What I’m about to show you is extremely powerful for promoting ANY EVENT in your church, so bookmark (and share it too!).
But for example, let’s use Easter as our main example. Let’s dive in…
The Foundation Starts On Your Church Web Site. Here’s What To Do First.
First, create a page on your church website that exclusively promotes Easter services. Post the service times, the title of the sermon and why it’s important to the visitor, what to expect overall, any new or fresh stuff you’re doing just for Easter, what kind of childcare you’ll have available, etc. You get the idea.
HINT: Think through all that with the prospect in mind. For instance, pitching Easter as a “time of new beginnings, a time to start again” may be stronger than just “come hear the real Easter story.” They’re thinking about their kids and what their family will experience… and some may be unfamiliar with church.
If you really want to soup it up, place a video of the pastor inviting the viewer to Easter services… right there at the top of that new page. (Powerful!)
What you’ll end up with is a URL something like this for that page, www.yourwebsite.com/easter2014, that will serve as the link you will promote.
(That’s not a working link. I’m just showing you the structure as an example so that what I’m about to say will make sense.)
Now, you’ve got a LINK to PROMOTE. Here’s how to do that:
1. Email your members and ask them to invite their friends on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and Snapchat using that link. Specifically ask them to post 2x per day all week leading up to Easter but still, start posting NOW. Tell them specifically what to say. Give them 3 samples to choose from, like…
I’m going to The Rock Community Church on Easter to hear again what Easter is all about! Click here www.yourwebsite.com/easter2014
Got Easter plans? Join me here… www.yourwebsite.com/easter2014
Easter? I know where I’m gonna be! Great music and the REAL Easter story at www.yourwebsite.com/easter2014
IMPORTANT: You increase dramatically the odds your church members will post about your services if all they have to do is cut-and-paste.
BETTER: Challenge folks to do a video announcement using Facebook Live with a clear invite to come to the event.
2. Put the same instructions and samples you used in #1 into next Sunday’s bulletin or announcement flyer and mention it from the pulpit.
If you use scrolling announcements on the overhead before and after services, include something there as well about how everybody needs to promote Easter services on Facebook, Twitter, etc. and to see the bulletin for more information on how to do that.
And when you’re in the pulpit, emphasize what a great opportunity Easter affords your church to reach the lost with the Gospel and how they can get involved using social media to reach more this year than ever for Christ. Encourage them to do it!
(You’ll have more to say here after you read on below…)
3. On your church Facebook page, populating it with posts that announce what’s going to be great about Easter and include that web site page link for your Easter page every single time.
It’s even more powerful if you create an image to post with the page status update that has something interesting about Easter on it.
Here’s an example of a church Facebook page post with text, image and link.
4. Now, that you’ve posted an image-based post (a.k.a. “status update”) on your church Facebook page, send a message to your members to “like” and “share” it.
You’re giving them free tools for promotion! See that?
(You can also announce in your email from #1 above and Sunday announcements about the effort in #2 above that they should be checking your church Facebook page for Easter promos that they can easily pass on from the church page.)
Email or message them through Facebook (Facebook groups for members-only is great for messaging, by the way) every couple of days up through Easter reminding them to promote on social media or notifying them of a new post on the church page they can share.
5. GOING BIG: Here’s how to put this in front of people who have not even “liked” your church Facebook page! Really blanket the area… with a click!
Simply “BOOST” your post created in #3 above. Here’s a video I just made that steps you through what I’m talking about.
If you implement this blueprint, congratulations… you’re one of the first churches in the world, comparatively speaking, to do it.
Secular companies prove every day that this strategy works. It’s time the Church uses these strategies to promote the message of the Risen Christ! Do it, and reap the results of being on the leading edge of a digital culture.