Trunk or Treat events are a fantastic way to engage with your community, but the outreach shouldn’t end when the event does. Effective follow-up can help build lasting connections, encourage people to attend your church, and even help them get to know Jesus personally!
Here are 10 creative ideas for following up after your Trunk or Treat event:
1. Collect Contact Information with a Signup System Ensure you have a way to collect attendees' contact information during the event. Use a texting service for churches or a simple Google Form to drive sign-ups. Encourage people to text a keyword (e.g., “YOURCHURCH”) to a designated number to be entered into a drawing. This system allows you to engage with attendees after the event and invite them to future church activities.
2. Immediate Text Follow-Up Send an immediate thank-you text message to everyone who signed up. Make it personal by including your name and a question, like “Did your kids enjoy the event?” This not only shows your appreciation but also invites interaction, making attendees feel valued.
3. Use Facebook Ads to Drive Engagement Before the event, use Facebook ads to promote your Trunk or Treat. Include a sign-up keyword in the ad to collect contact information. After the event, follow up with these contacts using targeted ads that invite them to your church or other community events.
4. Announce a Gift Card Drawing Keep the excitement alive by announcing a gift card drawing. Send a text with a link to a short video where you announce the winners. Encourage recipients to reply with their name to confirm they’ve seen it. This simple action increases engagement and keeps your church in their minds.
5. Personalized YouTube Videos Create personalized YouTube videos to follow up with attendees. For example, record a short clip thanking them for attending and invite them to church on Sunday. Including a friendly face makes the follow-up feel more personal and inviting.
6. Invite to Church Services After a few days, send a text inviting attendees to your next church service. Include a link to a video tour of your church to help them feel more comfortable if they decide to visit. The more personal and welcoming you can make this invitation, the better.
7. Thanksgiving Outreach Leverage the follow-up period to involve attendees in a new act of kindness. Ask if they know someone who could use a Thanksgiving meal, and offer to deliver it together. This approach turns your follow-up into a ministry opportunity, too! Nothing deepens connection to your church like serving someone they love!
8. Launch a Drip Campaign Consider moving interested attendees into a drip campaign. For example, you could send out a series of short videos with tips for parenting during the holidays or other relevant topics. This keeps the conversation going and provides value beyond the initial event.
9. Social Media Engagement Encourage your attendees to follow your church’s social media channels. Post event photos, tag participants, and continue the conversation online. This is a great way to keep your church in their minds and build a sense of community.
10. Special Event Invitations Lastly, invite them to other upcoming events at your church. Whether it’s a Christmas program, a community service project, or another family-friendly event, keeping them informed and engaged helps build lasting relationships.
All of these trunk or treat ideas are from the Gospel Trunk or Treat planning system. Want more info? And want to save 100 hours on your preparation AND have a better trunk or treat than you thought possible? Try this:
Conclusion
Follow-up is crucial to the long-term success of your Trunk or Treat event. It's very doubtful that people will come to your church through just one positive interaction. It usually takes SEVERAL.
By using these ideas, you can turn a one-time event into a stepping stone for deeper relationships and greater community engagement. Remember, it’s not just about making connections; it’s about making them count.
What do you have that you can work with? Just do it! Through text messages, social media, or face-to-face interactions, every follow-up is an opportunity to share the love of Jesus and grow your church community.
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