Even though the weather is still warm and sunny right now, the heat will soon give way to the chill of winter. Considering how quickly the year is flying by, now’s the perfect time to begin mulling over church marketing ideas that can maximize your turnout for holiday events. One of the worst mistakes you could make is waiting until the 11th hour to begin thinking about your holiday event strategy. A few proven church marketing ideas you can begin leveraging in time for the holidays includes:
Send Postcard Invitations Early and Often
It’s a safe assumption that the members of your congregation and community will have a calendar filled with holiday plans. Reviewing your options for sending invitations now enables you to begin connecting with your audience as soon as your event plans are finalized. A few of the most popular options include:
- EDDM:
An option that enables you to reach every household on a mailing route, every door direct mail campaigns enable you to send postcards for as low as $0.37 each. Suppose you’re sending postcards to invite attendees to an event in November. Relying on EDDM campaigns enables you to send your first batch of postcards in September. Then, you can continue building anticipation with two more drops in October and November as part of the same order!
- Discount Zones:
If that option interests you, wait until you read about Discount Zones. Exclusively offered by GrowMail, Discount Zones enable you to send mail to specific mailing routes at just $0.23 per piece. But the catch is, they’re first come first serve. So if you’re interested in leveraging these reduced mailing rates, check to see if your desired mailing routes are available and start your order today.
- Targeted Direct Mail:
Let’s say for instance that you’re hoping to reach a more defined segment of your community. In this case, you can use GrowMail’s Targeted Direct Mail software to create a mailing list that consists only of recipients that are consistent with the segment of the community you’re hoping to reach. A few examples of the categories you can target your audience by include, age, income, and household size.
Rely on Multiple Channels to Spread the Word About Your Holiday Events
Developing an omnichannel marketing strategy is among the most effective church marketing ideas for increasing event turnout. An omnichannel marketing strategy entails leveraging more than one medium for sharing your message. Considering how many mediums audiences engage with now, you can’t place all of your eggs in one basket. The best way to ensure your congregation and community are aware of your holiday season events is by making it impossible for them to miss it.
Suppose you’ve got a holiday play you’d like to invite community members and churchgoers to. Considering how busy this time of year is for many, an omnichannel marketing strategy could be a great way to make sure they remember when the play is. By regularly scheduling social media posts and or sending emails in conjunction with sending postcards, the odds that your audience will forget about the play will decrease dramatically.
Track The Results of Your Campaign to Gauge the Impact of Your Church Marketing Ideas
One of the most effective church marketing ideas that commonly gets overlooked relates to tracking your campaigns. If you’re unsure of how much of an impact your marketing efforts had on your event attendance in the past, here are a few tracking methods to implement in the future:
- Unique URL & Landing Page:
Recipients anticipate seeing your website link on any piece of mail they receive nowadays. But including a unique URL specific to the event you’re promoting enables you to track how many recipients found your messaging truly engaging. That’s because you’ll receive a report detailing how much traffic your unique URL received during your campaign once it ends.
- Tracking Phone Number:
Similar to your website, recipients also expect to see your phone number on the mailers you send. But including a unique phone number enables you to keep track of how many recipients called in to RSVP or get more details about the holiday events you’re hosting. And once your campaign concludes, you’ll receive a report on how many callers reached out as a result of your postcards.
- QR Codes:
QR codes come in handy for more than restaurant menus and occasional TV ads. First, they help with capturing the attention of recipients. Additionally, they enable your recipients to easily scan it for details related to your event. And at the end of your campaign, you’ll get a report on how many scans your QR code received.
Benefits of Implementing New Church Marketing Ideas Right Now
Resisting the urge to procrastinate executing on your church marketing ideas for the holidays pays off big time. Getting an early jump on your holiday marketing plans enables you to change course if you find early indications of a lack of response. Additionally, kickstarting your holiday marketing plans early means you’ll be free to handle other holiday-related responsibilities sooner. It goes without saying that your church isn’t the only one hoping for large event crowds during the holidays.
Other churches, school events, and family obligations means there’s an abundance of options for holiday fun. By getting a head start on your church holiday marketing efforts, your event could be the first one that makes it onto your recipients’ calendar. Making sure that your audience knows how valued their attendance is at your church’s holiday events early and often is key to exceeding your attendance goals.
Begin Implementing These Proven Church Marketing Ideas Well Before the Holidays Start – Schedule a Free Consultation Today!
You don’t have to begin the process of promoting your holiday events alone. Churches all over the nation rely on GrowMail for assistance increasing event attendance. To find out why, schedule a free consultation today. Our friendly, knowledgeable team of marketing specialists are eager to help implement proven church marketing ideas in time for the holidays.