping your congregation in the loop. 53% of individuals said receiving critical updates about changes to normal operations was vital for their continued church attendance. Additionally, 47% of Americans said they wanted to hear from businesses and churches more frequently during the pandemic. If you’re worried about overburdening your visitors with too much information don’t be: 73% of Americans said they never or rarely felt annoyed with increased COVID communications.
There are many marketing avenues you can use to communicate your message. Send newsletters with updates and words of encouragement to existing church members. Make sure your church’s website has a landing page that clearly shows important updates about service times, dates, and locations. If you have a live stream option, link your Youtube or Spotify channel so newcomers and congregation members can listen to past sermons.
Adapt Your Outreach
There is not a one-size fits all approach to marketing a ministry. Places of worship must find what works for their communities and congregations. The most important thing is that you adapt to these new limitations and offer solutions that still engage your base.
A common reason churches have shied away from digital and livestream options in the past is they feel digital fails to provide the same connection and growth opportunities as traditional in-person services. However, many churches that implemented these digital strategies saw exponential growth despite pandemic-induced limitations.
One case study found that Georgia’s Redeemer Church grew from a dozen members to over 1,000 by the end of 2020. The Georgia church has also received views from 17 other countries! Texas-based Current Church was able to reach 130 more people by live streaming sermons. Another study found that not only did livestream grow viewership, but it also increased online tithing by 70%. Every house of worship is unique, but implementing live streams at your next service is a great way to reach more people.
Read the Custom Signs
Whatever route you take, you want to alert your physical and digital faith community about new, safe options to get involved and grow their faith. Signs and banners with messages like In Person and Online Services will keep your congregation informed and offer safe solutions for high-risk or timid attendees.
If your campus offers socially distanced Easter egg hunts or children’s ministry activities, include this print on your roadside banners and direct mailers. Include information about pick-up and drop-off procedures so parents know how to include their children in church service.
Make sure your signage includes dates, times, and ways to connect with your online platform all clearly printed in easy to read fonts and colors. If you need help figuring out which fonts and colors are attention-grabbing yet easy to read, hire a designer to make sure your message gets across.
Creative Solutions For Churchgoers
Don’t be afraid to consider out-of-the-box solutions to cultivate connections in your community this Easter. Drive-in sermons are a great option for small and medium-sized congregations. Radio broadcasts are another great way to reach your community while reducing the risk of transmission.
As the weather warms up, consider outdoor services. If you choose an outdoor service, take advantage of open spaces or even local stadiums to ensure maximum safety. If a school or rec center has a field or stadium you can use, place a banner along the park fence so people know you’re taking your Easter service outdoors this year.
Everything Old is New Again
Since many churches and communities of worship have adapted their outreach during the pandemic, members have taken the opportunity to check out other new churches and places of worship. A Pew study showed that 42% of churchgoers watched services from other churches during the pandemic.
Amplify the voices of your faith community and invite guest speakers and faith leaders to join your Easter service with options like Zoom. This option gives your church the opportunity to connect with other congregations. Remote Bible studies and support groups are much-needed during these times. Find ways to expand and reconsider congregational outreach, then find ways to promote these new initiatives using physical marketing materials and online campaigns.
Though the way we worship may be different this year than years past, churches can still gather and spread their message this Easter. Remember to design your new services with safety in mind. Make sure you keep your congregation informed with email newsletters and direct mail. Make your worship area welcoming to newcomers with inviting signage. These solutions will help you market your message to the masses and better prepare your church for Easter service.
References
Considerations for Communities of Faith
CDC
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/faith-based.html
Considerations for Reopening the Church Building
Georgia Baptist MIssion Board
How Local Churches have Adapted to COVID 19
The Gainesville Times
25 Church Statistics for 2021
Reach Right
Will Livestreaming Cause My Church to Grow? A Case Study?
Church Technology Superstore
3 Shocking Statistics that show how quickly, radically (and Permanently?) church is changing in 2020
Carey Nieuwhof
Communicating with Customer in the time of COVID
The Current
https://www.twilio.com/the-current/communicating-customers-time-covid-19-real-time-lessons-consumers
Things Will Never Be The Same: How The Pandemic Has Changed Worship
NPR
