As a church leader, you know there are few things better than seeing a packed house at church events. But you also know that filling up spots can often feel like an uphill battle. Whether it’s a weekend retreat or a virtual workshop, getting people excited and committed to attending can be challenging. Fortunately, there are practical ways to boost attendance. Let’s explore how you can increase event attendance for your church using effective methods and tools like BeyondSundays!

Why Church Event Attendance Is Low

Many factors can contribute to poor turnout at church events. For example, the subject matter might not appeal to everyone, the location might be inconvenient, or the cost might be a barrier. However, one of the most significant issues is a lack of awareness. The simple fact is that you and your staff need to put more effort into informing your community about upcoming events.

Here’s why… 

• Awareness Gap: Many church members may not even know that an event is happening. Relying solely on Sunday announcements or flyers limits your reach. And as a result, it makes it even harder to increase church event attendance. 

• Engagement Challenge: Even if members are aware, they might not feel compelled to attend. This is where targeted communication can make a difference. By staying in contact, you can keep people engaged and interested in attending. 

• Competing Priorities: People have busy lives, and church events can easily get lost in the shuffle. In fact, a one-off message can be forgotten in minutes! It’s important to frequently remind and motivate them to participate. 

Recognizing this issue is the first step toward learning how to increase event attendance. To ensure successful turnouts for events like biblical finance workshops, faith retreats, holiday celebrations, marriage seminars, parenting classes, and wellness fairs, you need to do more. You and your team must embrace more effective promotional and communication strategies.

Rest assured it’s worth the effort. Churches that run outreach events have an average growth rate of 12%. By going the extra mile to make every event a success, you can look forward to a stronger church! 

The Role of Technology in Increasing Church Event Attendance

Gone are the days when hanging a flyer on your church bulletin board and sharing updates before and after services were sufficient. Although these traditional methods still have value, they’re limited in reach and impact. Technology, on the other hand, offers powerful tools to extend your reach and keep your community well-informed.

Key Benefits of Using Technology

• Broader Reach: Technology enables you to notify and remind a larger segment of your community about events through various digital channels.

• Convenience: Members can receive information through the channels they prefer, such as text, email, or social media.

• Personalization: You can tailor your messages to different segments of your audience, making the communication more relevant and effective.

By utilizing a platform like BeyondSundays, you can seamlessly integrate these tools into your church’s event planning and communication strategy. Doing so makes it a lot easier to keep your congregation in the loop and excited about upcoming events. So, if you want to increase church event attendance, you can’t afford to ignore technology. 

7 Practical Tips to Increase Church Event Attendance

Taking a strategic approach to event communication and promotion ensures that people are aware and excited to participate. By leveraging modern tools and personalized outreach methods, you can look forward to better results. Below are some tips you can use to increase event attendance at your church. 

1. Use Messaging That Resonates with Your Audience.

When it comes to increasing attendance at church events, messaging matters. You need to understand your congregation’s interests and needs and apply those insights accordingly. Craft messaging that highlights the benefits and unique aspects of your event. For example, for a biblical finance workshop, emphasize practical takeaways and the opportunity for personal financial growth rooted in biblical principles.

2. Create Dedicated Pages for Events with Sign-Up Forms.

If you don’t already, set up a dedicated page for each event with detailed information and an easy-to-use sign-up form. This not only provides all necessary details in one place but also facilitates smoother registrations. With BeyondSundays’ scheduling feature, you can create and manage these pages with ease!

3. Keep Events Top of Mind by Developing Email Campaigns 

Email is a highly effective communication tool. That’s why it’s important to use it for event promotion purposes. If it’s a general event that could benefit everyone, send these emails to your complete church list. But if it’s a specific event (e.g., a marriage conference), be sure to segment your list and only email those who’d find the event relevant to them.

Follow these best practices when developing your campaigns:

• Create a series of emails, starting with an announcement and followed by reminders. 

• Personalize these emails to increase engagement. 

• Include attention-grabbing subject lines and clear calls to action.

4. Share Posts on Social Media Leading up to Events.

Social media platforms are perfect for building excitement and anticipation. Post regularly about your event on Facebook, Instagram, X, and other platforms where your community is active. Consider sharing testimonials from past events, behind-the-scenes preparations, and countdowns to keep the buzz alive.

5. Use Text Messaging to Notify Members.

Applying text messaging for church event purposes is strongly recommended. That’s because texts have an incredibly high open rate. Send timely reminders and updates via text to ensure your members don’t miss important information. BeyondSundays allows you to send targeted text messages, ensuring the right people receive the right information at the right time.

6. Offer Early-Bird Pricing for Paid Events.

You can incentivize early registration by offering discounted rates for those who sign up early. This not only boosts initial registrations but also helps with event planning and logistics. Communicate these offers clearly and make the process easy and straightforward.

7. Automate Follow-Ups Thanking Attendees.

After the event, send automated thank-you messages to attendees. Express gratitude for their participation and provide information about upcoming events. This gesture helps build a sense of community and encourages repeat attendance. With BeyondSundays, you can automate these follow-ups, making the process efficient and consistent!

Conclusion

Increasing event attendance for your church is a multifaceted challenge that requires strategic planning and effective communication. By understanding the reasons behind low attendance and leveraging technology, you can enhance your outreach and engagement efforts. The best part is that platforms like BeyondSundays offer the tools you need to streamline event registration, communication, and follow-ups, ensuring your congregation stays informed and excited about your events.

Are you interested in how BeyondSundays and want to see if it’s a good fit? Take a brief assessment today!